Grade 5 Titanium, M390 Steel, Ceramic Bearings, $120 Price Tag: The EDC Knife to Beat in 2026

Posted on by

Most folding knives compromise somewhere. The blade steel holds an edge but rusts easily. The handle looks gorgeous but feels slippery when wet. The action is butter-smooth out of the box but develops wobble after six months of carry. MIH spent months asking a simpler question: what if you refused to compromise at all? What if you stripped away every feature that didn’t directly serve the three things a knife actually needs to do well, and then executed those three things with materials that cost more but last longer?

The GraphiX is the answer to that question. M390 steel, the supersteel standard, cuts 959mm of cardboard before dulling compared to 420HC’s 200mm. Ceramic bearings that will never rust paired with phosphor bronze washers that will never wear out. A titanium frame machined from Grade 5 aerospace alloy with a deep-carry clip milled directly into the structure. Carbon fiber scales with a tactile weave that ensures control even with gloves on. At $120 for the D2 version, this is a folder designed to be carried daily, used hard, and maintained rarely. It disappears in your pocket and appears in your hand exactly when you need it.

Designer: MIH

Click Here to Buy Now: $120 $183 (35% off) Hurry! Only 19 days left!

M390 is composed of 1.9% carbon for hardness, 20% chromium for corrosion protection, and 4% vanadium for edge life. That formula puts it at the top of the stainless steel hierarchy, well above the AUS-8 and 8Cr13MoV alloys found in budget production knives. The CATRA cardboard test proves it: M390 slices through nearly five times as much material as 420HC before edge degradation becomes noticeable. Heat-treated to 62 HRC and ground to a 15-degree edge angle per side, the blade hits the balance point where sharpness meets durability. You sharpen other knives. You just use this one. For those who prioritize toughness over ultimate edge retention, the D2 variant delivers serious cutting performance at 58-60 HRC, a tool steel with a long history of reliability in hard-use folders.

Grade 5 titanium, also known as Ti-6Al-4V, carries a strength-to-weight ratio that makes it the default choice in aerospace and medical implants. MIH machines the entire frame from this alloy, creating a structure light enough to disappear in your pocket at 5.6 ounces but strong enough to resist the kinds of lateral stresses that would bend a stainless steel liner. The frame curves to follow the natural contour of your palm, and the carbon fiber scales layered on top provide texture without aggression. Each scale displays a unique weave pattern since carbon fiber, by nature, never replicates exactly. Red, blue, or black colorways let you choose between bold presence, understated elegance, or low-visibility stealth. At the base of the blade, subtle jimping creates a tactile index point for your finger during detail work, the kind of small addition that only matters when you’re making precise cuts and suddenly realize how much control it gives you.

Ceramic bearings handle the pivot rotation while phosphor bronze washers distribute the load. Steel bearings corrode. Ceramic bearings don’t. Plastic washers compress and wear. Phosphor bronze doesn’t. The result is a deployment action that feels smooth the day it arrives and stays smooth years later. A strong detent keeps the blade locked closed during carry with no risk of accidental opening, but when you engage the flipper tab, the blade snaps out with a satisfying, controlled authority. The lock face and pivot are precision-machined to eliminate tolerances, which translates to zero blade play when the knife is open. No wobble. No lateral movement. Just solid lockup you can trust under hard use.

The blade runs a drop point profile, which means the spine curves gently downward to meet the tip, creating a strong point with plenty of belly for slicing. Drop point is the workhorse geometry for EDC because it excels at the tasks you actually do daily: opening packages, cutting cordage, preparing food, stripping wire, shaving wood. The tip is strong enough for piercing but not so aggressive that it tears through pocket fabric or catches on material when you’re making controlled cuts. At 62 HRC with a 15-degree edge angle, the M390 blade slices through cardboard, rope, plastic banding, and food prep tasks without requiring frequent touch-ups, while the D2 variant trades some of that extreme edge retention for better toughness under hard lateral loads. This is a knife built for the person who’s tired of pocket clips that loosen after a month, blades that need constant sharpening, and folders that feel like they were designed by a committee instead of someone who actually carries a knife daily.

