Tag Archives: Technology

What if AirPods had ChatGPT, could translate languages, and came with a touchscreen case?

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Meet the Wooask TransBuds A8 – a pair of TWS earbuds that are so unique you’ll want to ditch your AirPods for them. Built with ChatGPT integration in the earbuds themselves, these wearables put the power of AI in your ear, actively translating 147 languages and accents in real-time, without an app. What’s better, if you do need to navigate through the TransBuds A8’s functionalities, you don’t even need to look at your smartphone, the earbuds case comes with a nifty 2-inch screen for both online or offline translation, as well as the ability to simply chat with ChatGPT the way Iron Man chats with JARVIS. Oh, and you can listen to music too.

Designer: Wooask Technology

Click Here to Buy Now: $179 $299 (40% off). Hurry, only 63/200 left!

The A8 translation earbuds facilitate real-time bidirectional translation, allowing two people to wear one earbud each for instant simultaneous interpretation.

The TransBuds A8 has a familiar design, albeit with a few VERY clever upgrades. Sure, you’ve got the white case with a flip-top lid that reveals two white earbuds… but on both hardware and software fronts, the TransBuds A8 are much more advanced than any regular TWS earbuds you’ll find on the market. For starters, the entire wearable has ChatGPT integration, giving you a voice assistant that is far more advanced than Google, Siri, or Alexa. You can simply tap the earphones to talk to ChatGPT, or access the AI through the unique interface built into the case. The case with a touchscreen is a welcome feature too – it eliminates the need for an app, and gives you a perfect standalone device that works without draining your phone’s battery or piggy-backing off your phone’s cellular network.

By leveraging ChatGPT’s vast knowledge base and natural language processing capabilities, users can enjoy more than just translation assistance.

The presence of AI isn’t just a bandwagon feature, it helps aid the TransBuds A8’s core value proposition – the ability to actively translate 77 languages and 70 accents in real-time, giving you the ability to pretty much travel anywhere in the world without a language barrier. The interaction is swift and seamless, either share an earbud with someone and have bi-directional conversations in two separate languages, and the earbuds will actively translate both of them simultaneously, or use the earbuds and case together to have a conversation with a local. The earbud-sharing method is perfect for in-person meetings and other long conversations. Each person wears one earbud like a Bluetooth earpiece of sorts, and the TransBuds A8 listens to what the opposite person is saying, and translates it for you right in your ear. A transcript of your entire conversation gets captured as a text thread on the TransBuds A8’s screen, and can be saved for later, allowing you to quickly and easily transcribe an entire meeting using the power of AI.

Alternatively, the case itself comes with a microphone and powerful speakers, allowing you to use just the case as a translator device. Hold it up and speak into it, and the TransBuds A8 lets you have a conversation with a local or a stranger without needing to share an earpiece. A powerful mic and speaker system allow you to easily converse with people even around ambient noise, while the display on the case does a good job of allowing people to read the translated text if they can’t hear the translated audio.

The case, frankly, is more of a smartphone that houses earbuds than just your average charging case. It runs on a Qualcomm Quad-Core Processor and earbuds use a Qualcomm 3040 chipset that allows it to translate 147 languages and accents with a latency of 0.5 seconds and an impressive 98% accuracy. The 2-inch screen has an app drawer that lets you access the TransBuds A8’s different features, even letting you tap into the offline translation feature that works with 16 popular languages. Buttons on the side of the case let you increase or decrease the case’s volume, or even go back to the home screen while navigating the interface.

The earbuds are remarkable too, with an ergonomic design, and a dual-mic setup that powers the ENC (Environment Noise Cancelation) feature to help you speak and hear clearly even if you’re in a noisy environment. The earbuds have a translation time of 5 hours, and a regular battery life of 35 hours along with the case that doubles as a charging dock for the buds. 16 gigabytes of in-built memory means you can even load your favorite MP3 files right onto the case, turning it into a makeshift iPod Touch that plays music directly without a streaming app or pairing with your phone. You can, however, pair the earbuds with your phone to listen to music, watch movies, or take calls too.

Quite the all-round device, the TransBuds A8 are for any and everyone. They work independently without your phone, translating over a hundred languages, transcribing conversations, and giving you the power of ChatGPT right in your ears. They also work as your standard TWS buds when you’re looking for something traditional, pairing with your phone via Bluetooth for answering calls, watching TikTok, or listening to music and podcasts. The buds are ideal for avid travelers, students, digital nomads, expats, and people working in multicultural companies and teams. The TransBuds A8 starts at a discounted $179 (an absolute steal considering the features it packs), which also includes one year of free ChatGPT integration. Subsequently, you’ll either be required to pay $9.9 per month or $40 annually for the AI features – online and offline translation remains free forever.

