Monthly Archives: November 2024

Gorgeous titanium-coated drinking glass makes every drink a visual and gustatory treat

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It’s almost too easy to take for granted the vessel we’re drinking from. After all, we’re definitely more interested in the taste of our drink, unaware that the material our glass or cup is made of can actually have an adverse effect on the very taste we’re so fixated on.

And that glass you’re drinking from? It might not even be pure glass but mixed with some metals to reinforce the material, metals that also affect the taste or, worse, affect our bodies.

If you’re searching for the perfect glassware, you don’t have to look far because we have just the perfect design for this very purpose. Stunningly beautiful and faithful to your flavors, this small piece of glassware is able to recreate the magnificent Aurora lights right in your hand, turning every sip into a memorable experience.

Designer: Progress Design

Click Here to Buy Now: $58.50 $65 (10% off at checkout). Hurry! Black Friday deals end in 48 hours.

Drinking glasses are a common sight in many households, whether they’re for “regular” beverages or alcoholic drinks. Clear as they might appear, some of these are mixed with some metals to produce certain colors or effects.

And while these metals aren’t so dangerous to our health, they do have negative effects on the taste of the drink.

It is almost as if you can’t combine beauty and taste in a glass, but that theory has been proven false with PROGRESS’ Rex Rock glassware.

Skilled craftsmen from Shizuoka, Japan harness the same technologies and processes used in making space-grade equipment like satellites to process titanium of the highest purity to reinforce the glass and coat its inner surface.

This rare form of pure titanium doesn’t release metal ions that mess with the flavor of the drink inside. In fact, it actually works to enhance the taste by breaking down unpleasant flavors.

Pure titanium is also regarded to be the most human-friendly and safest kind of metal because it rarely changes over time. That means no staining, no odors, and completely hygienic.

Pure titanium alone, as impressive as it already might be, isn’t enough to create an unforgettable drinking experience. This drinking glass takes the design even further by reproducing the mesmerizing colors of the rainbow and of the majestic Aurora lights.

This feat is made possible by making extremely precise cuts and changes to the glass’ thickness down to nano levels. Pouring drink into the glass results in a shimmering effect that’s comparable to the soothing glow of the aurora, a bonfire, or a murmuring stream, imagery that calms the heart and soothes the soul.

Stop worrying about the safety and taste of your drink and start enjoying the flavors and the dazzling visuals offered by this pure titanium-reinforced glassware. Whether it’s liquor, soda, or even just ice-cold water, this stunning drinking glass will turn the activity into a joyful and reinvigorating experience, rich in flavor and color.

Click Here to Buy Now: $58.50 $65 (10% off at checkout). Hurry! Black Friday deals end in 48 hours.

The post Gorgeous titanium-coated drinking glass makes every drink a visual and gustatory treat first appeared on Yanko Design.

A Tiny Home Was Stacked On Top Of Another To Create More Floorspace

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Tiny homes aren’t the largest, I mean the name says it all. Often they are made wider to create more space, but Romania-based Cabini decided to stack one tiny home on top of another to create more living space, showing us a novel and interesting way to build more living space in a little house. Called the Cabini Edelweiss, this tiny home comprises a support frame made from square metal pipes.

This frame is insulated with a PIR sandwich panel using Rockwool and then topped with a fiber cement facade and some wooden detailing. The home was constructed at the firm’s headquarters as two distinctive components, and then transported to the stunning property in Rasc, Valea Fericirii, in Romania by road.

Designer: Cabini

The home occupies around 387 sq ft, and it spans over two floors. The interior is cozy and light-filled, owing to large floor-to-ceiling windows. The glazing incorporates blinds for privacy. The furniture and finish are of premium quality, adding a sophisticated touch to the home. An audio system by Bang & Olufsen is integrated into the home. It also includes Schueco aluminum fixtures.

The ground floor holds a large living room with seating and storage space. The kitchen is located nearby and it is equipped with cabinet space, an oven, sink, and an electric hotplate. This section also includes a bathroom finished in Neolith stone, as well as a shower, sink, and toilet. You can access the upper floor via a staircase. This floor includes a bedroom with generous glazing and an ample amount of room to stand upright. A lovely outdoor terrace has also been included.

The model depicted in the pictures costs around US$100,000 including appliances and furniture. However, the price can vary depending on the options the buyer selects. Worldwide delivery is possible, and buyers can opt for an off-the-grid setup with solar panels as well. The Edelweiss is a unique and innovative option in a world where tiny homes have become quite mundane. All of them feature a similar aesthetic and floorspace, this one is quite different.

The post A Tiny Home Was Stacked On Top Of Another To Create More Floorspace first appeared on Yanko Design.

