Author Archives: JC Torres

Innovative Bluetooth keyboard turns its surface into a giant touchpad

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Wireless keyboards are nothing new. Whether you’re on a desktop trying to escape the tangle of cables or on a laptop wanting to expand your limited set of keys, a wireless keyboard offers a bit more freedom and flexibility than other keyboards. That said, they still have the same limitations, namely, requiring a separate mouse or touchpad to move the computer cursor around. Not only does that take up more desk space, it also means another device you might forget or lose along the way. Some Bluetooth keyboards add a tiny touchpad off to the side, but that comes at the cost of reducing the number of keys available on the keyboard. This ingenious solution gives the best of both worlds by practically turning the entire keyboard into one giant touchpad you can swipe and pinch, just like any other touchpad.

Designer: Igor Solovyov (Industrial Designer, Clevetura)

Laptops have the advantage of having both a keyboard and a pointing device in a single body, but their arrangement is hardly the best in terms of ergonomics and flexibility. Wireless keyboards with built-in trackpads, on the other hand, try to cram this component in an already small space but still manage to sacrifice keys like the numeric keypad. It’s almost as if there’s no ideal design that solves this problem, but the CLVX 1 boldly tries to think outside the box while offering a keyboard that, at least on paper, matches the functionality of many Bluetooth keyboards in the market today.

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In a nutshell, the middle area of the CLVX 1 keyboard is touch-sensitive and functions like a giant touchpad. Thanks to a special slippery coating, you can effortlessly glide your finger across that area to move the mouse around without snagging on the edges of the keys. You can even pinch to zoom or perform any other touch gestures, just like a normal trackpad. As a bonus, the top row of function keys also functions as a slider that you can smoothly swipe without even having to look, making it just as easy to control the volume or any other function you program into the gesture. The keyboard promises that it won’t mix up typing and gestures, as it automatically disables touch detection once you press a key. And in case you’re wondering about mouse button presses, the keyboard has dedicated physical buttons below the spacebar for those actions.

In all other aspects, the CLVX 1 boasts a laundry list of features available on many wireless keyboards and then some. It has a 110-key layout, which is far more than your typical Bluetooth keyboard, and uses scissor switches. The RGB lighting also has a few tricks, like following your finger as you glide over the keys. You can pair up to three devices with it via Bluetooth, but you can also connect to a device using USB-C for a fourth connection.

The CLVX 1 is definitely an intriguing design, but its mettle still needs to be tested in real-world use. The smoothness of swiping over keys will definitely be the biggest point of concern, but the typing experience of having those keys so close together is also an important consideration. Nevertheless, it definitely deserves some praise for thinking outside the box to deliver a design that doesn’t compromise just to mix two functions in one.

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Google Pixel 8a: News, Rumors, Price, and Release Date

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Google’s annual developer conference is fast approaching, and with it comes announcements of new devices that will showcase the company’s software for years to come. The Google Pixel Fold 2, which may be known as the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, is already making headlines and becoming the center of attraction, but it is hardly the only mobile device expected to be unveiled this month. As part of the more affordable “a” series, the Pixel 8a may sound uninteresting at first glance, but a few leaks and rumors paint a more curious picture of the Google Pixel 8a, making it a feasible candidate to be your 2024 purchase.

Designer: Google

Google Pixel 8a: Design

For those terribly disappointed by rumors of the changes that the Pixel 9 series will be making to a distinctive design, the Google Pixel 8a will offer a refuge. It still bears the same aesthetics of its namesake, namely a rounder and gentler appearance coupled with the “visor” camera design that Google’s phones have been using for three generations now. That said, the Pixel 8a will bring its own twist, making it perhaps even more interesting than its predecessor.

Image courtesy of: SmartPrix

For one, there are clues showing a matte surface for the phone’s rear rather than the traditional glass. This not only improves the grip of the device but also a bit of visual embellishment. This material change could go hand in hand with the “fun” colors that will be available for the phone, which might include Blue and Red, though those could also just be new official cases.