MIH milled the clip channel directly into the titanium frame so the clip sits flush with the handle contour, machined from spring-grade titanium so it grips firmly without deforming and releases smoothly without snagging fabric. Precision-machined tritium slots measuring 1.5x6mm sit on both sides of the handle, ready to accept self-illuminating vials if you want a subtle glow-in-the-dark locator, or you can leave them empty and enjoy the clean lines. A lanyard hole at the tail end gives you the option to attach a bead or cord for wrist retention or easier pocket extraction. Closed, the GraphiX measures 4.71 inches. Open, 8.27 inches. The balance ratio hits 0.618, essentially the golden ratio applied to weight distribution, which means the knife pivots naturally in your hand without feeling blade-heavy or handle-heavy.

The D2 variant starts at $120, making it the accessible entry point into a titanium-framed folder with ceramic bearings and a carbon fiber inlay. The M390 version commands a premium for the superior edge retention. Add-ons include custom engraving, alternate carbon fiber colors (blue or black if you don’t want the default red), luminous vials, tritium vials, a titanium lanyard bead, and a foldable knife sharpener. The GraphiX ships worldwide with no additional shipping fees, and delivery is expected in August-September 2026 for backers who secure their spot during the campaign window.

Click Here to Buy Now: $120 $183 (35% off) Hurry! Only 19 days left!

The post Grade 5 Titanium, M390 Steel, Ceramic Bearings, $120 Price Tag: The EDC Knife to Beat in 2026 first appeared on Yanko Design.

Grade 5 Titanium, M390 Steel, Ceramic Bearings, $120 Price Tag: The EDC Knife to Beat in 2026

Posted on by

Most folding knives compromise somewhere. The blade steel holds an edge but rusts easily. The handle looks gorgeous but feels slippery when wet. The action is butter-smooth out of the box but develops wobble after six months of carry. MIH spent months asking a simpler question: what if you refused to compromise at all? What if you stripped away every feature that didn’t directly serve the three things a knife actually needs to do well, and then executed those three things with materials that cost more but last longer?

The GraphiX is the answer to that question. M390 steel, the supersteel standard, cuts 959mm of cardboard before dulling compared to 420HC’s 200mm. Ceramic bearings that will never rust paired with phosphor bronze washers that will never wear out. A titanium frame machined from Grade 5 aerospace alloy with a deep-carry clip milled directly into the structure. Carbon fiber scales with a tactile weave that ensures control even with gloves on. At $120 for the D2 version, this is a folder designed to be carried daily, used hard, and maintained rarely. It disappears in your pocket and appears in your hand exactly when you need it.

Designer: MIH

Click Here to Buy Now: $120 $183 (35% off) Hurry! Only 19 days left!

M390 is composed of 1.9% carbon for hardness, 20% chromium for corrosion protection, and 4% vanadium for edge life. That formula puts it at the top of the stainless steel hierarchy, well above the AUS-8 and 8Cr13MoV alloys found in budget production knives. The CATRA cardboard test proves it: M390 slices through nearly five times as much material as 420HC before edge degradation becomes noticeable. Heat-treated to 62 HRC and ground to a 15-degree edge angle per side, the blade hits the balance point where sharpness meets durability. You sharpen other knives. You just use this one. For those who prioritize toughness over ultimate edge retention, the D2 variant delivers serious cutting performance at 58-60 HRC, a tool steel with a long history of reliability in hard-use folders.

Grade 5 titanium, also known as Ti-6Al-4V, carries a strength-to-weight ratio that makes it the default choice in aerospace and medical implants. MIH machines the entire frame from this alloy, creating a structure light enough to disappear in your pocket at 5.6 ounces but strong enough to resist the kinds of lateral stresses that would bend a stainless steel liner. The frame curves to follow the natural contour of your palm, and the carbon fiber scales layered on top provide texture without aggression. Each scale displays a unique weave pattern since carbon fiber, by nature, never replicates exactly. Red, blue, or black colorways let you choose between bold presence, understated elegance, or low-visibility stealth. At the base of the blade, subtle jimping creates a tactile index point for your finger during detail work, the kind of small addition that only matters when you’re making precise cuts and suddenly realize how much control it gives you.

Ceramic bearings handle the pivot rotation while phosphor bronze washers distribute the load. Steel bearings corrode. Ceramic bearings don’t. Plastic washers compress and wear. Phosphor bronze doesn’t. The result is a deployment action that feels smooth the day it arrives and stays smooth years later. A strong detent keeps the blade locked closed during carry with no risk of accidental opening, but when you engage the flipper tab, the blade snaps out with a satisfying, controlled authority. The lock face and pivot are precision-machined to eliminate tolerances, which translates to zero blade play when the knife is open. No wobble. No lateral movement. Just solid lockup you can trust under hard use.

