Most gaming setups lean on either a soundbar under the monitor or a headset clamped to your head. Soundbars are convenient but flatten the sense of space, especially when games and films are mixed for surround and height. Headsets can isolate better, but they get warm after a few hours and cut you off from the room entirely. Thunder Duo Max tries to bring full Dolby Atmos to a desk or living room without turning the space into a speaker warehouse.
Thunder Duo Max is the top configuration in a modular series, built around a pair of compact bookshelf speakers that handle the front channels and height effects. The system is a true 5.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos rig, not a virtual surround bar, and the bookshelf format unlocks larger drivers, fuller bass, and a flexible layout that can expand or tighten the soundstage depending on how you arrange it, making it comfortable on a desk or beside a TV.
The dual upward-firing Sky Channels built into each speaker send sound toward the ceiling to create a real overhead layer. That matters in games where helicopters, rain, or footsteps above you become easier to place, and it adds a vertical dimension to films and music that most desktop setups ignore. This is certified Dolby Atmos performance, with decoding handled by one of the system’s two dedicated DSPs, so height effects come from actual audio processing rather than software tricks.
The 5.1.2-channel layout breaks down into front left and right from the speakers, a phantom center between them, a low-frequency channel anchored by the main drivers and sub, and rear channels handled by a wireless satellite neck speaker. The neck speaker solves the usual problem of rear-speaker placement in small rooms, putting true rear channels on your shoulders instead of mounting boxes behind your chair or running cables across the floor.
The low end gets handled by the wireless Thunder Sub, using a 5.25-inch driver and 80 W RMS output to extend bass down to 35 Hz. The full Thunder Duo Max system delivers 110 W RMS and 270 W peak, with total harmonic distortion under 0.5 percent, so explosions, engines, and music cues hit hard without turning into muddy rumble. The goal is to feel weight and impact without sacrificing the clarity that makes dialogue and footsteps legible.
Thunder Duo Max plugs into different parts of a setup without picking favorites. HDMI 2.1 and HDMI eARC handle PS5, Xbox Series consoles, and high-frame-rate PC output at 4K 120 Hz. USB-C connects Switch, Steam Deck, and mobile devices. Bluetooth 5.3 adds low-latency wireless audio. Input switching happens on the system itself, so you can move between PC, console, and streaming without re-cabling every time you sit down or swap between desk and couch modes.
The system uses dual DSP architecture, combining Dolby Atmos decoding with OXS’s own Xspace spatial algorithm, and it has been tuned in a dedicated acoustic lab for a studio-level frequency response. The software side includes per-channel EQ, six-ring RGB lighting with multiple motions and 50 colors, and a desktop app that lets you dial in both sound and lighting, so the system fits the room rather than shouting over it with blinking lights you cannot turn off.
Living with a system like this changes how games, films, and music feel. Instead of sound sitting in a flat line in front of the screen, it wraps around you, with height, rear, and sub channels giving every explosion, ambient loop, and soundtrack a real sense of space. The neck speaker and wireless sub make full surround possible in spaces that could never handle a traditional 5.1.2-channel layout. For people who care about audio as much as frame rates, Thunder Duo Max reads less like a peripheral and more like a small, flexible sound studio that happens to sit next to a monitor.
Most gaming setups lean on either a soundbar under the monitor or a headset clamped to your head. Soundbars are convenient but flatten the sense of space, especially when games and films are mixed for surround and height. Headsets can isolate better, but they get warm after a few hours and cut you off from the room entirely. Thunder Duo Max tries to bring full Dolby Atmos to a desk or living room without turning the space into a speaker warehouse.
Thunder Duo Max is the top configuration in a modular series, built around a pair of compact bookshelf speakers that handle the front channels and height effects. The system is a true 5.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos rig, not a virtual surround bar, and the bookshelf format unlocks larger drivers, fuller bass, and a flexible layout that can expand or tighten the soundstage depending on how you arrange it, making it comfortable on a desk or beside a TV.
The dual upward-firing Sky Channels built into each speaker send sound toward the ceiling to create a real overhead layer. That matters in games where helicopters, rain, or footsteps above you become easier to place, and it adds a vertical dimension to films and music that most desktop setups ignore. This is certified Dolby Atmos performance, with decoding handled by one of the system’s two dedicated DSPs, so height effects come from actual audio processing rather than software tricks.