Image courtesy of: TechDroider

Perhaps a bit more interesting is the information provided by Evan Blass, a.k.a. evleaks, about the sustainability story of the Pixel 8a. There’s mention of the use of recycled materials, which could refer to either the back panel, the aluminum frame, or both. It will definitely be a huge design win if the Pixel 8a turns out to be Google’s most sustainable phone, especially considering how long it will be supported.

Google Pixel 8a: Specs and Software

In line with its current practice, we don’t expect to see a huge difference when it comes to the Pixel 8a’s hardware. It will be borrowing the same Tensor G3 as the Pixel 8a, but perhaps a bit watered down in performance. The display will be a new 120Hz panel, up from the Pixel 7a’s 60Hz, with an even brighter 1400 nits. The same trio of cameras that’s on the Pixel 7a will make its way to this year’s budget phone, so don’t expect a world of difference in terms of image output. What’s new is a 256GB storage option, which also shakes the pricing up a bit.

In other words, the Pixel 8a will be a very incremental update to the Pixel 7a and a step down from the Pixel 8. It’s not a surprising state of affairs, as it gives Pixel fans an option to grab the Google experience without burning a hole through their wallets. What will make all these worthwhile, however, is the software that runs on the device, and that one is expected to be fresh and new, at least compared to the hardware.

The Pixel 8a will naturally run Android 14 at launch, with updates to Android 15 immediately coming. More importantly, however, it will be running parts of Google’s Gemini AI suite, with tons of AI-powered features for search, photography, and more. Google is also promising 7 years of software updates, quite a feat in the mobile world, though it’s not clear how many of those will be actual Android upgrades versus security patches.

Google Pixel 8a: Price and Release Date

With Google I/O set for May 14, the timeline for revealing new devices is just around the corner. There are rumors that the Pixel Fold 2/Pixel 9 Pro Fold will be announced a few days earlier, but there’s no reason to expect the Pixel 8a to get special treatment. If Google doesn’t break from traditions, orders for the phone will start on that day as well.

As for the price, Google is thankfully keeping the figures the same, at least for the base model. For 128GB of storage, the Pixel 8a will go for $499, or the same launch price as the Pixel 7a. This year, however, a 256GB model is supposedly in the works, and that will go for $599. They’re not exactly “cheap,” but they’re still well below the usual $800 to $1,000 that consumers pay for with a brand-new flagship.

Google Pixel 8a: Final Thoughts

It’s not really strange that smartphone companies and their marketing engines tend to focus on the more expensive high-end products. After all, those are what make the most profits and also have the biggest expenses. That’s not to say they’re always the best, and definitely not for all people. The Google Pixel 8a, despite the stigma of being a “cheaper” version of a flagship, seems to be shaping up to be one interesting design and could be more worth your money in the long run.

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Ultra-minimalist clipboard made from a sheet of metal has a built-in light

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You’ve probably had your share of seeing articles, YouTube videos, and Instagram posts about beautifully crafted notebooks and journals. Despite the prevalence of smartphones, computers, and digital devices, there is still a very strong culture around paper notebooks and the tools that support their use. That said, notebooks aren’t the only medium for this kind of creative activity, and loose-leaf paper has some benefits as well, at least as long as you have a way of keeping them together or writing on them on a flat surface. This extremely simple clipboard offers that kind of experience for artists, architects, and engineers, and it even adds a feature you’ve probably never seen on any clipboard before.

Designer: Studio SHFT

Clipboards have been around for decades, maybe even centuries, but very few people actually give them a second thought. You’d usually see them in offices, store rooms, or even on the field to hold a few sheets of paper together, mostly checklists or forms to be filled while standing up. Unfortunately, that underestimates the utility of this tool, and this all-metal clipboard demonstrates how you can take advantage of its features with a few ingenious design details.