The blade runs a drop point profile, which means the spine curves gently downward to meet the tip, creating a strong point with plenty of belly for slicing. Drop point is the workhorse geometry for EDC because it excels at the tasks you actually do daily: opening packages, cutting cordage, preparing food, stripping wire, shaving wood. The tip is strong enough for piercing but not so aggressive that it tears through pocket fabric or catches on material when you’re making controlled cuts. At 62 HRC with a 15-degree edge angle, the M390 blade slices through cardboard, rope, plastic banding, and food prep tasks without requiring frequent touch-ups, while the D2 variant trades some of that extreme edge retention for better toughness under hard lateral loads. This is a knife built for the person who’s tired of pocket clips that loosen after a month, blades that need constant sharpening, and folders that feel like they were designed by a committee instead of someone who actually carries a knife daily.

MIH milled the clip channel directly into the titanium frame so the clip sits flush with the handle contour, machined from spring-grade titanium so it grips firmly without deforming and releases smoothly without snagging fabric. Precision-machined tritium slots measuring 1.5x6mm sit on both sides of the handle, ready to accept self-illuminating vials if you want a subtle glow-in-the-dark locator, or you can leave them empty and enjoy the clean lines. A lanyard hole at the tail end gives you the option to attach a bead or cord for wrist retention or easier pocket extraction. Closed, the GraphiX measures 4.71 inches. Open, 8.27 inches. The balance ratio hits 0.618, essentially the golden ratio applied to weight distribution, which means the knife pivots naturally in your hand without feeling blade-heavy or handle-heavy.

The D2 variant starts at $120, making it the accessible entry point into a titanium-framed folder with ceramic bearings and a carbon fiber inlay. The M390 version commands a premium for the superior edge retention. Add-ons include custom engraving, alternate carbon fiber colors (blue or black if you don’t want the default red), luminous vials, tritium vials, a titanium lanyard bead, and a foldable knife sharpener. The GraphiX ships worldwide with no additional shipping fees, and delivery is expected in August-September 2026 for backers who secure their spot during the campaign window.

Click Here to Buy Now: $120 $183 (35% off) Hurry! Only 19 days left!

The post Grade 5 Titanium, M390 Steel, Ceramic Bearings, $120 Price Tag: The EDC Knife to Beat in 2026 first appeared on Yanko Design.

Grade 5 Titanium, M390 Steel, Ceramic Bearings, $120 Price Tag: The EDC Knife to Beat in 2026

Posted on by

Most folding knives compromise somewhere. The blade steel holds an edge but rusts easily. The handle looks gorgeous but feels slippery when wet. The action is butter-smooth out of the box but develops wobble after six months of carry. MIH spent months asking a simpler question: what if you refused to compromise at all? What if you stripped away every feature that didn’t directly serve the three things a knife actually needs to do well, and then executed those three things with materials that cost more but last longer?

The GraphiX is the answer to that question. M390 steel, the supersteel standard, cuts 959mm of cardboard before dulling compared to 420HC’s 200mm. Ceramic bearings that will never rust paired with phosphor bronze washers that will never wear out. A titanium frame machined from Grade 5 aerospace alloy with a deep-carry clip milled directly into the structure. Carbon fiber scales with a tactile weave that ensures control even with gloves on. At $120 for the D2 version, this is a folder designed to be carried daily, used hard, and maintained rarely. It disappears in your pocket and appears in your hand exactly when you need it.

Designer: MIH

Click Here to Buy Now: $120 $183 (35% off) Hurry! Only 19 days left!

M390 is composed of 1.9% carbon for hardness, 20% chromium for corrosion protection, and 4% vanadium for edge life. That formula puts it at the top of the stainless steel hierarchy, well above the AUS-8 and 8Cr13MoV alloys found in budget production knives. The CATRA cardboard test proves it: M390 slices through nearly five times as much material as 420HC before edge degradation becomes noticeable. Heat-treated to 62 HRC and ground to a 15-degree edge angle per side, the blade hits the balance point where sharpness meets durability. You sharpen other knives. You just use this one. For those who prioritize toughness over ultimate edge retention, the D2 variant delivers serious cutting performance at 58-60 HRC, a tool steel with a long history of reliability in hard-use folders.