Click Here to Buy Now: $179 $299 (40% off). Hurry, only 63/200 left!

The post What if AirPods had ChatGPT, could translate languages, and came with a touchscreen case? first appeared on Yanko Design.

Hidden hub clears your desk of cords, sockets, and port clutter

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To say that I have a messy desk is an understatement. Aside from the various books, office supplies, and knick-knacks that I have lying around, one of the things that make it pretty messy are all my cords connectors, and sockets. I work with multiple devices so I need all kinds of charging and connecting tools, therefore adding to the clutter on my desk. If ever I one day decide to have a cleaner and more minimalist desk, then I definitely need one of these docking hubs to make my work and home office life a bit more organized.

Designer: Lon

The Lon:HUB is one such docking hub that can give your desk a cleaner appearance and at the same time provide you with all the outlets and ports that you need. The ports and sockets are attached under your desk and on top of your space, you have some of the ports that you would need. Underneath, you have 5x 110V AC sockets, 2x HDMI 2 display ports, and 2x arms where you can wrap your cords around so you don’t get a spaghetti-like mess. On the edge of your desk, the hub has a 10 Gbps USB-C 100W port, 2x USB-A ports, an SD card slot, and it even has a wireless charger landing pad.

The hub also comes with a proprietary high-speed PCB with 100W PD and medical-grade power unit. It will also be available in several color options. We’re seeing orange, yellow, and a dark blue/grayish one if you prefer muted colors. If you want a more powerful unit, there will be a Pro version available which has a Thunderbolt 4 port, 2x HDMI 2.1 and 2x DisplayPort 1.4 ports,, a 2.5Gbps Ethernet card, 2x 10Gbps USB-C and 6x 10Gbps USB-A ports, a UHS-II SD-Card slot, QI2 wireless charger pad, and a 100W PD. It will also have a full aluminium casing.

The price tag hasn’t been officially revealed yet but it looks they’re planning to go for $199 which is a pretty good price tag for a dock. Design-wise the Lon:HUB is pretty minimalist and that is the point as something intricately designed may add to your desk’s clutter. I may not be leaving my maximalist style anytime soon but removing the cord and socket clutter may be the first step I’ll take and this dock would be a good start.

The post Hidden hub clears your desk of cords, sockets, and port clutter first appeared on Yanko Design.

10 Best Accessories To Perfectly Complement Your Apple AirPods

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My AirPods are one of my prized Apple possessions! I use them multiple times in a day, whether’s it’s for calls, to watch videos during work breaks, or to listen to some pumped-up tunes during my evening jogs. You’ll find them around me almost all the time. I’m sure there are other AirPods addicts in the house, and for those individuals, here’s a collection of AirPods accessories that we swear by!  These nifty product designs will completely elevate and enhance your AirPods experience. They serve as the perfect sidekick to your AirPods, either by taking the best care of them, boosting their functionality, or making sure you never lose them again. These are a must-have for all AirPods fanatics!

1. AirPods/AirPods Pro Neck Strap

This AirPods/AirPods Pro Neck Strap is a great way of ensuring you never lose your precious AirPods! It features a neck strap made from a woven necklace, which keeps your AirPods around your neck at all times. This neck strap perfectly combines fashion, good looks, and practicality to form a unique and clever Apple accessory amped with a patented One-Click Magnetic Lock, which keeps your earbuds in place safely.

Click Here to Buy Now: $39.

2. Casetify Iron Man Case

Casetify teamed up with Marvel to create a few Iron Man-themed accessories, and the one that truly caught our eye is their AirPods case! The super cool AirPods case is designed to look like an Iron Man helmet which gently opens up to unveil your TWS earbuds. It is equipped with a stand, allowing you to place it on a carabiner clip-in case you feel like attaching it to your backpack. It even has light-up eyes that will surely grab the attention of onlookers!

3. Snapshot Case

Elago Snapshot Apple AirPods Case with AirTag

Elago Snapshot Apple AirPods Case with AirTag

Called the Snapshot case for the AirPods Pro, this adorable-looking has a cute camera-shaped design that includes an AirTag inside the faux camera lens. The little case looks like a small point-and-shoot that protects precious AirPods Pro from any kind of physical damage and theft. Since it has an all-silicone design, this absorbs shock, while still supporting wireless charging.