The most striking thing about the FOLD B is that it’s made from a single sheet of stainless steel. Although most clipboards are often made with plastic, cardboard, or even cork, a steel one isn’t at all unheard of yet extremely rare. Even rarer is the fact that it’s really just one flat sheet of metal, without even a clip to keep paper in place.

That function is instead delegated to two small cylindrical magnets that are strong enough to hold the paper down, though probably only a single sheet as well. The idea is to use the clipboard not as an organizer for loose-leaf paper but as a drawing board or canvas. You place a sheet of paper, “pin” it down with those two magnets, and start drawing, drafting, or writing to your heart’s content. The clipboard’s elevated rear drives home the fact that it’s really made for this kind of use case.

While it doesn’t have a paper clip, The one thing that does protrude from the top of the clipboard is a small rechargeable lamp. This assists the user to keep on working even in darker spaces, though it’s still better to have a properly lit environment anyway. This lamp is connected to the clipboard with screws, so it’s completely possible to remove it if you feel that it hinders rather than helps. Curiously, this built-in lighting also opens the design to more uses, like a guest book or a menu holder for restaurants.

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Futuristic car interior concept makes you feel like you’re driving a giant robot

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A great deal of interest has been poured into future car designs, most of which are envisioned to be self-driving vehicles. The reason for this is pretty simple, visionaries want to turn car cabins into moving hotel rooms, delivering luxurious and stylish comfort that lets passengers relax, enjoy, and ever socialize without having to pay attention to the traffic. We’re still far away from the future, however, and some car owners might prefer a different kind of ambiance and experience when driving. This car interior concept, for example, offers a different view of the future, one that makes you feel more like you’re inside the cockpit of a spaceship or, more accurately, a giant robot.

Designer: Advait Taware

Of the many Japanese franchises that became a big hit worldwide, Gundam is perhaps the most iconic when it comes to giant piloted robots. Although the brand has a wide variety of robot designs, perhaps the most popular ones involve a particular white, blue, and red theme with plenty of flat panels, sharp edges, and polygonal surfaces. Gundam has inspired generations of toy collectors, enthusiasts, and even designers, one of which turned that motif into something that can actually be realistic, even if you don’t have a mecha to pilot.

A giant robot cockpit is probably the last thing you’d imagine for the car of the future. After all, those robots were often used for militaristic purposes, though some might say that daily commute traffic makes them feel that way. That said, the Gundam Interiors concept does have a certain charm to it, providing a futuristic driving experience that is, ironically, more steeped in present reality than the self-driving concepts that automobile makers and tech companies are trying to paint. In other words, it still requires the driver to be in control, providing seats in front and a steering wheel.

Of course, the designs of these components are anything but typical for this concept. The U-shaped steering wheel, for example, looks more like the controls of a plane than a car. A tall display in the middle of the wheel provides immediate information and controls, which is important since the instrumentation dashboard is quite far in front, too far to reach for any interaction. The seats are also atypical of car seats, adopting an almost angular shape that looks aerodynamic, almost like a small aircraft itself.

The cabin of this futuristic car is filled with such hard, edgy design elements, but the use of lighter tones like white and light gray softens the visual to some extent. Ironically, the exterior of this futuristic car is the thematic opposite of its interior, sporting a smooth and curved chassis not unlike the typical self-driving car concepts you’d see lately. It’s an interesting juxtaposition that does give the design a bit of character but could also prove to be a bit incoherent in terms of overall themes.

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Bag-like portable lamp concept takes a page from traditional Korean lanterns

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Lamps are a normal part of everyday life, giving light and creating moods anywhere, anytime, even during the day. Conventional lamp designs involve fixtures placed on walls, hanging from ceilings, or even standing up from floors and desks, all of them permanent or semi-permanent. Of course, some lamps can be carried, and there was a time when these were the only kind of lamps that lit up houses and paths as what we now call “lanterns.” Most portable lamps these days take a more practical and space-efficient shapes like cylinders and boxes, but this design concept throws convention out the window with a lamp design that looks like a cross between a traditional paper lantern and a modern bag.