Grade 5 titanium, also known as Ti-6Al-4V, carries a strength-to-weight ratio that makes it the default choice in aerospace and medical implants. MIH machines the entire frame from this alloy, creating a structure light enough to disappear in your pocket at 5.6 ounces but strong enough to resist the kinds of lateral stresses that would bend a stainless steel liner. The frame curves to follow the natural contour of your palm, and the carbon fiber scales layered on top provide texture without aggression. Each scale displays a unique weave pattern since carbon fiber, by nature, never replicates exactly. Red, blue, or black colorways let you choose between bold presence, understated elegance, or low-visibility stealth. At the base of the blade, subtle jimping creates a tactile index point for your finger during detail work, the kind of small addition that only matters when you’re making precise cuts and suddenly realize how much control it gives you.

Ceramic bearings handle the pivot rotation while phosphor bronze washers distribute the load. Steel bearings corrode. Ceramic bearings don’t. Plastic washers compress and wear. Phosphor bronze doesn’t. The result is a deployment action that feels smooth the day it arrives and stays smooth years later. A strong detent keeps the blade locked closed during carry with no risk of accidental opening, but when you engage the flipper tab, the blade snaps out with a satisfying, controlled authority. The lock face and pivot are precision-machined to eliminate tolerances, which translates to zero blade play when the knife is open. No wobble. No lateral movement. Just solid lockup you can trust under hard use.

The blade runs a drop point profile, which means the spine curves gently downward to meet the tip, creating a strong point with plenty of belly for slicing. Drop point is the workhorse geometry for EDC because it excels at the tasks you actually do daily: opening packages, cutting cordage, preparing food, stripping wire, shaving wood. The tip is strong enough for piercing but not so aggressive that it tears through pocket fabric or catches on material when you’re making controlled cuts. At 62 HRC with a 15-degree edge angle, the M390 blade slices through cardboard, rope, plastic banding, and food prep tasks without requiring frequent touch-ups, while the D2 variant trades some of that extreme edge retention for better toughness under hard lateral loads. This is a knife built for the person who’s tired of pocket clips that loosen after a month, blades that need constant sharpening, and folders that feel like they were designed by a committee instead of someone who actually carries a knife daily.

MIH milled the clip channel directly into the titanium frame so the clip sits flush with the handle contour, machined from spring-grade titanium so it grips firmly without deforming and releases smoothly without snagging fabric. Precision-machined tritium slots measuring 1.5x6mm sit on both sides of the handle, ready to accept self-illuminating vials if you want a subtle glow-in-the-dark locator, or you can leave them empty and enjoy the clean lines. A lanyard hole at the tail end gives you the option to attach a bead or cord for wrist retention or easier pocket extraction. Closed, the GraphiX measures 4.71 inches. Open, 8.27 inches. The balance ratio hits 0.618, essentially the golden ratio applied to weight distribution, which means the knife pivots naturally in your hand without feeling blade-heavy or handle-heavy.

The D2 variant starts at $120, making it the accessible entry point into a titanium-framed folder with ceramic bearings and a carbon fiber inlay. The M390 version commands a premium for the superior edge retention. Add-ons include custom engraving, alternate carbon fiber colors (blue or black if you don’t want the default red), luminous vials, tritium vials, a titanium lanyard bead, and a foldable knife sharpener. The GraphiX ships worldwide with no additional shipping fees, and delivery is expected in August-September 2026 for backers who secure their spot during the campaign window.

Click Here to Buy Now: $120 $183 (35% off) Hurry! Only 19 days left!

The post Grade 5 Titanium, M390 Steel, Ceramic Bearings, $120 Price Tag: The EDC Knife to Beat in 2026 first appeared on Yanko Design.

Grade 5 Titanium, M390 Steel, Ceramic Bearings, $120 Price Tag: The EDC Knife to Beat in 2026

Posted on by

Most folding knives compromise somewhere. The blade steel holds an edge but rusts easily. The handle looks gorgeous but feels slippery when wet. The action is butter-smooth out of the box but develops wobble after six months of carry. MIH spent months asking a simpler question: what if you refused to compromise at all? What if you stripped away every feature that didn’t directly serve the three things a knife actually needs to do well, and then executed those three things with materials that cost more but last longer?

The GraphiX is the answer to that question. M390 steel, the supersteel standard, cuts 959mm of cardboard before dulling compared to 420HC’s 200mm. Ceramic bearings that will never rust paired with phosphor bronze washers that will never wear out. A titanium frame machined from Grade 5 aerospace alloy with a deep-carry clip milled directly into the structure. Carbon fiber scales with a tactile weave that ensures control even with gloves on. At $120 for the D2 version, this is a folder designed to be carried daily, used hard, and maintained rarely. It disappears in your pocket and appears in your hand exactly when you need it.

