Monthly Archives: February 2024

Baluchon Fits An Entire Tiny Home On One Level To Save Space

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Dubbed the Eucalyptus, this thoughtfully designed tiny home is one of Baluchon’s latest tiny homes. It is based on a double-axle trailer and features a length of 22 feet, which is almost 3.2 feet longer than Baluchon’s typical models. Most tiny homes today feature storage-integrated staircases and loft-style bedrooms with low ceilings, Baluchon has instead designed a home with everything tucked away into one level, which makes everything accessible, but also means that everything had to be snugly fit together.

Designer: Baluchon

Since the Eucalyptus does not have a loft-style bedroom, this allows the home to have some extra length in comparison to most of Baluchon’s models. But it is still not considered extremely long. The compact little home is clad in red cedar, and has a spruce frame, with insulation made from linen, hemp, and recycled cotton. As you enter the home via double glass doors, you are welcomed into the kitchen, which forms a major section of the center of the home. The kitchen includes an oven, a propane-powered two-burner stove, a small fridge, a sink, and custom cabinetry. A dining table is also located close to the kitchen, and it can be moved aside to free up floor space when needed.

The bathroom is placed next to the kitchen, and you can enter it via a sliding wooden door. The bathroom contains a shower, toilet, and storage units to hold clothing. It also features a large operable window, allowing fresh air into the space. The other side of the house holds the living room, which accommodates shelving, an electric radiator, and a sofa bed, allowing the space to also double up as a bedroom. The living room is also adorned with blackout blinds, which offer privacy.

The Eucalyptus was built for an owner in Normandy, Northern France, and it was designed to function as his main home. We’re unaware of the tiny home’s exact pricing, however, Baluchon homes usually start around US$84,000, so you could take that as a ballpark figure.

The post Baluchon Fits An Entire Tiny Home On One Level To Save Space first appeared on Yanko Design.

World’s Cleanest Electric Snowmobile launched this week in collaboration with Pininfarina

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Traversing snowy terrains is now going to be even more fun and environmentally friendly with the Vidde Mobility electric snowmobile. Designed in collaboration with Pininfarina the vehicle makes minimal noise without compromising on the power delivery of a conventional gas-powered snowmobile.

According to Vidde founded by Christian Lystrup, the terrain vehicles around the globe create 30 megatons of CO2 every year. Out of which over “two-thirds of the total emissions produced by the entire country of Sweden.” The Vidde Alfa is deemed to solve this with an initial footprint of less than 100g co2/ km compared to the 550g co2/km of any gas-powered snowmobile. The vehicle is slated for a late 2024 release for a price tag with a wider production horizon planned for 2025. It was launched on February 18, 2024, at IceHotel in Swedish Lapland.

Designer: Vidde Mobility and Pininfarina

Standing out from the rest as a trailblazer of the snowmobile industry, this snowmobile is groundbreaking when it comes to eco-friendly performance. The electric snowmobile comes loaded with a battery heating system for operation at a low temperature of -39 degrees Celsius. For the looks, Pininfarina influence is apparent with a distinctive bold orange and white-hued theme on the sleek body shell placed on the runner and treads finished in industrial black.

The collaborative effort is focused on identifying a solution that elevates the pleasure of driving and making sure it is functional and attractive keeping in mind the longevity of use. This electric snowmobile will be tested at the vast expanse of Swedish Lapland by the Icehotel for the remainder of the season to get real-time data in real conditions. According to Christian, the first batch of units are signed up and there are some limited slots left to pre-book the Vidde snowmobile.

According to Annika Fredriksson CEO of Swedish Lapland Visitors Board, “During the winter a lot of people use snowmobiles for both personal and professional purposes. If we can turn all these snowmobiles into electrified versions it would have a hugely positive effect on nature and wildlife, both for the reduced CO2 emissions and sound disturbance. This fills us with hope and will play a part in reaching our sustainability goals for 2030.”

The post World’s Cleanest Electric Snowmobile launched this week in collaboration with Pininfarina first appeared on Yanko Design.