The 5.1.2-channel layout breaks down into front left and right from the speakers, a phantom center between them, a low-frequency channel anchored by the main drivers and sub, and rear channels handled by a wireless satellite neck speaker. The neck speaker solves the usual problem of rear-speaker placement in small rooms, putting true rear channels on your shoulders instead of mounting boxes behind your chair or running cables across the floor.
The low end gets handled by the wireless Thunder Sub, using a 5.25-inch driver and 80 W RMS output to extend bass down to 35 Hz. The full Thunder Duo Max system delivers 110 W RMS and 270 W peak, with total harmonic distortion under 0.5 percent, so explosions, engines, and music cues hit hard without turning into muddy rumble. The goal is to feel weight and impact without sacrificing the clarity that makes dialogue and footsteps legible.
Thunder Duo Max plugs into different parts of a setup without picking favorites. HDMI 2.1 and HDMI eARC handle PS5, Xbox Series consoles, and high-frame-rate PC output at 4K 120 Hz. USB-C connects Switch, Steam Deck, and mobile devices. Bluetooth 5.3 adds low-latency wireless audio. Input switching happens on the system itself, so you can move between PC, console, and streaming without re-cabling every time you sit down or swap between desk and couch modes.
The system uses dual DSP architecture, combining Dolby Atmos decoding with OXS’s own Xspace spatial algorithm, and it has been tuned in a dedicated acoustic lab for a studio-level frequency response. The software side includes per-channel EQ, six-ring RGB lighting with multiple motions and 50 colors, and a desktop app that lets you dial in both sound and lighting, so the system fits the room rather than shouting over it with blinking lights you cannot turn off.
Living with a system like this changes how games, films, and music feel. Instead of sound sitting in a flat line in front of the screen, it wraps around you, with height, rear, and sub channels giving every explosion, ambient loop, and soundtrack a real sense of space. The neck speaker and wireless sub make full surround possible in spaces that could never handle a traditional 5.1.2-channel layout. For people who care about audio as much as frame rates, Thunder Duo Max reads less like a peripheral and more like a small, flexible sound studio that happens to sit next to a monitor.
When you think of asphalt, furniture probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. More likely, you’re picturing roads, parking lots, or maybe the smell of fresh pavement on a hot summer day. But designer So Koizumi is flipping that association on its head with a new collection that’s making us completely rethink this humble material.
The series, simply called “As,” takes asphalt back to its roots. Long before it became synonymous with infrastructure, asphalt was actually used as a binding agent, bringing different materials together. Koizumi taps into this ancient purpose and transforms it into something unexpectedly beautiful: stools, side tables, lighting fixtures, and wall-mounted objects where asphalt serves as the glue holding together metal, stone, and resin.
What makes this collection really interesting is how Koizumi approaches the material itself. This isn’t some off-the-shelf, industrial-grade asphalt. Instead, each piece involves hand-shaping and finishing, with the texture and density changing based on what each object needs structurally and aesthetically. It’s a hands-on process that involves experimenting, testing, and refining until the materials play nicely together.
Think about it for a second. Asphalt is typically something we walk or drive on without a second thought. It’s functional, forgettable, purely utilitarian. But here, it becomes the star of the show, or at least a co-star alongside the metals and stones it connects. The collection treats asphalt not as a surface layer you slap on top, but as a structural intermediary, forming cores that support and anchor everything else.
The result is furniture that feels almost sculptural. These aren’t your typical mass-produced pieces that roll off an assembly line. Each object has its own character, its own story of how different materials came together through this unexpected mediator. There’s something deeply satisfying about seeing such disparate elements (industrial metal, natural stone, synthetic resin) united by something as overlooked as asphalt.
From a design perspective, what Koizumi is doing speaks to a bigger movement we’re seeing right now. Designers are increasingly interested in material honesty, in celebrating what things are actually made of rather than hiding it behind veneers and polish. They’re also looking at waste materials, industrial byproducts, and overlooked substances with fresh eyes, asking what else they could become.
The “As” series fits perfectly into this ethos. It challenges our preconceptions about what materials belong where. Why shouldn’t asphalt have a place in your living room? Why can’t something designed for roads also work as a elegant side table or atmospheric lighting? These questions might sound cheeky, but they’re actually at the heart of innovative design. There’s also something poetic about the concept. Asphalt connects places in our cities, quite literally paving the way from point A to point B. In Koizumi’s hands, it connects materials instead, creating little ecosystems where metal meets stone meets resin, all held together by this dark, textured binding agent. The furniture becomes a metaphor for connection itself.