The NBA will air a Christmas Day game with Disney characters

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If you can’t get your kids to sit through one of the five NBA games airing on Christmas Day, tune into Disney+, ESPN+ or ESPN2 for a special Disney-fied version. ESPN announced that it will air a “Dunk the Halls” broadcast of the San Antonio Spurs versus the New York Knicks featuring animated Disney characters.

The broadcast starts at 12PM eastern. If you just want to watch the game played by regular, boring humans, that will also air on Disney+ and ESPN+ as well as ABC and ESPN.

“Dunk the Halls” will use Sony’s Beyond Sports technology to turn Madison Square Garden into Main Street USA from the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. The game will also feature appearances from classic Disney characters like Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Goofy and Donald and Daisy Duck as well as Santa and his elves from the animated Disney short Prep & Landing.

This is the first time the NBA has arranged to air a game with animated characters and graphic overlays. It’s also the latest game in a new trend of mixing live sports events with a network’s signature cartoon characters. ESPN+, Disney+ and the NFL+ app will air an alternative version of the Bengals-Cowboys game on December 9 featuring virtual characters and scenes from The Simpsons. ESPN3’s Full Court Press broadcasts use technology designed by Second Spectrum to create augmented graphics that track players movements and provide real time updates.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/the-nba-will-air-a-christmas-day-game-with-disney-characters-224921665.html?src=rss

The Iconic “Lunch Atop A Skyscraper” Photograph gets its own Fan-Made LEGO Build

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A brick recreation (brickreation, if you will) of an iconic classic, the “Lunch Atop A Skyscraper” LEGO Ideas kit captures the essence of the American dream. The original photograph, shot in 1932, features eleven New York construction workers casually eating lunch on a steel beam, suspended 260 meters (853 feet) above the ground. Built by LEGO maker DallasBricks, this LEGO rendition pays tribute by turning the famous photo into a brick-based artpiece that can be hung on a wall or placed on a bookshelf.

Designer: DallasBricks

At its core, the set uses a flat design style, similar to LEGO’s art series, but it incorporates thoughtful 3D construction methods to create the illusion of a suspended steel beam. The minifigures are carefully posed to reflect the relaxed yet precarious nature of the workers in the photograph. Each figure contributes to the scene’s energy, making it feel dynamic and alive, as if frozen in a moment of real life.

Although DallasBricks doesn’t specifically mention how many pieces are used in this build, it’s safe to estimate there are quite a few, given the skyscraper details in the background. Look closer and you’ll notice the skyscrapers aren’t all buildings, they’re actually a mix of LEGO tech and hardware pieces like keyboards, phones, remote controls, and screens, along with a few building window pieces. This creative use of different flat bricks gives the skyline its uniqueness, allowing each building to have a different character instead of looking all the same.

The original photo wasn’t just a depiction of the American dream, it was that of celebrating all the people who got together to make this dream happen. The photo features builders of different races, enjoying a meal together while rather casually hanging off a steel girder. The LEGO MOC (My Own Creation) has 11 minifigures too, just like in the photo, all enjoying a meal together before they get back to work.

The LEGO Ideas Lunch Atop A Skyscraper kit is currently a fan-made submission on the LEGO Ideas website, an online forum where LEGO enthusiasts create their own builds and share them with the LEGO community. With 2,790 votes as of writing this article (and with 560 days of voting left), DallasBricks’ LEGO MOC is well on its way to gathering enough votes to reach the 10,000 vote mark, following with the design will get reviewed by LEGO’s internal team and hopefully turned into a retail kit!

You can vote for the LEGO Ideas Lunch Atop A Skyscraper kit here on the LEGO Ideas Website, or check out some more unique fan-made LEGO Ideas builds here.

The post The Iconic “Lunch Atop A Skyscraper” Photograph gets its own Fan-Made LEGO Build first appeared on Yanko Design.

Microsoft 365 Link mini PC streams Windows 11 from the cloud in a secure ecosystem

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Let’s be honest Windows 11 is not perfect, evolving at an agonizingly slow pace. This has pushed many power users down the Apple alley. The recently launched Mac Mini has a lot going in its favor, further creating a deep divide between the Microsoft and Apple options.

As a last-ditch effort to save the glitchy Windows 11 OS and very less options to choose from that bind the hardware and software for a seamless experience, Microsoft has introduced the Windows 365 Link mini PC strictly limited to cloud usage in a walled environment. The portable CPU is targeted towards big organizations and businesses who give a lot of weightage to security and keeping the working environment productive.