Sustainable canvas sneaker explores a unique design that lets you detach and repair your footwear

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The Disassembly Lab is really one of those designs that doesn’t need much explaining. A lot of what makes this footwear great is clearly visible in its aesthetic itself, making it one of those shoes your eyes fall in love with LONG before your feet do. After all, isn’t that a hallmark of great design?!

What makes the Disassembly Lab footwear so great is its clever construction, featuring easy-to-disassemble parts that make the shoe simple to repair and even recycle. The shoe is characterized by two distinct halves, the upper body, and the outsole, with rivets/plugs that let you wind a piece of rubber band around. The rubber band holds the two halves together, also allowing for flexibility during movement. The result is a shoe that’s distinctly different, as the rubber band goes beyond being just a design feature – it becomes an iconic element of the Disassembly Lab’s design, turning sustainability into pretty much a visual motif!

Designer: Robin Luginbuhl

Chris Wawrousek, Innovation Studio Lead Designer at New Balance once said – “One day, laws are going to change, and brands will be responsible for the entire lifecycle of their products from beginning to end.” This phrase stuck with Robin as he designed the Disassembly Lab sneaker prototype. “Products can’t live on their own anymore; they have to be conditioned to a new system if they want to become more responsible,” Robin expanded. “Essentially, Disassembly extends the life of a shoe, making it repairable, restorable, replaceable, and recyclable.”

A major part of shoe assembly (and a major recyclability hassle) is the glue that’s used to hold components together. While fabric and leather elements can be stitched together, the upper half of a shoe is almost always glued to its outsole, giving it reliable durability during use, but becoming a big hassle when it comes to recycling because A. this glue can’t be ‘unglued’, and B. it’s almost always made of synthetic materials, so the shoes can’t be bio-degraded either. Robin’s alternative is simple, and frankly genius. Visually, it reminds me of the rubber bands used in braces, but technically, it’s an incredibly effective way to hold the shoe upper and sole together in a way that allows for flexibility without a hassle.

The result is a combination of iconic and genius. The shoes look great, with their patterned ‘belts’ that can be adjusted, customized, and even tightened or loosened depending on overall flexibility. The pegs on the upper and lower halves can be shaped in circular or rectangular designs, causing the rubber band to adopt different patterns, much like sound waves (sine, sawtooth, square, etc.) There’s even an experimental 3D-printed upper that has jigsaw-style pieces that plug into the sole (concept visible below).

“These shoes, with their TPU soles and 3D knitted upper, are reduced to the essentials, enabling simple, rapid production and assembly by hand, and easy recyclability,” Robin mentions in his project post on Instagram. The Disassembly Lab is currently just a concept, but even as a proof of concept, it’s rather remarkable. We could use a few wearability-test videos to really get a sense of the practicality of the design, but otherwise, both functionally and ecologically, we’re sold on the idea!

The post Sustainable canvas sneaker explores a unique design that lets you detach and repair your footwear first appeared on Yanko Design.

Amazon to pay $1.9 million to settle claims of human rights abuses of contract workers

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Amazon will pay out $1.9 million to more than 700 migrant workers to settle claims of human rights abuses following exploitative labor contracts, as reported by CNBC. The impacted laborers were working at two of the company’s warehouses in Saudi Arabia.

Amazon acknowledged the issue in a blog post, saying it hired a third-party labor rights expert to investigate warehouse conditions. The organization found numerous violations of Amazon’s supply chain standards, including “substandard living accommodations, contract and wage irregularities and delays in the resolution of worker complaints.”

This follows an Amnesty International report from last October that detailed various alleged human rights abuses experience by those contracted to work in Amazon facilities in the region, and noted that many of the impacted laborers were “highly likely to be victims of human trafficking.” The report also suggested that Amazon was aware of the high risk for labor abuse when operating in Saudi Arabia but still “failed to take sufficient action to prevent such abuses.”

Simultaneous reports by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and the Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism offered detailed accounts of the conditions that these laborers allegedly suffered under, according to NBC News. The investigations found that workers had to pay illegal recruitment fees of up to $2,040 to get hired. This forced the migrant workers, many of whom were from Nepal, to take out loans with high interest rates.