What’s particularly cool is how this collection sits at the intersection of art and function. Yes, these are usable pieces. You can sit on the stools, set your coffee on the tables, light your space with the fixtures. But they’re also conversation starters, objects that make you pause and reconsider your assumptions. They blur the line between furniture and sculpture in the best possible way.
For anyone who loves design that takes risks and challenges norms, the “As” collection is definitely worth checking out. It’s not trying to be trendy or follow what everyone else is doing. Instead, it carves out its own weird, wonderful niche by asking a simple question: what if we used asphalt differently? The answer, as it turns out, is pretty compelling. Sometimes the most innovative ideas come from looking at the most ordinary materials with extraordinary imagination.
Most wireless speakers fall into two visual camps: squat cylinders that look like tech, or anonymous black boxes that try to disappear. There is a third path, treating a speaker like a small piece of architecture in the room, something that stands tall and holds its ground even when it is silent. Sonique is a vertical aesthetic speaker that leans into that idea, more road sentinel than soda can, more monument than gadget.
Sonique is a speaker inspired by global monuments, aiming to embody the idea of a road sentinel that seamlessly integrates artistry and functionality. The form language borrows from tall, narrow towers and arches, and the goal is to create an object you would be happy to leave on a shelf even when it is off, because it reads as a small, calm monolith rather than a piece of hardware waiting to be told what to do.
The basic form is a tall, rounded-top shell with a recessed fabric front and a small control strip at the bottom. The vertical posture lifts the drivers and makes the speaker feel more like a portal or doorway than a box. The controls are reduced to a simple strip with minus, play/pause, and plus, integrated into the front plane, so they do not break the silhouette or shout for attention when you are not using them.
The inspiration keywords, unbalanced, monolithic, and timeless, show up in how Sonique stands in a room. Unbalanced in its narrow footprint, tall stance, and slight backward lean that creates an asymmetrical, deliberate posture. Monolithic in the continuous outer shell, timeless in the fabric and soft grey palette, avoiding obvious tech trends. The speaker is meant to be a quiet marker in a space, a little tower of sound.
The technical block lists a Class-D amplifier with 2 × 30 W RMS output, a 60 Hz–20 kHz frequency response, splash and dust resistance, and up to 18 hours of playback at moderate volume. This puts it in the realm of a capable, battery-powered home speaker, with enough low-end extension for most music and enough stamina to move around the house without living on a charger or needing to stay tethered to an outlet.
Sonique fits into everyday scenes, on a bookshelf in a reading corner, on a sideboard in a living room, or on a desk as a vertical counterpoint to a monitor. The combination of fabric, soft light, and vertical form makes it feel more like a small lamp or sculpture than a piece of audio gear. The splash resistance hints at kitchen or bathroom use, where a bit of steam or a stray splash should not be a problem or an excuse to hide it away.
Treating a speaker like a road sentinel nudges the object out of the black box category and into the realm of things you curate in a room. Sonique suggests that you can have a plausible, battery-powered Class-D speaker that also behaves like a small monument on your shelf, a reminder that sound hardware does not always have to look like sound hardware to do its job well, and that a speaker can hold space in a room the way architecture does, vertical, quiet, and present.
New York governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation on Friday aimed at holding large AI developers accountable for the safety of their models. The RAISE Act establishes rules for greater transparency, requiring these companies to publish information about their safety protocols and report any incidents within 72 hours of their occurrence. It comes a few months after California adopted similar legislation.
But, the penalties aren't going to be nearly as steep as they were initially presented when the bill passed back in June. While that version included fines of up to $10 million dollars for a company's first violation and up to $30 million for subsequent violations, according to Politico, Hochul's version sets the fines at up to $1 million for the first violation, and $3 million for any violations after that. In addition to the new reporting rules, a new oversight office dedicated to AI safety and transparency is being born out of the RAISE Act. This office will be part of the Department of Financial Services, and issue annual reports on its assessment of large AI developers.