Designer: Hyejin Cho

Once upon a time, all sources of light were pretty much fire hazards. Metal lanterns used combustible kerosene and paper lanterns enclosed candles in, well, paper. The latter was a common design in Asia, like the Korean Chorong which used white cloth covering a wooden frame to protect the candle inside from blowing winds. Of course, we have electricity and LEDs today to make all of that safer, but there’s also a certain charm to the sight of a lantern’s fabric billowing gently in the wind.

This portable lamp design concept brings that past aesthetic to the present but with a few modern twists. The lamp, named after that same Chorong lantern, tries to capture the unique visual of the fabric-covered lighting but uses 3D-printed transparent PLA to achieve the same effect. Rather than going for a straightforward box, the shape of the container twists and bends, almost like how the cloth would have behaved in the past.

The light source itself is a white sphere with a dozen or so LEDs inside providing illumination. The lamp’s steel base not only serves as a stable foundation but also as a compartment to hide the electronics, including a rechargeable battery. This modern Chorong also deviates from the traditional design by using a handle that uses anodized aluminum and stands only on two sides of the “lantern,” namely, the front and the back. This gives the lamp an unusual appearance and experience of carrying a bag instead of a lamp.

Chorong wouldn’t be the first to try to recreate a traditional lantern design with modern materials, but it is one that isn’t too concerned about staying faithful to the original. It tries to capture the spirit of the design, one that not only illuminates but also inspires with its organic beauty, and reinterprets it in a way that shows off modern materials and techniques. That said, this design concept is more for show and might be impractical to actually use outdoors unless you’re just bringing it out to the backyard to enjoy a calm night under the stars.

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Glucose monitor and insulin pump concept is a sustainable way to keep tabs on diabetes

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Of the many disorders that afflict people today, diabetes is perhaps the literally most painful one to monitor and maintain. Even with advancements in medical technology, pricking your finger is still the most accurate way to measure blood sugar levels. At the same time, taking in insulin often involves painful and tedious injections. And it isn’t just humans who are hurting from these, but the environment also suffers from all the waste these life-saving tools produce. It’s probably high time to have a glucose monitor and insulin delivery system that is not only painless and convenient but also sustainable, which is exactly what this minimalist-looking device concept is proposing.

Designer: Maxwell Stevens

CGMs or Continuous Glucose Monitors are one of the less invasive methods of keeping tabs on your blood sugar levels, though most do require inserting a sensor under the skin that is read by a device that sticks to your body over that site. When it comes to injecting insulin, on the other hand, insulin pumps remove the need to always pierce your skin for every injection, as a needle stays in its position for a day or two before needing to be replaced, unless the pump is one that actually stays on your body and above your skin. If these two devices sound almost related, it’s because they really are, and the Ingo CGM and insulin pump concept actually combines these two functions into a single, reusable, and sustainable device.

This oval-shaped device combines two critical functions in a single compact design that diabetes patients can discreetly wear on their bodies. Ingo can even have different colors to match skin tones so they won’t stand out as much as more obvious medical devices. There’s also the element of convenience as the device can be easily recharged on a wireless base, while the CGM sensor and pump needle are integrated into the sensor patches that stick over your skin.

Ingo also differs from existing CGMs and insulin pumps in the way that it tries to reduce the amount of waste as much as possible. Instead of disposable parts, it uses reusable components and recyclable patches, lessening the burden on the environment that these solutions often place on the planet. The rechargeable device and refillable insulin tank also prolong the life of the product or at least those parts that shouldn’t have to be thrown away frequently. Ingo is definitely an interesting proposal for a more humane and more environment-friendly way to keep diabetes patients living healthy and meaningful lives while also taking care of the planet they’re living on.