Designer: MIH

Click Here to Buy Now: $120 $183 (35% off) Hurry! Only 19 days left!

M390 is composed of 1.9% carbon for hardness, 20% chromium for corrosion protection, and 4% vanadium for edge life. That formula puts it at the top of the stainless steel hierarchy, well above the AUS-8 and 8Cr13MoV alloys found in budget production knives. The CATRA cardboard test proves it: M390 slices through nearly five times as much material as 420HC before edge degradation becomes noticeable. Heat-treated to 62 HRC and ground to a 15-degree edge angle per side, the blade hits the balance point where sharpness meets durability. You sharpen other knives. You just use this one. For those who prioritize toughness over ultimate edge retention, the D2 variant delivers serious cutting performance at 58-60 HRC, a tool steel with a long history of reliability in hard-use folders.

Grade 5 titanium, also known as Ti-6Al-4V, carries a strength-to-weight ratio that makes it the default choice in aerospace and medical implants. MIH machines the entire frame from this alloy, creating a structure light enough to disappear in your pocket at 5.6 ounces but strong enough to resist the kinds of lateral stresses that would bend a stainless steel liner. The frame curves to follow the natural contour of your palm, and the carbon fiber scales layered on top provide texture without aggression. Each scale displays a unique weave pattern since carbon fiber, by nature, never replicates exactly. Red, blue, or black colorways let you choose between bold presence, understated elegance, or low-visibility stealth. At the base of the blade, subtle jimping creates a tactile index point for your finger during detail work, the kind of small addition that only matters when you’re making precise cuts and suddenly realize how much control it gives you.

Ceramic bearings handle the pivot rotation while phosphor bronze washers distribute the load. Steel bearings corrode. Ceramic bearings don’t. Plastic washers compress and wear. Phosphor bronze doesn’t. The result is a deployment action that feels smooth the day it arrives and stays smooth years later. A strong detent keeps the blade locked closed during carry with no risk of accidental opening, but when you engage the flipper tab, the blade snaps out with a satisfying, controlled authority. The lock face and pivot are precision-machined to eliminate tolerances, which translates to zero blade play when the knife is open. No wobble. No lateral movement. Just solid lockup you can trust under hard use.

The blade runs a drop point profile, which means the spine curves gently downward to meet the tip, creating a strong point with plenty of belly for slicing. Drop point is the workhorse geometry for EDC because it excels at the tasks you actually do daily: opening packages, cutting cordage, preparing food, stripping wire, shaving wood. The tip is strong enough for piercing but not so aggressive that it tears through pocket fabric or catches on material when you’re making controlled cuts. At 62 HRC with a 15-degree edge angle, the M390 blade slices through cardboard, rope, plastic banding, and food prep tasks without requiring frequent touch-ups, while the D2 variant trades some of that extreme edge retention for better toughness under hard lateral loads. This is a knife built for the person who’s tired of pocket clips that loosen after a month, blades that need constant sharpening, and folders that feel like they were designed by a committee instead of someone who actually carries a knife daily.

MIH milled the clip channel directly into the titanium frame so the clip sits flush with the handle contour, machined from spring-grade titanium so it grips firmly without deforming and releases smoothly without snagging fabric. Precision-machined tritium slots measuring 1.5x6mm sit on both sides of the handle, ready to accept self-illuminating vials if you want a subtle glow-in-the-dark locator, or you can leave them empty and enjoy the clean lines. A lanyard hole at the tail end gives you the option to attach a bead or cord for wrist retention or easier pocket extraction. Closed, the GraphiX measures 4.71 inches. Open, 8.27 inches. The balance ratio hits 0.618, essentially the golden ratio applied to weight distribution, which means the knife pivots naturally in your hand without feeling blade-heavy or handle-heavy.

The D2 variant starts at $120, making it the accessible entry point into a titanium-framed folder with ceramic bearings and a carbon fiber inlay. The M390 version commands a premium for the superior edge retention. Add-ons include custom engraving, alternate carbon fiber colors (blue or black if you don’t want the default red), luminous vials, tritium vials, a titanium lanyard bead, and a foldable knife sharpener. The GraphiX ships worldwide with no additional shipping fees, and delivery is expected in August-September 2026 for backers who secure their spot during the campaign window.