Hochul signed two other pieces of AI legislation earlier in December that focused on the use of the technology in the entertainment industry. At the same time, President Trump has been pushing to curb states' attempts at AI regulation, and signed an executive order this month calling for "a minimally burdensome national standard" instead.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/governor-hochul-signs-new-yorks-ai-safety-act-220503930.html?src=rss
There’s something magical about architecture that doubles as a love letter to a place. MVRDV just pulled this off in Chiayi, Taiwan, with a temporary pavilion that’s less about showing off and more about remembering what made this city special in the first place.
Picture this: Chiayi is celebrating its 321st birthday, and instead of a generic party tent, the city gets a timber structure that tells the story of its forgotten identity as Taiwan’s wood capital. Over 6,000 historic timber buildings still dot this city, remnants of an era when Chiayi thrived on forestry and woodcraft, yet most residents have lost touch with that heritage.
Enter Wooden Wonders, a pavilion that sits right across from city hall and functions as what the architects call an “urban living room.” It’s an apt description. The structure wraps around a central courtyard, creating an intimate gathering space that feels both public and personal. Think of it as the architectural equivalent of pulling up a chair and asking someone to tell you their life story.
What makes this project fascinating is how MVRDV approached the design. Instead of imposing their signature style, they went full detective mode, studying the city’s existing timber buildings to understand the local architectural DNA. What they found was beautifully eclectic: diagonal cuts that emphasize street corners, ornamental rooflines with decorative flourishes, a mix of time periods and influences all woven together. These elements became the blueprint for the pavilion’s perimeter structure, making the new building feel like it grew organically from Chiayi’s architectural family tree.
Inside, the exhibition takes visitors on a journey through wood’s past, present, and future. Pastel-colored gateways (a softer touch than you’d expect from an architecture exhibition) guide people through different zones. There’s a forest-themed area exploring how timber is grown and harvested, and “the workshop,” which celebrates the historic craftsmanship that once defined the region. The exhibition doesn’t just look backward, though. It also positions Chiayi alongside global timber leaders like Norway and New Zealand, showing how engineered timber can bridge traditional culture and contemporary construction.
The timing of this project couldn’t be more relevant. MVRDV founding partner Jacob van Rijs nails it when he says Chiayi’s timber story mirrors a global shift in how we think about building materials. Wood went from practical and abundant to “old-fashioned” when concrete and steel took over. But the climate crisis has flipped the script again. Wood stores carbon; concrete and steel release massive amounts of it into the atmosphere. Add decades of innovation in engineered timber techniques, and suddenly wood isn’t just nostalgic, it’s the future.
In Taiwan specifically, this conversation takes on extra weight. Many people there view timber as less reliable or reputable compared to modern materials, and seismic regulations make working with existing buildings challenging. So this pavilion isn’t just celebrating heritage, it’s making a bold argument about sustainability and what’s possible when you look at old materials with new eyes. The two-story main hall on the north side is where this vision gets practical. Visitors can contribute ideas for Chiayi’s urban development and its potential future as Taiwan’s “Wood Capital.” It’s participatory architecture at its best, a space that doesn’t just talk at people but invites them into the conversation about what their city could become.
What I love about Wooden Wonders is how it manages to be both specific and universal. Yes, it’s deeply rooted in Chiayi’s particular history and architecture. But it also speaks to something bigger: how cities can honor their past while building a more sustainable future. How materials that were once dismissed can become solutions to our most pressing problems. How good design can create space for community and conversation.
The pavilion is only up through December 28, making it a fleeting moment in the city’s long history. But maybe that’s fitting. Sometimes the most powerful statements are temporary ones, just present long enough to remind us what we’ve forgotten and inspire us to imagine what comes next.
Faraway road trips just got a lot easier, at least for the passengers. Sony Honda Mobility, the joint venture between the two Japanese conglomerates created to produce electric vehicles, announced that its Afeela EV will come with PS Remote Play. While playing video games in a car may be a niche feature, it means drivers will have something to do when parked, and passengers can chip away at their favorite RPGs during long drives.
According to the announcement, the Afeela will be able to run your PS5 and PS4 consoles remotely through the infotainment system's integrated display. You can even grab your DualSense controller from home and get right back into the game after jumping in your Afeela. Sony Honda Mobility said a 5Mbps broadband connection is required to play, and a 15Mbps rate will deliver a smoother experience.