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Sleek futuristic game controller concept removes almost all buttons

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The recent years have put gaming under the spotlight, from the hit mobile games like Pokemon GO to innovative consoles like the Nintendo Switch, to the messy adaption of iconic video games into films or TV shows. Of course, this has also given rise to interesting new product designs, especially those riding on the retro trend that’s bringing aesthetics from the past to the present. That said, we can’t always be looking backward trying to relive a so-called “golden age” of design. In order to move forward, we sometimes have to break away from standards and tradition to pave the way for the future. That may sometimes result in unusual designs that may or may not work as intended. This futuristic-looking game controller, for example, aims to simplify the user experience and give the product a more aesthetic flair, but it also raises questions about the usability of the redesign.

Designers: Sami Azfar, Salekin Piash

The basic design of game controllers has changed little over the decades. Yes, they vary depending on the platform or generation, but the existence of buttons, directional pads (D-pads), joysticks, and triggers has always been a standard. For now, it’s the only way you can express a multitude of actions with a limited number of controls, but it’s hardly the most effective or convenient. Unfortunately, we will have to stick with such conventions for the foreseeable future, but that doesn’t mean we can change how they are implemented.

Moenix is a design concept that tries to simplify the form of the controller, thereby allowing it to take on a completely different aesthetic. It specifically takes inspiration from the design of steering wheels and gearshift which are examples of simple yet powerful user interfaces. Unsurprisingly, the Moenix takes on a shape that’s not unlike the steering wheel of a vehicle but utilizes more organic shapes to give it a less mechanical appearance.

The most striking aspect of the controller’s design, however, is the lack of any visible interfaces. There are only two explicitly mentioned in the design, and both come under your thumb. These are touch-sensitive buttons whose actions can change depending on the game being played. One could act as a trigger in a shooter or as the gas pedal in a racing game, while the other can be mapped to movement or camera controls. Given the shape of the controller, it wouldn’t be surprising if it had motion controls so that you can turn your character or your car just by turning the controller itself.

This concept allows the game controller to take on a simpler and more approachable design, but it seems to come at the price of actually providing enough controls to the player. The dynamic buttons can be changed, but unless it can provide more than 2 or four actions, it will definitely be insufficient for most modern games. Alternatively, it might be possible to include buttons behind each handle, providing the same amount of expressiveness but in a more ergonomic position.

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Space-saving bookends double as a modular wireless speaker system

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We seem to always be running out of space on our desks. Any free area that we get often quickly becomes occupied by a new thing, a tool, or a book, that we can always justify as necessary. And then there are purely decorative items that, while not serving any practical function, serve to put us in a good mood. Sadly, those reasons don’t remove the fact that they still take up precious space that could have been used for other things. Cutting down on the amount of “stuff” on your desk is one possible solution to this conundrum, but another is to use multi-functional products that serve more than one purpose, like these rather aesthetic bookends that are actually speakers in disguise.

Designer: Liam de la Bedoyere

If there are two things that are standard on a modern desk, it would be books and speakers. The former is often essential for work, even if just for appearance’s sake, while the latter is necessary to keep our minds sane with our favorite music and podcasts. They might even be necessary for the video meetings that are becoming more common these days. Naturally, these things will need some space on your desk, so why not combine them in a way that still retains each product’s identity while also bringing a fresh twist to their designs?

The Beat Bookends concept does exactly that by transforming bookends into two parts of a speaker system. Specifically, the triangular shapes that sit on either end of a row of books act not only as stable structures to keep your reading materials upright but also serve as front-firing speakers. Although it probably would have been enough to just have two wireless speakers performing this function, the design concept actually includes one or two more speakers for an even better audio experience.

The bookend speakers are actually just the “satellite” speakers, and a rectangular block serves as the main unit you connect to. This piece can stand in the middle of your row of books to add a bit of variety to the composition, or it can even be placed anywhere else to set up a spatial audio arrangement of sorts. Another rectangular speaker block can even be added to the mix for an even louder and more distributed audio output.

What’s interesting about the Beat Bookends concept is that it isn’t limited to actually being used as bookends only. With a flexible building block concept, you can mix and match pieces and arrange the speakers in different ways, even if you don’t have books to stand on your desk or shelf. You can combine the speakers in more interesting arrangements to provide not only audio but also a bit of decoration on your desk, hitting two birds with a single stone.