Click Here to Buy Now: $120 $183 (35% off) Hurry! Only 19 days left!

The post Grade 5 Titanium, M390 Steel, Ceramic Bearings, $120 Price Tag: The EDC Knife to Beat in 2026 first appeared on Yanko Design.

A Ferrari-Inspired Speaker That Turns Motion Into Light and Sound

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Some objects simply exist in a space, while others carry a presence even before they are used. ROSSO belongs firmly in the latter. It does not read as a conventional speaker. It feels composed, deliberate, almost cinematic in the way it occupies a room. Inspired by the rear light signature of the Ferrari F8 Tributo, the design does not just borrow from automotive styling. It translates the emotional language of performance into a completely different context. What emerges is less of a consumer electronic and more of a captured moment of motion.

The most striking element is the dual circular illumination, which immediately draws attention not as decoration, but as identity. The rings echo Ferrari’s iconic taillights, yet here they take on a new role. They feel rhythmic, almost like a pulse, suggesting energy even in stillness. There is a quiet confidence in this decision. Instead of blending into interiors, ROSSO chooses to stand out, using light to create a focal point that feels engineered and intentional.

Designer: Royal Tyagi

The form itself resists stillness. Surfaces stretch and taper, edges feel pulled forward, and the overall silhouette carries a strong sense of direction. This is not accidental. It stems from an ideation process rooted in the geometry of the Ferrari F8, where circular light elements evolve into a broader architectural language. Over time, the design moves away from literal references and instead captures something more abstract. The feeling of speed, tension, and control. The result is a speaker that appears to be in a constant state of readiness, as if it could accelerate at any moment.

Materiality deepens this experience. The ROSSO CORSA finish, with its high gloss metallic lacquer, creates a depth that feels almost liquid, allowing light to glide across the surface and amplify its sculptural quality. It is bold, expressive, and unmistakably tied to Ferrari’s heritage. In contrast, NERO VELO offers a quieter interpretation. Its satin, soft touch matte coating absorbs light, shifting the focus from visual drama to tactile interaction and restraint. CARBON FORMA introduces a more technical layer through its carbon fiber-inspired textured grille, grounding the design in a language of precision and performance.

What makes ROSSO compelling is how these elements come together to shape not just how the object looks, but how it feels. The illuminated rings begin to act as a visual extension of sound, suggesting vibration and energy. The speaker becomes more than a device. It becomes a multi-sensory experience. There is an underlying idea that sound can have a visible presence, that it can be anticipated before it is heard.

In a market where many products aim to disappear into their surroundings, ROSSO takes a different stance. It embraces visibility, emotion, and expression. It does not attempt to be neutral. Instead, it invites attention and rewards it. By translating the essence of automotive performance into a domestic object, it challenges what a speaker can be. Not just a tool for listening, but a sculptural artifact that carries speed, power, and intent into everyday life.

The post A Ferrari-Inspired Speaker That Turns Motion Into Light and Sound first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Lounge Chair Was Designed to Never Be Replaced — Indoors or Out

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The best furniture doesn’t freeze time. It moves with you. That’s the quiet logic behind the LISBOA Lounge Chair, designed by Keiji Takeuchi for MOR Design. The chair is defined by a kind of lightness, both visual and physical. An open stainless-steel frame, a suspended sling seat, a silhouette that sits low and easy in a room without demanding attention. What’s even more interesting is the system that takes that lightness further: two interchangeable seats, one in textile, one in leather, that can be swapped depending on where you are, how you’re living, and what the space asks for.

It sounds simple. That’s because it is. The seat detaches cleanly from the frame, which is available in brushed or polished stainless steel. Swap the leather for textile, and the chair moves from a living room to a terrace without missing a beat. The frame stays the same, as does the identity. What changes is the layer of the chair closest to you.

Designer: Keiji Takeuchi for MOR Design

This matters more than it might first appear. Most furniture is bought for a fixed version of your life. LISBOA accommodates the version that’s still becoming. Keiji Takeuchi conceived the chair during the 2020 lockdown, thinking about how people might bring the ease of outdoor living into their everyday interiors. He understood that the boundary between inside and outside had already started to blur. The interchangeable seat system is a direct extension of that thinking. It doesn’t ask you to replace the chair when your context changes. It asks you to change the seat.