Investigators also learned that these workers were living in squalid conditions, with one laborer saying he was living “in a crowded room with seven other men, jammed with bunk beds infested with bed bugs.” The water was said to be salty and undrinkable. Amnesty International echoed these findings, saying that the accommodations were “lacking even the most basic facilities.”

The combination of the exorbitant hiring fees, along with the associated loans, amounted to “human trafficking for the purpose of labor exploitation as defined by international law and standards,” Amnesty alleged in its report. 

Amazon has stated that it has “remediated the most serious concerns” involving the two Saudi warehouses, including an upgrade to housing accommodations. “Our goal is for all of our vendors to have management systems in place that ensure safe and healthy working conditions; this includes responsible recruitment practices,” the company wrote.

It’s worth noting that though that $1.9 million number seems high, it breaks down to around $2,700 per employee. Amazon made $576 billion in 2023, which comes out to more than $1.5 billion each day.

Amazon doesn’t have a great track record when it comes to labor. It’s regularly accused of breaking labor laws, particularly at its many product warehouses. The company is also rabidly anti-union, as many of these complaints involve attempts to stop workers from unionizing. Amazon faces multiple ongoing federal probes into its safety practices, and it has been fined by federal safety regulators for exposing warehouse workers to unnecessary risks.

However, the company remains defiant in its efforts to chip away at worker’s rights. Amazon recently filed a legal document that claims the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is unconstitutional, joining Elon Musk’s SpaceX and grocery giant Trader Joe’s. The NLRB is an independent arm of the federal government that enforces US labor law and has been operating since 1935.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-to-pay-19-million-to-settle-claims-of-human-rights-abuses-of-contract-workers-192237377.html?src=rss

Genius Multipurpose Crib Turns Into Two Armchairs After The Baby Grows Older

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Welcoming a new member into the family is a special time full of excitement and happiness. Setting up a cozy space for a new baby is important, and the crib plays a major role in that. Most conventional cribs can be used until the baby turns 3 years old, depending on the size of it. Once outgrown, these cribs become obsolete and are often discarded. But what if a crib could be more than just a baby bed? Imagine a crib that doesn’t become useless after a few years but turns into cool chairs instead. This is a new kind of crib that goes beyond the usual, making it not just practical but also eco-friendly. This clever idea is changing the way we see cribs and making baby products better for the environment.

Designer: Zhipeng Qiu, Yufeng Lin

The traditional notion of cribs being a single-use item is challenged by a design that incorporates a thoughtful combination and disassembly feature. The crib can seamlessly transform into two stylish leisure chairs, offering a sustainable solution to the short-lived nature of conventional cribs. This design not only addresses the issue of limited functionality but also promotes responsible resource use and environmental consciousness.

The transformation from crib to chairs is made possible through an ingenious chute structure and plug-in mechanism. This ensures that the process is user-friendly and easily manageable for parents. The chairs maintain a balance in form and size, providing a comfortable and aesthetically pleasing addition to any home. The product embodies a gentle sense of wrapping and comfort, reminiscent of a mother’s care, ensuring the child’s well-being during the crucial developmental years.

One of the standout features of this innovative crib design is its commitment to environmental protection and sustainable development. By repurposing the crib into functional chairs, the design minimizes waste and contributes to a more circular economy. This approach aligns with the growing global emphasis on responsible consumption and reducing the environmental impact of consumer products.

Despite its environmentally conscious design, the product does not compromise on appearance, beauty, or comfort. The creators have successfully blended aesthetics and sustainability, offering a visually appealing and eco-friendly solution for families. This dual-purpose furniture piece serves as a testament to how thoughtful design can enhance the quality of public life by promoting longevity and minimizing waste.

This innovative crib design represents a significant step forward in the realm of baby products. By challenging the conventional notion of single-use cribs and introducing a sustainable and versatile approach, this design not only meets the needs of growing families but also contributes to a more eco-conscious society. As consumers increasingly prioritize sustainable choices, this innovative crib design sets a positive example for the industry, encouraging the creation of products that enhance both functionality and environmental responsibility.