Designer: Microsoft

Targeted towards enterprise users

This is the world’s first dedicated “boot to cloud” device that runs Windows 11 OS via the Windows 365 link on the Windows 365 servers. Priced at $349 it is specifically designed to run Windows 365 Cloud PCs, and you need a Windows 365 subscription to get started. That adds another $28 to $315 per month. It’s still not clear whether the mini PC will get the extra perk of a subscription discount as a bundle, but we hope so.

The most popular option for employees is a $66 per month per user with applications including Microsoft Teams and browsers. Include the $349 hardware cost of the Windows mini PC and you’ve got a fat bill of $2,000 for a closed ecosystem with limited applications. Compare that to the $1,300 price tag for the 15-inch touchscreen Microsoft Surface Laptop powered by the Snapdragon X Elite chip and having 256GB storage. Clearly, Microsoft’s compact PC is not targeted towards individual users, and in no way competes with Apple’s powerhouse mini PC.

Security takes center stage

This 120 x 120 x 30 mm desktop PC has a fanless design, and comes with a 3.5mm audio jack, three USB-A ports, one USB-C port, an HDMI port, and a single DisplayPort output. There’s one Ethernet port, WiFi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.3 for wireless connectivity. The mini PC is designed for specific requirements where workers need to be quickly rotated between workstations and securely access their files. This eliminates the hassle of configuring the user settings and saving time. Also, the PC is ideal for setups where cloud-based software and hardware integration takes precedence.

Windows 365 Link will be available for purchase in April 2025 – that’s a long way off. However, one can enroll for the preview program in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Germany, Japan, Australia, or New Zealand. Interested users can join the program before December 15 with permission from the Microsoft account team.

The post Microsoft 365 Link mini PC streams Windows 11 from the cloud in a secure ecosystem first appeared on Yanko Design.

Meta’s latest features for Messenger Calling include AI backgrounds

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If you’re one of the people out there making calls with Meta’s Messenger app, its latest update adds a bunch of new features for making video and audio calls, according to the official Meta blog.

When you make a video call, you can add an AI-generated background to your screen by tapping on the effects icon in the sidebar and selecting “Backgrounds.” So instead of showing your friends and family your grungy apartment or your car that you haven’t cleaned out since you bought it, you can replace the background with a field of sunflowers or an alien landscape as one of its suns is setting. That’s something we’ve seen from basically every other video calling platform, so it’s not a big surprise to see Meta add it here.

Meta also added some new features for video calls including high definition video, background noise suppression and voice isolation “to help you make clearer, higher-quality calls directly from Messenger,” according to the blog.

The HD video feature will be the default mode for Messenger calls made over W-iFi connections. HD calls can also be made on cellular data in settings by turning on “Mobile data for HD video.” Background noise suppression and voice isolation can also be turned on and off in Messenger’s call settings section.

You can also leave voice and video messages for your contacts beyond just a line of text and maybe a cheeky emoji or two. Simply tap the “record message” button on the lower right side of the screen to leave a video or audio message if the person you are contacting doesn’t pick up the call.

Finally, if you don’t have a free hand but need to make a call, iPhone users can ask Siri to make calls and messages for them on Meta’s Messenger app. Simply activate Siri and say “Hey Siri, send a message to [contact name] on Messenger” and dictate the message you want to send them.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/metas-latest-features-for-messenger-calling-include-ai-backgrounds-200047824.html?src=rss

Genesis Redefines Automotive Design with 2026 GV70, Electrified GV70, and California Design Studio

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Genesis Motor North America has unveiled the redesigned 2026 GV70 and Electrified GV70 SUVs, accompanied by the announcement of a groundbreaking design studio in California. These twin milestones highlight the brand’s seamless integration of technology and aesthetics, pushing boundaries in product innovation and creative environments. With its sights firmly set on redefining the future of luxury vehicles, Genesis aims to transform automotive design through thoughtful craftsmanship and advanced technology.

Designer: Genesis

Exterior Enhancements: Bold Aesthetics Meet Cutting-Edge Technology

The 2026 GV70 and Electrified GV70 embody Genesis’s “Athletic Elegance” philosophy, presenting a perfect fusion of advanced technology and striking design. Their redesigned dual-weave G-Matrix Crest Grille creates a bold front fascia, while the multi-lens array (MLA) headlamps provide enhanced nighttime visibility and a modern visual signature. This technology-driven lighting system ensures functionality without compromising style.

Genesis GV70 Sport

For the Electrified GV70, the grille adapts to house a charging port equipped with a motorized door, integrated lighting, and a heating element, offering convenience and a sleek design. Redesigned skid plates and expanded air intakes contribute to a more dynamic, sporty profile, while new 19-inch and 21-inch wheel options emphasize athleticism and precision.