For a brand like MOR Design, founded in Portugal with a commitment to material integrity and longevity, this is the logical next step. Beautiful objects should last. But lasting doesn’t mean staying the same. The leather seat reads warm and deliberate in a residential interior. The textile option, weather-resistant and easy to clean, handles a poolside or garden setting just as naturally. Both sit within the same architectural frame, which is what allows the chair to belong in hospitality and contract spaces as readily as it does at home.

LISBOA was shown at Maison&Objet 2026, where the conversation around adaptable, considered consumption is hard to avoid. The chair arrives at the right moment. Not as a statement about sustainability or modularity, but as something quieter: a piece of furniture that knows your life will change, and is already ready for it. It is, as MOR Design puts it, your chair, and your moment.

The post This Lounge Chair Was Designed to Never Be Replaced — Indoors or Out first appeared on Yanko Design.

AI animation studio Toonstar will turn books into digital shows for HarperCollins

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HarperCollins is tapping into AI to bring some of its book franchises to life. Specifically, the publisher is teaming up with Toonstar, an AI animation studio, to turn them into digital shows. The first project will be an adaptation of Lisa Greenwald’s “Friendship List” series, which will also be joined by a graphic novel.

You’d be forgiven for being unaware of Toonstar, a studio that received some buzzy early on for simplifying typically complex animation pipelines with AI, but has mostly remained under the radar. Its biggest claim to fame is producing StEvEn and Parker YouTube series, which has amassed 3.38 million subscribers and sometimes has episodes reaching around a million views. It’s not something I’ve heard animation fans speaking about, though. And honestly, it was tough to sit through a few minutes of its sub-South Park animation.

“By leaning into the [AI] technology, we can make full episodes 80 percent faster and 90 percent cheaper than industry norms,” Toonstar co-founder John Attanasio, told The New York Times last year. In that same interview, the company revealed that it uses AI across its production, including having it dub dialog for international audiences, as well as working on storylines.

Toonstar initially pitched itself as an animation studio leaning into Web3 and NFTs, but those technologies seem virtually absent from the company’s presence today. Space Junk, one of its early series, was “put on hold for a variety of reasons,” a representative told Engadget. “It’s possible we’ll resurrect the concept in the future,” they added. Its original domain now points to a crypto gambling site.

“We’re honored to bring Friendship List to life as an animated series,” Attanasio said in a press release. “Our artist-centered approach ensures these beloved characters and stories stay true to the author’s vision, while our Ink & Pixel production technology enables fast, high-quality production at scale which unlocks the ability to meet audiences where and when they enjoy content today.”

Toonstar has certainly proved it can make “content” for YouTube. Can it actually produce an enjoyable animat edshow? That’s another question entirely.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/ai-animation-studio-toonstar-will-turn-books-into-digital-shows-for-harpercollins-211419155.html?src=rss

This $349 NASA Mars Perseverance Rover Kit Lets You Build an AI-Powered Mars Robot at Home

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NASA spent $2.7 billion building Perseverance and getting it to Mars. CircuitMess will sell you a buildable, functional, AI-capable replica for $309, and you get to solder every joint yourself. The kit launched in early 2025 and has sold 4,000 units across five restocks, each batch clearing out in approximately two hours. The math on that kind of sell-through rate points to something working at a level most STEM products never reach. The engineering decisions behind the kit explain why people keep showing up for the restocks instead of waiting for broader availability.

CircuitMess and GeeekClub secured NASA approval for the branding and matched the mechanical design to the real rover’s geometry, down to the rocker-bogie suspension that allows independent wheel movement across uneven terrain. The hardware includes six DC motors for propulsion, two servo motors for the arm and camera, a dual-core ESP32 microcontroller, and an AI-capable camera module with object recognition. Assembly involves soldering 300-plus components over roughly 20 hours, with all tools provided in the kit. Control options include a custom RF controller you build yourself, WiFi remote access, and autonomous navigation modes powered by the onboard AI. The firmware lives on GitHub as an open-source repository, and the rover accepts Python, C++, and Arduino IDE programming for anyone who wants to modify its behavior or add new capabilities through the modular expansion ports.

Designer: CircuitMess

The process is guided but not restrictive, and after completing the base rover, users can reprogram it in Python or C++, experiment with CircuitBlocks, integrate additional modules, or alter its behavior entirely. That distinction matters because most STEM kits treat the build as a finish line. You follow the instructions, snap the final piece into place, drive it around for an afternoon, and then it becomes shelf decoration. The kit functions as a flexible platform rather than a one-time build. The modular architecture accepts additional sensor modules, letting builders upgrade and enhance their rover’s capabilities over time. The included fiducial marker cards give the AI camera immediate objects to recognize and track, so the computer vision feature has a real use case right out of the box. The orange foam cubes and balls visible in the kit photography serve as sample collection targets for the robotic arm, turning the rover into a functional system with tasks to perform, not a static display model.