The post Genius Multipurpose Crib Turns Into Two Armchairs After The Baby Grows Older first appeared on Yanko Design.

Xbox controllers are on sale for $44 each, plus the rest of the week’s best tech deals

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The end of another week is upon us, which means it's time for another round up of the best deals on some of the tech we've tested and recommend. A few discounts are still around from last week's President's Day sale, and new savings have popped up as well. If you're in the market for Apple gadgets, quite a few are seeing decent discounts, including the iPad Mini, iPad Air and the 15-inch MacBook Air. Multiple Anker charging accessories are on sale, as are a few of our favorite Logitech peripherals. We got an exclusive $30 discount from Thermoworks on their popular instant-read thermometer, and 8BitDo's Famicom-inspired keyboard is 20 percent off at Woot. Here are the best deals from this week that you can still get today.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/xbox-controllers-are-on-sale-for-44-each-plus-the-rest-of-the-weeks-best-tech-deals-181825056.html?src=rss

Some Apple Vision Pro units reportedly developed a similar hairline crack on the front glass

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Picture the scene: you've had an enjoyable day of playing around in mixed reality using Apple's Vision Pro headset. Once you're done for the night, you carefully pack the Vision Pro away while leaving the battery pack connected and soft front cover attached. But when you wake up to begin a new day of work while wearing the $3,500 headset, you spot a problem: a hairline crack has formed on the front cover glass.

That's a problem that at least a few users have encountered, according to a handful of reports on Reddit. It's unclear how many units have been affected, though AppleInsider, which first reported on the cracks, suggests it's a small number. The issue occurred on Engadget's review unit as well. 

The cause of the problem is not yet known. But the similar appearance of the cracks and apparently small number of impacted units suggests that it's down to a manufacturing flaw. Engadget has contacted Apple for comment.

If Apple doesn't officially recognize the issue as a manufacturing defect, it may not cover the crack under the device's warranty. That's reportedly been the case for some of the affected users. As such, they're been put on the hook for $300 to repair the cover glass if they have AppleCare coverage. Otherwise, the cost is a stinging $800.

As MacRumors notes, Apple often offers special repair programs for recognized hardware issues, but that's only likely to happen if there are enough reports to warrant the company fully investigating the matter and identifying a common problem. Still, this gives more credence to the maxim that maybe you shouldn't buy a first-generation Apple product.

This isn't the first time an Apple device has been susceptible to scratches in its first generation. Many users of the first iPod nano found that it scratched very easily. A lawsuit ensued, and Apple agreed to pay a $22.5 million settlement.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/some-apple-vision-pro-units-reportedly-developed-a-similar-hairline-crack-on-the-front-glass-173701528.html?src=rss

The 256GB iPad mini is $120 off and down to a record-low price

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Apple’s newest iPad mini is on sale for $120 off. You can get the 256GB version of the 6th-generation iPad mini (2021) for $529 on Amazon — a record low. If that’s more storage than you need, you can also get the 64GB model (usually $500) is $100 off.

Apple refreshed the iPad mini in 2021 with an “all-screen” Liquid Retina design, ditching the Home button and aligning the mini-tablet with the larger iPad Air’s modern design language. The iPad mini has an 8.3-inch display that supports TrueTone and covers the P3 color gamut. It has a 2266 x 1488 resolution (326 ppi).

This model runs on the A15 Bionic chip, also found in the iPhone 13 series. This tablet eschews Face ID for a Touch ID sensor on its power and sleep button. The iPad mini has a USB-C port for versatile charging and data transfers, and it works with the second-generation Apple Pencil for scribbling notes or digital sketching. Apple estimates up to 10 hours of battery life, which can vary depending on how you use it.

Photo of the 6th-generation iPad mini sitting on a sleek wooden table with its back (with Apple logo) facing up. Its Apple Pencil sits to its left.
Photo by Valentina Palladino / Engadget

Apple will reportedly update its entire iPad lineup this year, and the latest rumors point to a possible late 2024 launch for a new iPad mini. If those reported plans pan out, this model may only be the newest for another six to eight months.