Genesis Electrified GV70

The attention to detail extends to the rear, where turn signals echo the two-line motif of the headlamps, maintaining aesthetic harmony. Genesis also introduces ten exterior colors for the GV70, including the astronomically inspired Ceres Blue, and six curated colors for the Electrified GV70, offering customers various sophisticated options to personalize their vehicles.

Interior Innovations: A Harmony of Function and Form

Inside, Genesis prioritizes elegance, simplicity, and advanced technology. The GV70 features a 27-inch OLED display that merges the digital cluster and infotainment system into a seamless horizontal unit. This modern layout aligns with the “Beauty of White Space” principle, inspired by Korean aesthetics, providing a clean and intuitive user interface.

Material and color options enhance the interior ambiance. Ultramarine Blue Nappa leather adds a luxurious touch, complemented by customizable ambient lighting that allows drivers to tailor the cabin’s atmosphere. A Bang & Olufsen surround sound system with Beosonic technology further enhances the in-cabin experience, delivering unmatched audio quality.

Practical updates include triple-zone automatic HVAC for optimal comfort and a relocated wireless charging pad for easier access. Genesis also integrates advanced convenience features such as voice recognition controls, which allow drivers to manage HVAC settings and windows effortlessly, and Digital Key, enabling seamless vehicle access and personalization.

Performance and Safety: Advanced Features for a Superior Drive

The GV70 offers two powerful engine options: a 2.5L inline-4 turbo with 300 horsepower and a 3.5L V6 twin-turbo producing 375 horsepower. Genesis pairs these engines with Electronically Controlled Suspension with Road Preview, which uses forward-facing cameras to detect road imperfections and adjust the suspension for maximum comfort.

Safety features are equally comprehensive. Enhanced Lane Following Assist, Hands-On Detection steering, and upgraded Remote Smart Parking Assist—which now includes diagonal parking—are standard. The Electrified GV70 introduces an 84 kWh high-capacity battery, providing extended range and a North American Charging Standard (NACS) port with a CCS adapter, granting access to more than 36,000 DC fast chargers nationwide.

Genesis Design California: A Creative Hub for the Future

Complementing its vehicle advancements, Genesis will open a new 80,000-square-foot design studio in El Segundo, California, in early 2025. This facility will serve as a creative ecosystem, housing 45 team members in an environment designed to foster innovation and collaboration.

Genesis Design California

The studio’s design blends Korean heritage with Southern California’s vibrant culture. Outdoor spaces inspired by traditional Korean gardens provide tranquil areas for reflection, while the interiors emphasize natural light and calming materials like soft acoustic felt. The modern tea platform in the lobby sets a meditative tone, reinforcing Genesis’s commitment to creating serene, inspiring spaces.

Key facilities include a clay modeling workshop, digital design labs, and a colors and materials studio, offering team members the tools to push creative boundaries. Luc Donckerwolke, Chief Creative Officer of Genesis, highlighted the studio’s importance: “The climate, cultural arts, and automotive scene in Los Angeles offered us the possibility to create a dynamic and attractive work experience by integrating nature and light into the work and creative spaces.”

Blending Technology, Culture, and Innovation

Genesis’s design philosophy reflects a harmonious blend of form, function, and cultural authenticity. From the MLA headlamps to the expansive OLED dashboard, every detail of the 2026 GV70 lineup underscores the brand’s commitment to thoughtful, user-focused advancements. Similarly, the California Design Studio exemplifies Genesis’s dedication to fostering creativity and integrating art and technology into its vehicles.

As Genesis approaches its 10th anniversary, these initiatives signal a bold vision for the future of automotive design. By combining advanced technology with cultural heritage and a deep understanding of user experience, Genesis is redefining what luxury vehicles can achieve—inside and out.

The post Genesis Redefines Automotive Design with 2026 GV70, Electrified GV70, and California Design Studio first appeared on Yanko Design.

Threads rolls out its custom feeds tool after a quick testing phase

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The battle over who will get all of X’s users now that it’s an utter cesspool continues. Threads just began rolling out its own custom feeds feature to compete with rival Bluesky. Custom feeds have long been a hallmark of Bluesky and now Threads users can get in on the action. Meta announced it was testing custom feeds just last week, so those tests must have been successful. It’s either that or they want to stall Bluesky’s continuing momentum.

Simply put, the feature allows users to pin topic-based feeds to the home screen of the app. This gives people the option to scroll through additional feeds beyond the algorithmic “for you” feed. This is a very good thing, as Thread’s current “for you” algorithm can be easily manipulated by just posting stuff like “who likes cats?” I have seen quite literally 400 posts like that in my feed, all looking for engagement. I like cats but, come on.