It's not the first time we're hearing about PS Remote Play in an EV. The joint venture previously showed off the Afeela 1, which is set for its first deliveries in 2026, and its ability to remotely play PlayStation titles at CES 2024. As for gaming in EVs overall, Tesla famously offered Steam support for its Model S and X, but later removed this feature.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/sonys-first-ev-with-honda-will-let-you-remotely-play-ps5-in-your-car-202359091.html?src=rss
Candles have become the default stress-relief gift, burning $12 billion annually, yet they offer only temporary calm before the wax runs out. There’s a quieter, more lasting tradition hiding in Danish homes: hygge (HOO-gah)—the Scandinavian art of creating cozy comfort that actively soothes your nervous system. Unlike candles that mask stress for an hour, these five hygge gifts use science-backed design to trigger oxytocin release, lower cortisol levels, and transform your space into an anxiety-free sanctuary. From $79 weighted blankets to volcanic cup warmers, each object works like a permanent embrace—no flame required, no therapy bill needed.
This is the essence of Hygge, the Danish way of creating warmth, ease, and emotional well-being through simple, comforting rituals. By bringing in soft lighting, cozy textures, natural scents, and small wellness objects, your home transforms into a peaceful holiday sanctuary. These little touches act as anchors, helping you feel grounded and calm throughout the busyness of winter and the Christmas holidays.
1. The Cosy Comfort Cocoon
Weighted blankets offer more than softness; they deliver a therapeutic form of deep comfort. Through gentle pressure, they recreate the sensation of a warm embrace, helping your body release oxytocin and easing the nervous system into calm. Choosing rich materials, whether velvety textures or natural, high-thread-count fabrics, elevates the blanket into a refined, sensory wellness essential.
This is a simple, non-electric path to instant tranquility. Draped over a sofa or armchair, it forms a personal cocoon that invites you to slow down during the festive rush. Its true value lies in emotional grounding and is a reliable, soothing companion after long, socially demanding days.
The HILU blanket offers a refined alternative to traditional climate control by using advanced graphene technology to naturally regulate body temperature. Without electricity or mechanical components, it intuitively cools you when you feel warm and insulates you when you feel cold, ensuring year-round comfort indoors or outdoors. Its ability to thermoregulate in both directions simultaneously also makes it ideal for partners with different temperature preferences.
Crafted from pure graphene fibre through an innovative wet-spinning process, the HILU blanket is exceptionally durable, breathable, and hypoallergenic. The material’s inherent antibacterial properties help maintain freshness, while its soft, OEKO-TEX 100-certified fabric ensures gentle contact with all skin types.
2. Cosy Winter Aroma Ritual
A pure-oil aroma diffuser becomes a modern hearth, shaping the home’s atmosphere through intentional scent rather than flame. Ultrasonic diffusion preserves air quality while releasing calming notes like cedarwood, frankincense, or sweet orange. Each fragrance can be curated to define a mood, inviting rest in one corner, sparking joy in another, and turning scent into a conscious design tool.
This ability to shape your home’s olfactory landscape is essential for
seasonal well-being. Because scent directly influences memory and emotion, the diffuser becomes a subtle yet powerful ritual object. It softens the winter pace, shifting your environment from energetic and busy to deeply serene.
Scent has the unique ability to evoke memories and create an immediate sense of comfort. The Sol Brass Aroma Diffuser concept draws on this emotional power, reimagining the traditional incense ritual for contemporary living. Inspired by personal memories of incense lit each morning, Sol carries the same warmth and familiarity into modern spaces, extending fragrance far beyond the small radius of traditional sticks. Its form reflects India’s rich cultural heritage, referencing temple bells, heirloom utensils, engraved thaalis, and the symmetry of mandalas to create a calming “personal altar” for mindful moments.
Although it appears to be crafted from solid brass, Sol is made from injection-moulded ABS finished with NCVM, ensuring durability, scratch resistance, UV protection, and a cool touch. Hand-drawn motifs and a mandala-inspired top elevate its contemporary cylindrical silhouette. The refill system and intuitive sliding control make use effortless, while the diffuser gently warms essential oils to deliver a consistent, room-filling aroma that brings tranquillity to any space.
3. Cosy Seasonal Lights
Lamps offer a gentle antidote to winter’s dim days, restoring energy and balance when natural light is scarce. Much like the soft sparkle of Christmas lights, it brings a quiet glow that lifts mood and counters seasonal fatigue, especially when placed thoughtfully within your daily spaces.