If you want a full-sized tablet, Walmart has the 5th-generation (10.9-inch) iPad Air for $120 off, too. You’ll pay only $449 for the 64GB variant. This model runs on an M1 chip with a 2360 x 1640 resolution (264 ppi) and an estimated 10 hours of battery life.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-256gb-ipad-mini-is-120-off-and-down-to-a-record-low-price-173024101.html?src=rss

A four-pack of AirTags is $20 off right now

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Bluetooth trackers are handy little devices that can help you find things you've misplaced. If you're deep in the Apple ecosystem (or at least have an iPhone), AirTags are perhaps your best choice. If you've been meaning to pick some up, there's some good news for you as a four-pack of AirTags is on sale. The pack has dropped by $20 to $79. That's close to the lowest price we've seen for them, so it's a solid deal.

It's easy to set up an AirTag with your iPhone or iPad as it's a one-tap process. Once you've done that and attached an AirTag to an item, you'll be able to keep track of that alongside your family and friends in the Mind My app. AirTags don't store location data or history and their communications with the Find My network are encrypted and anonymous, Apple says.

You can play a sound on the AirTag's built-in speaker to help you find a misplaced item (useful for, say, a remote that's fallen down the side of a couch), and you can ask Siri for help finding your things. If you have a recent iPhone (11 or later), you'll be able to make use of a second-gen Ultra Wideband chip that powers precision finding — this will give you pinpoint directions to your AirTag once you're within range.

If you've lost an item away from home, you can put its accompanying AirTag into Lost Mode. This means you'll be notified whenever it pops up in the Find My network. In other words, when it is picked up by one of the hundreds of millions of Apple devices in the Find My network. The AirTag is a rugged little thing (it's IP67 water and dust resistant and the replaceable battery lasts over a year), which should give you some time to find your missing item.

To make sure it's securely fastened to your item, you might want to pick up some AirTag accessories. These enable you to attach an AirTag to various fabrics, keys or anything with a strap. There are also cases with adhesive mounts, meaning you can stick an AirTag to just about anything.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/a-four-pack-of-airtags-is-20-off-right-now-162054273.html?src=rss

Tiny home concept will have you living in a futuristic capsule house

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There are no signs that our population will stop growing any time soon, and the amount of livable space continues to shrink. We need more space-efficient residences that aren’t just towering skyscrapers, which is part of the appeal of tiny home trends. The majority of the designs for these petite residences seem to be made from wood or repurposed trailers and aluminum vans, mostly because these are the easiest foundations to work with. In the future, however, we don’t have to be restricted to these materials and plain rectangular shapes, like this compact capsule that definitely looks the part of a futuristic residence both from the outside and especially inside.

Designer: Antoniel Felainne

A capsule is admittedly not the most efficient shape if you’re considering either stacking houses on top of each other or joining them from end to end in a grid. But while space considerations are definitely important in an ever-shrinking planet, it is equally or perhaps even more important to consider the human factors. After all, humans will be living inside that space and they need to feel comfortable, safe, and, well, at home.

The ONCO Capsule House concept tries to deliver all those while also paying close attention to aesthetics. They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but it’s hard to deny that the capsule’s shape is interesting and pleasing thanks to the absence of sharp edges and corners. The white exterior of the capsule gives it a clean appearance, though it will probably be difficult to maintain as time goes by, and this motif extends inside the capsule.

The interior of the capsule looks like a sci-fi movie set, with plenty of strip lights lining the walls and door frames as well as screens and panels everywhere you turn. Of course, other interior designs can also be used, though the capsule seems to lend itself perfectly to minimalist furniture with lighter color schemes. Although a capsule will technically have less space inside than a straightforward box shape, the circular interior actually gives the illusion of having more.

The design concept also includes provisions for having parts of the capsule actually transparent, like having floor-to-ceiling windows built directly into the design. Ideally, these would be tint-controllable windows so you can maintain your privacy when you need to but also enjoy the view when you want to. Constructing such a capsule house won’t be easy or cheap, but in a future where tiny homes are the norm, this could very well become a standard design anyway.

The post Tiny home concept will have you living in a futuristic capsule house first appeared on Yanko Design.