In any event, users can create a custom feed by searching for keywords and taping the “...” menu to get started. A feed will be created based on the keyword, though the toolset allows for more granular adjustments. For instance, users can add specific profiles to customize each feed. Threads aficionados can create up to 128 custom feeds.

Threads has one significant advantage over Bluesky when it comes to custom feeds. Making one on Bluesky is something of a process. It took me around two seconds to make a Star Trek feed on Threads.

Threads feed.
Lawrence Bonk / Threads

Despite Bluesky’s continued growth, it’s still a minor player when compared to Threads. Bluesky just announced 20 million users, which is great, but Threads has more than 275 million users. Threads has also been growing by around a million users a day, according to a recent post from Instagram chief Adam Mosseri.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/threads-rolls-out-its-custom-feeds-tool-after-a-quick-testing-phase-195012720.html?src=rss

The PlayStation Black Friday deals will cut 25 to 30 percent off PS Plus subscriptions

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Sony offered a sneak peek at its PlayStation Black Friday deals, which start on Friday. In addition to some (currently nebulous) deals on hardware and games, the sale will include up to 30 percent off PlayStation Plus memberships. The deals will run from November 22 through December 2.

PlayStation Plus subscriptions will be “up to” 30 percent off for a 12-month membership. If you’re already a PS Plus Essential Member, you can save 25 percent on the remainder of your plan when upgrading to PlayStation Plus Extra. Or, you can shave off 30 percent if you’re upping your membership from PS Plus Extra to PS Plus Premium / Deluxe.

Promo image for Sony’s PlayStation Black Friday deals. A PS VR2 box with
Sony

Less specific (as of now) are the PlayStation Black Friday deals on hardware and games. Direct from PlayStation and through Sony’s retail partners, there will be sales on PS5 gear, including the Fortnite Cobalt Star Bundle. PS VR2 headsets, DualSense wireless controllers, Pulse headphones or earbuds and PS5 console covers will also be discounted. What we don’t know yet is how much savings Sony will offer on any of it.

Sony didn’t mention the PlayStation Portal, which is about to get a lot more interesting. This week, the company said the handheld will soon run a beta test for cloud streaming. The portable device’s inability to do anything but stream your local PS5 games at launch was a bit baffling, to say the least.

“Select” games for PS5, PS4 and PC will also see price cuts. Sony mentions digital titles like Star Wars Outlaws, Madden ‘25 and Hogwarts Legacy, so we at least know a few on-sale games to look out for. But similar to the hardware deals, we don’t know how juicy the deals will be (or which other titles will be available). You can check back on Friday morning to learn more.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/the-playstation-black-friday-deals-will-cut-25-to-30-percent-off-ps-plus-subscriptions-193815734.html?src=rss

Odd backpack is designed for carrying spare bicycle tires and large objects

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It’s pretty amazing how much stuff we can cram into our backpacks, from laptops to 2-liter water bottles to a bundle of chargers and cables. Of course, these are objects that were designed to be small enough to fit in bags in the first place, so that’s not exactly out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, we sometimes need to carry things larger than the largest backpacks in the market.

This bag might be designed for bicycle racing, but it can definitely do more than just carry spare wheels for an emergency. Its literally open design actually offers a bit more wiggle room that will let you carry large or odd-shaped items without breaking a sweat. Unless, of course, they’re actually too heavy to carry on your back.

Designer: Fernando A. Robert

We often think of bags as enclosed containers with a single opening, but there really isn’t a formal definition of a bag’s design. This “Bike Backpack” might look like a regular backpack from the front, but its open sides definitely break the stereotype. Then again, the idea of carrying a bicycle wheel or a large box is itself already unconventional.

The Sherman Bike Backpack has a tri-fold design that opens vertically like a flap. The idea is that you stuff things that are too large or too wide for regular bags in between the flaps, letting the sides extend beyond the bag’s confines. Alternatively, you can also hang something outside and secure it with straps.

This is how you can carry one or two bicycle wheels that are thin and light enough to put on your back while cycling or racing. Of course, boxes, drawing boards, blueprint tubes, and other large objects are also fair game, as long as you secure them properly with straps. It definitely makes for an odd sight, but your comfort and convenience definitely outweigh any awkwardness.

The backpack also has compartments for carrying regular stuff, and you might be able to use it for carrying laptops, tools, or even clothes. That said, it isn’t the ideal backpack for all weather conditions, since the open sides make it very vulnerable to water, snow, and even dust.

The post Odd backpack is designed for carrying spare bicycle tires and large objects first appeared on Yanko Design.