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nubia Flip 5G Foldable Phone Review: Finally, A Foldable Phone You Can Afford

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PROS:


  • Simple yet beautiful design

  • Large, bright, and vibrant foldable screen

  • Distinctive "porthole" external screen design

  • Attractive and affordable price point

CONS:


  • Dated hardware and software

  • Unimpressive camera output

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The nubia Flip 5G delivers the essentials of a foldable phone experience without burning a hole through your wallet.

In order to sell more foldable phones, this niche market segment needs to be as common as regular, non-folding phones. These normal phones, however, appeal to the masses because they can cater to a wide range of buyers, including those with tighter budgets. There has long been a clamor for more affordable foldable phones, both the larger book-style design as well as the clamshell type, but few manufacturers have dared to heed the call. The nubia Flip 5G is arguably the first flip-style foldable to really bring the design to the masses, boldly claiming the title of most affordable foldable. Nothing comes for free, however, especially in this industry, so we naturally wonder what nubia had to sacrifice to meet such an unbelievably low price point. We give the nubia Flip 5G a good turn to find out.

Designer: nubia

Aesthetics

Right off the bat, you wouldn’t be able to tell the nubia Flip 5G’s price just from its looks. The word “cheap” has unfortunately acquired a negative reputation, but there is definitely nothing cheap about this phone’s design. Aside from the large black disc on its back, which we’ll get to later, the phone is a poster child for minimalist design, simple yet evocative in its pleasing appearance. There is not a line, edge, or corner out of place, making it exude class and style that would shock you if you knew the price tag it carried.

nubia didn’t skimp on materials either, giving the phone a matte AG glass for its back that not only adds a better grip but also makes the “sparkling sand” surface of the design stand out even more. This is better seen on the Cosmic Black cover which gives you the impression of looking at a starry night sky, while the Sunshine Gold of our review unit gives off a more calming and ethereal presence. The aluminum alloy frame isn’t far behind with its zircon sandblasted finish, adding texture that won’t be easily smudged by fingerprints.

Of course, the nubia Flip 5G needs to have cameras and a second screen on its back, and this is done just as tastefully as the rest of its design. The large black circle is located dead center, giving it symmetry and balance that is admittedly becoming less common in smartphone designs, foldable or otherwise. Once the screen lights up, however, that darkness becomes something like a window to another world, a technological equivalent of the porthole of old ships. This gives the phone a completely different vibe from other clamshell foldables that, while not unattractive, tend to focus more on the technical functionality at the expense of overall design.

Ergonomics

Foldable phones promise a different level of usability and flexibility, but they also demand some changes in the way we use phones. For example, we need to open them up to be able to fully utilize their functions, but the external screen also offers some interactions while the phone is closed. Being able to comfortably and confidently hold such a device in both forms is even more important with foldables than it is for regular, flat smartphones.

Fortunately, the nubia Flip 5G delivers exactly that, and in both forms no less. Holding the folded phone is the easiest thing to do with one hand, and you don’t even have to turn the block around because the external display will automatically adjust itself depending on how you’re holding it. Whether your top is bottom or your bottom is top, you can instantly dive into the notifications, controls, or the camera without having to turn it right side up.

That said, the nubia Flip 5G is admittedly taller and wider than other flip phones, so those with smaller hands might have even more difficulty using it with a single hand. The flat, textured edges help with the grip, but reaching for the other side of the screen with your thumb will still be a tedious task. Then again, most phones these days really take single-handed use for granted, so it’s not exactly alone in this area.

Performance

So far, the nubia Flip 5G seems to punch above its price when it comes to design and comfort, so it raises the question of how the brand was able to push that price tag so low. The answer, if you haven’t guessed it already, is in the hardware. It’s not terrible, mind you, but you would do well to manage your expectations that this isn’t a $1,000 phone.