Beyond function, this lamp becomes a source of nurturing radiance that makes a room feel alive, festive, and comforting. The best designs blend seamlessly with holiday décor, acting as subtle guardians of emotional well-being and bringing restorative clarity to your winter home.
There is a captivating beauty in the way wax shifts from solid to liquid and back again, and Copenhagen-based studio Daydreaming Objects has transformed this quality into sculptural lighting. Their award-winning Soft Solids collection reimagines wax as a durable, heat-resistant, and fully recyclable material by blending soy wax with stearin. Paired with vintage hardware sourced from mid-20th-century fixtures, each piece becomes a fusion of contemporary craft and historical character. The result is a lighting concept that feels organic, modern, and quietly nostalgic.
Soft Solids is defined by its modularity, particularly in the Stem light sculpture, where cylindrical wax units can be stacked or adjusted to suit different spaces. By day, the structures stand as serene, biomorphic forms; by night, they transform into ambient light columns powered by LEDs. Designed using digital modelling and 3D-printed moulds, the pieces embrace a circular design approach, allowing wax to be endlessly melted and re-formed while maintaining both beauty and function.
4. Heated Ritual Cups & Warmers
A heated ritual mug transforms the simple act of holding a warm drink into sustained, soothing comfort. Its temperature-retaining design keeps every sip inviting, turning a quick pause into a slow, mindful ritual. Much like lingering near the gentle glow of Christmas lights, the consistent warmth encourages you to settle in, breathe deeply, and savor the moment.
Within the spirit of Hygge, this small object becomes essential. It offers a tactile cue to slow down amid festive busyness, grounding you in stillness. The mug shifts from functional cup to ritual companion, providing steady, quiet comfort through long, cosy winter afternoons.
The daily ritual of enjoying a warm beverage has become a treasured moment of comfort, and VOLCANO enhances this experience through a refined blend of functionality and visual poetry. Inspired by the Earth’s most powerful natural heat source, its form reinterprets volcanic geometry through clean, faceted lines that feel both modern and timeless. When a mug is placed on its surface, the rising steam creates a gentle, volcano-like effect, transforming simple warmth into an evocative visual moment. Available in granite-inspired and basalt-inspired finishes, VOLCANO offers both light and dark expressions, allowing it to integrate seamlessly into different interior aesthetics.
A concealed display preserves the minimalist silhouette, illuminating only when required to maintain clarity without disrupting the sculptural form. VOLCANO exemplifies how everyday objects can be elevated through thoughtful abstraction and material sensitivity.
5. Fireplace or Electric Hearth
A fireplace or electric hearth has long been the emotional centre of a winter home, its gentle glow inviting you to pause, breathe, and settle into the season. The soft flicker slows the pace of a room, creating a sanctuary where warmth feels both physical and deeply personal, whether the hearth is traditional or modern.
Today, winter comfort extends beyond a single heat source. Contemporary warming objects prioritise safety, consistency, and sensory ease, offering a calm alternative to high-heat devices. Using gentle circulation, humidity-balanced warmth, or tactile controls, they create a more natural, reassuring experience. Together, the hearth’s communal glow and these personalised accents form a layered Hygge environment—grounding your Christmas home in comfort, stillness, and mindful winter well-being.
Although an electric blanket offers instant winter comfort, it often comes with concerns about overheating, dryness, electromagnetic radiation, and occasional short-circuit risks. The Warmflow Messenger by Studio NDI proposes a safer, more reassuring alternative through a hydraulic water-circulation system that replaces electric heating elements entirely. Inspired by the familiar symbolism of a retro street mailbox, the device treats warmth as a message delivered gently and reliably. Its arched ABS body features a metallic finish, a mail-slot-style refill opening, and a smudge-resistant surface that fits seamlessly into modern bedrooms.
The experience is intentionally tactile and personal, with vintage mechanical controls that offer precise temperature adjustments and satisfying feedback. A hidden display preserves the clean aesthetic when not in use, while app support allows users to customise warmth according to individual sleep patterns. Consistent temperature and humidity indicators ensure timely refills for sustained comfort through the night, and integrated cable management keeps the setup neat—an added advantage over loose electric blanket cords.