While most STEM products bury their appeal in technical jargon and uninspired concepts, CircuitMess tapped into current trends to entice a broader audience, with strategic direction that aligned with Mars rover making real discoveries millions of miles away. Perseverance landed in Jezero Crater in February 2021, and for a sustained period afterward, space exploration felt culturally immediate in a way it hadn’t since the early shuttle era. People were watching a robot drive around Mars in near real-time, following sample collection updates, tracking the Ingenuity helicopter flights. CircuitMess launched this kit while that public interest was still live, and the timing was surgical. The kit didn’t sell because people wanted another electronics project. It sold because people wanted to understand how the thing they were watching on the news actually worked, and CircuitMess offered a credible path to that understanding.

The NASA Mars Perseverance Rover kit is available at circuitmess.com for $349. Since launching in early 2025, the kit has sold 4,000 units across five restocks, with each batch selling out in approximately 2 hours. If you’re the kind of person who followed the Perseverance mission beyond the landing headlines, who knows what a rocker-bogie suspension does or why a dual-core processor matters for onboard AI, this is one of the few educational kits that respects that level of interest.

The post This $349 NASA Mars Perseverance Rover Kit Lets You Build an AI-Powered Mars Robot at Home first appeared on Yanko Design.

Jason Blundell announces his new-new studio, Magic Fractal

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Jason Blundell, a former creative lead on Activision Blizzard's Call of Duty: Black Ops series, has announced that he's formed a new development studio called Magic Fractal Studios. Blundell announced the studio on a livestream with former Dark Outlaw Games coworker JC Farmer, a little over a week after the previous studio was closed by Sony.

Little is known about Magic Fractal beyond its logo and social media accounts. Dark Outlaw Games was similarly mysterious, and closed before it could even announce its first project. All that's known is what Blundell has shared after the studio was shut down: Dark Outlaw wasn't working on a live-service game. The distinction is notable, if only because live-service games have been connected to at least two notable studio closures in the past. Sony shut down Firewalk Studios in October 2024, not long after its live-service shooter Concord was released, and in February 2026, closed Bluepoint Games after its live-service game based on the God of War series was reportedly cancelled.

Magic Fractal is Blundell's third studio after leaving Activision Blizzard in 2020. He formed Dark Outlaw Games with Sony's backing in March 2025. Before that, he led Deviation Games, which was closed in 2024 and was reportedly also working on a game for PlayStation.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/jason-blundell-announces-his-new-new-studio-magic-fractal-201055837.html?src=rss

Banks working on the SpaceX IPO reportedly have to subscribe to Grok

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Cutthroat capitalism sure does bring out the best in humanity. Take, for example, Elon Musk. He reportedly set a condition for banks, law firms, auditors and advisors who want to work on the SpaceX IPO. They're required to subscribe to the bastion of nonconsensual deepfakes and occasional Hitler praise known as Grok.

Surely the best and brightest banks our nation has to offer would refuse such a pay-to-play demand, right? Well, no. The New York Times reports that some of them have agreed to spend tens of millions of dollars on Grok. Those financial institutions are said to already be integrating the chatbot into their IT systems.

The Times' sources say this wasn't a no-strings request. Rather, Musk insisted they subscribe to Grok as part of the privilege of working on SpaceX's IPO. He also reportedly asked the banks to advertise on X, but was less firm about that. See? He's a flexible, easy-going guy at heart.

Five banks are expected to work on the IPO: Bank of America, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley. Meanwhile, the law firms Gibson Dunn and Davis Polk are said to be advising. We can probably assume that all of them are currently installing Grok on their internal systems. Good times.

SpaceX's IPO, filed confidentially earlier this week, is expected to raise over $50 billion and value the company at over $1 trillion. With banks set to rake in over $500 million from their work on the deal, perhaps paying for Grok, despite its myriad issues, seemed a small price to pay. See? Just outstanding people doing upstanding things in the good ol' US of A.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/banks-working-on-the-spacex-ipo-reportedly-have-to-subscribe-to-grok-200213071.html?src=rss