If you were to really put the flip phone in a box, you would file it under the “mid-range” category. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor it uses is from way back in 2022, and its 8GB of RAM sounds almost meager. Fortunately, this combination has enough silicon muscle to drive a fluid and responsive user experience (especially if you boost the RAM by 12GB by taking away some internal storage space), so you might not even notice the difference. Yes, games need to be set to medium or lower, and certain activities will really raise the temperatures, but there are no show-stopping flaws that would make you throw the phone in frustration.

Even better, the 6.9-inch 120Hz OLED foldable display is actually impressive in its brightness and performance. You’ll have to fiddle with the refresh rate settings to get the right speed you want, but the screen is no joke when it comes to responsiveness and colors. Thanks to the phone’s hinge design, you’ll hardly see the crease unless you intentionally go looking for it. Your finger with definitely feel its existence, but you’ll barely notice it in day-to-day operations. The 1.43-inch circular OLED screen on the back shares these same properties, minus the flexibility, but its small size looks odd when placed side-by-side with other flip phones. At the same time, however, this allows nubia to craft simpler, more beautiful, and less distracting experiences rather than giving you another phone on the back of your phone.

In addition to older hardware, the nubia Flip 5G also runs MyOS 13 which is based on, you guessed it, Android 13. We’re past the time when new devices would come out with old Android versions, so this comes as a bit of a surprise. In 6 months, Android 15 will also be out, making this version very old in terms of features and bug fixes. What makes the situation a little worse is that we’re not confident about nubia’s track record in pushing timely updates, so new owners of this foldable phone might be stuck with the same Android version for a long time.

Battery life is a bit of a mixed bag. On paper, its 4,310mAh capacity is definitely the highest in this foldable category, but the older technology of the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 is less battery-efficient, so it all evens out at the end. The 33W charging speed, however, makes up for its short battery life, letting you get as much as a 50% charge in just 15 minutes. In other words, you’ll still be charging almost every night, despite having a bigger battery capacity.

nubia’s cost-cutting strategy, however, really shows when it comes to the cameras. The 16MP front-facing camera is serviceable and takes OK selfies, but for all intents and purposes, you’ll probably end up using the main 50MP camera even for the latter. There are two sensors on the back of the nubia Flip 5G, but you can actively use only one of them as the 2MP camera is really just a depth sensor. That means you’ll be relying on that lone 50MP shooter for everything, including a 2x lossless digital zoom. And yes, there is no ultra-wide camera at all.

While megapixel count isn’t always everything, it still matters when that’s all you really have. In practice, the nubia Flip 5G’s lone camera is like a hero, doing everything to the best of its abilities, even when it sometimes fails. Images are passable and at least have enough details to make the mark. Colors, however, can sometimes look a bit washed out or dull, and there is a clear loss of detail when you zoom in. There’s no OIS, so you’ll have to make sure your subject stays still for a second or two. On the upside, this rear camera takes great portrait photos with pleasing blurs and correct separation of subject and background. With so many smartphones boasting impressive photography chops, the nubia Flip 5G sadly comes up glaringly short of expectations. Then again, it’s not exactly that shocking given how much you’re paying for it anyway.

Sustainability

Compared to regular phones, foldable phones are still infants, and some brands are just as new to playing this game. In that sense, it’s really not surprising that using more sustainable materials is probably the farthest from their minds at this point. They first want to establish the durability and reliability of their design before they change the formula to boast about the use of recycled plastics and metal. The nubia Flip 5G is no different in this regard.

That said, it naturally takes the topic of durability very seriously, even if it doesn’t make any guarantees about even being splash-proof, let alone waterproof and dustproof. The waterdrop-style hinge that allows it to fold completely flat does come with the claim of having withstood more than 200,000 folding and unfolding actions. There is a bit of a crunching sound when opening and folding the phone, though, but that’s probably more from how rigid the hinge is rather than anything breaking inside.