This festive season, prioritise genuine warmth over visual flash. Thoughtfully chosen wellness objects can infuse your home with true Hygge, transforming everyday moments into pockets of calm and comfort. With soft textures, gentle light, and soothing sensory cues, your space begins to feel like a serene winter sanctuary and one that supports rest, reflection, and emotional ease.
Rather than adding to the holiday rush, these comforting touches encourage you to slow down, settle in, and embrace the quieter side of the season. Each detail works together to create an atmosphere of steady warmth and well-being that carries you peacefully through the winter months.
Gamers who prefer physical copies of their favorite titles may be getting a major win with the Switch 2. In an unexpected announcement from retro video game publisher ININ Games, Nintendo reportedly has "two new smaller cartridge sizes" for its Switch 2 console. For ININ Games, these rumored game cartridges with smaller storage capacity allow the publisher to recalculate production costs and pursue a physical Switch 2 release of its upcoming R-Type Dimensions III.
ININ Games later deleted its posts mentioning these smaller Switch 2 cartridges and issued a correction on its website and social media pages. However, the publisher reiterated that R-Type Dimensions III will be released on a physical cartridge, but that "no further technical details regarding cartridge specifications have been officially confirmed."
"There has been no official announcement or confirmation from Nintendo concerning cartridge storage capacities," ININ Games said in a statement. "Any references to specific storage sizes should not be interpreted as official information from Nintendo."
If we're reading between the lines, ININ Games may have been early to tease a crucial detail about Switch 2 cartridges that Nintendo wasn't officially ready to reveal yet. For more context, Nintendo reportedly only offers physical game cartridges for Switch 2 with a 64GB capacity. With less demanding games like R-Type Dimensions III, that much storage capacity could be unnecessary and raise production costs. Nintendo still hasn't made an announcement about these potential smaller cartridges, but we could see a lot more game publishers opting for physical copies of their upcoming games if they are indeed an option.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/game-publisher-says-cheaper-switch-2-cartridges-are-coming-in-since-deleted-post-191145230.html?src=rss
Most everyday products, from scissors to mice, are designed around right-handed users, leaving left-handed people to adapt or struggle. That adaptation becomes invisible labor, especially with tools used all day like a mouse. Lor is a vertical mouse concept that takes that critique seriously and tries to design hand dominance out of the equation, treating hand dominance as something you configure through assembly rather than accept as a fixed product trait.
Lor is a vertical mouse that blurs the line between left-handed and right-handed, asking what would happen if flipping a product for the opposite hand was as simple as looking in a mirror. Instead of selling separate left and right models, Lor breaks the mouse into modular parts that can be rearranged, giving both user groups an equal product experience from the same hardware, without forcing anyone into a symmetrical compromise.
Designer: Youngbin Kwon
The main ergonomic idea is a grip that feels like holding smooth pebbles, designed to protect the wrist during long sessions. The mouse uses soft, rounded forms that encourage a more neutral hand posture than a flat mouse, leaning into the vertical-mouse logic without looking like a medical device. The pebble metaphor keeps the form approachable and hints at a more relaxed, natural grip that feels less technical.
Lor is built around a central spherical base and two detachable pebble grips that can be attached on either side. Like assembling toy blocks, users decide the shape and orientation, snapping the grips into a left-handed or right-handed configuration. Mirroring happens at the form level, not just in software, so thumb rests, buttons, and support surfaces end up exactly where each hand expects them to be without remapping or awkward reaches.
This approach benefits more than just left-handed users. Shared desks, studios, or home setups can keep a single mouse that reconfigures in seconds, and people who switch hands to rest a wrist can physically flip the layout instead of fighting a symmetrical compromise. It is a formative way, as the designer puts it, to satisfy both user groups with one product without flattening ergonomics into a one-size-fits-none solution.
A fingerprint unlock sensor is built into one of the grips, letting you log into your computer with a touch. It is a small feature, but it reinforces the notion that the mouse is a personal object that can recognize you, not just a generic input device. It also hints at future possibilities, like per-user profiles that travel with the mouse in shared environments or family workstations.
Lor treats handedness as a design parameter rather than an afterthought. Instead of asking left-handed people to adapt to right-handed tools, it lets the product adapt to them through a simple, understandable act of assembly. In a category where vertical mice are often strongly handed and ambidextrous options are usually ergonomic compromises, the idea of a modular, mirrorable form turns inclusion into something tactile, giving left-handed users the same thoughtful experience that right-handed users have always quietly taken for granted.