Value

If this were a regular smartphone, we’d consider it pretty basic to the point of being disappointing and leave it at that. But the nubia Flip 5G isn’t your regular smartphone, not by a long shot. It’s hardly the first clamshell-style foldable phone either, but it’s definitely the most affordable one in this specific category. It starts at $499 for 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, but $699 will get you double that memory. When you consider that something like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 starts at $1,000, then it’s really no contest.

That said, nubia’s real competition would come from its peers, like the TECNO Phantom V Flip launched last year. Yes, the $600 price tag puts it above the nubia Flip 5G, but it also comes with some important upgrades, like a more recent processor, faster charging, and more importantly, a better camera system that includes an ultra-wide shooter. It all boils down to how much you’re willing to cut out for a basic foldable experience, and you might be surprised at how much the nubia Flip 5G is able to deliver for less.

Verdict

Foldable phones are here to stay, though it’s taking quite some time for them to become the norm. Part of it is because of consumer hesitation regarding seemingly fragile devices, but an even bigger factor is the price attached to such products that may easily break from the slightest accident. Offering an affordable yet decent foldable phone goes a long way in allaying fears, and the nubia Flip 5G is the commendable hero that is bravely paving the way for others like it.

The $499 price tag for a foldable phone is nothing short of tempting, but it also raises questions about what corners were cut to get there. The camera story is definitely disappointing, as is the use of somewhat older hardware and software. None of these, however, take away from the truth that the nubia Flip 5G is a surprisingly decent foldable smartphone for its price. If you want to sink your teeth into this still-young device category but are too reluctant to spend too much on it, the nubia Flip 5G is definitely a great way to get started, as long as you set your expectations right.

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Screw-shaped table lamp offers a unique and tactile way to control your light

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There are some designs and interfaces that seem to be so intuitive that there’s almost no question about how to use them. Babies have an inborn knowledge on how to breast feed (even if they have no clue why or when), lever-type switches leave no doubt about what to do to turn something on or off, and the grooves on a screw’s body, a.k.a. its “threads,” hint that it’s something that needs to be rotated or twisted. These intuitive interfaces often have a fixed purpose and use, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be applied to something totally unrelated. This industrial-style table lamp, for example, uses not just the metaphor of a screw but even its mechanism to offer a more personal and direct way to dim or brighten your surroundings.

Designer: Jamie Wolfond

Even when it comes to appearances, the Set Table Lamp already sets itself apart from the crowd. Especially when its lampshade is at its lowest point, it looks nothing more than a gigantic screw standing on your table or shelf. Apart from the standard tall body and wide shade composition, it’s not exactly a design you’d expect from a lamp, even one with a striking industrial style. Unlike lamps that just let you look at it to appreciate its design, this one looks like it’s inviting you to interact with it, which is exactly the point of the design.

The lamp’s screw design isn’t just cosmetic but is actually a key part of its function. The light that comes from the lamp’s cylindrical body shines upward toward the lampshade and is bounced off to illuminate your surroundings. The shade’s shape isn’t typical either in that it’s a very flat cone with its tip facing downward instead of the umbrella-like shades of most lamps. This not only reflects light around the lamp rather than just downward, it also mimics the design of a screw head more closely as well.

Most lamps these days have a dimming feature that often requires turning the lamp on and off to cycle through different brightness levels. It’s an unintuitive and tiring method that leaves no room for finer adjustments. In contrast, the Set Table Lamp’s unique design works in its favor because you can simply turn the shade to lower or raise it, thereby dimming or brightening the light it gives off, respectively. And you do this not with a switch but with an easy motion of “screwing” the cap around the body’s grooves.

With today’s smart lighting products, such a design might seem impractical or even obsolete, but how many such smart lamps can boast of such a beautiful and “personal” lamp? The remote and indirect control of smart lamps takes out the human element in designs, somewhat ironic for products made for human living space. Set Table Lamp offers a more tactile experience that gives humans the feeling of agency and control that they are losing little by little to automation and AI.

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