4. Game Boy Charger Case

Elago has been doing a pretty good job of making Apple accessories a bit nostalgic, and they’ve recently unveiled a Nintendo-inspired design! One of their latest releases is a Game Boy cover for your AirPods charger. This Game Boy-inspired cover will transform your charger into the now-classic Game Boy design. It works as a “wrap”, and is quite similar to the MagSafe wallet they launched a while ago. This one is a must for the Game Boy lovers!

5. ElementProof Waterproof Case

Meet this innovative AirPods Pro 2 case that enhances your earbuds with an IP68 rating to offer better water and dustproofing. This case provides a very high level of protection from the elements, such that you can keep your AirPods and their case submerged in the water for 6 hours. It can even provide protection from an extremely dusty environment. The case is called the ElementProof Waterproof Case, and it has military-grade MIL standards for shock resistance.

6. 2-in-1 Wireless Charger Concept

Meet the 15W MagSafe compatible iPhone 15 charger concept which can be laid down, or positioned in an alternate orientation, letting you set up your iPhone in portrait mode for productivity. The alternate pad of the charger can be utilized to charge your earbuds, or even your Apple Watch, while laid down. At the moment, this charger is still a concept, however, we would love to see it as a tangible design someday.

7. Ultra Hybrid Zero One Covers

Designed by Spigen, these transparent Ultra Hybrid Zero One covers for the AirPods Pro 2 draw inspiration from the stunning iMac G3 designs from the olden days. The unique covers offer a layer of Spigen-backed physical protection to the AirPods case, providing protection from bumps and scratches, owing to the impact-resistant PolyCarbonate (PC) and Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) build.

8. Nomad MagSafe Base One Charger

Nomad Base One MagSafe Design

Nomad Base One MagSafe

Dubbed the Nomad MagSafe Base One charger, this innovative charger features a glass and aluminum design, and it is equipped with the official MFi MagSafe charging. The Base One works well with most Qi devices, and it can offer up to 15W charging speed. The charger has a weighted metal body which is wonderfully paired up with an elevated glass panel. This sophisticated look complements most desks and workspaces.

9. Air Omni

Called the Air Omni, this unique charging dock can charge your iPhone, AirPods, Watch, and iPad as well. It is created for not only charging but docking as well, and it features a dedicated pop-up wireless charging hub for your Watch and a wireless charging zone for your AirPods. The docking zone has a unique design which makes it quite innovative, and it can shapeshift to accommodate your various devices.

10. Chargepuck

Dubbed the Chargepuck, this unique innovation serves as a replacement for your wireless charging dock or mat. The little puck can be attached to your iPhone, and it has its own retractable cable which lets you plug it wherever you like. However, the Chargepuck isn’t a battery pack, and it doesn’t have its own battery inside it. It is a charging apparatus that is attached to your iPhone, letting you charge three devices in one go.

The post 10 Best Accessories To Perfectly Complement Your Apple AirPods first appeared on Yanko Design.

This $599 Exoskeleton gives your legs Superhuman Powers while helping you save 50% energy

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It isn’t Iron Man’s suit, but it’s still a pretty big augmentation to humans and their capabilities.

The promise of great technology is to make life easy for everyone… the only problem is that a lot of times, it takes YEARS before great technology can become accessible to everyone. EVs were very niche before they weren’t, DARPA (the defense research wing of the US government) played a pivotal role in developing the internet for communication on the front lines in the 1960s before the internet finally became household technology. Cameras were incredibly specialist equipment before they became small enough to fit into a smartphone, and exoskeletons were originally developed for military personnel to give them superhuman strength, before ending up in warehouses to allow workers to lift heavy objects without using all their energy. If you went online, chances are you wouldn’t be able to simply buy an exoskeleton for yourself (or you’d probably end up paying thousands of dollars for it), but the folks at Dnsys are hoping to make the technology accessible to all humans.

The $599 X1 is an exoskeleton that aids with mobility by giving your legs an extra set of mechanical muscles. Powerful enough to reduce the energy you spend walking/running/trekking by a staggering 50% and reduce your load by nearly 83 lbs, the Dnsys X1 runs on a set of 900W motors that output 1.2 horsepower with a top speed of 27km/h (16.7mph), allowing you to walk, climb, and run with more agility and less exertion. The entire device, which straps to your waist and thighs, weighs a paltry 1.6 kilograms (3.5 lbs) and has a battery that offers a range of 25 kilometers, allowing you to push your boundaries further without being restrained by your human limitations.

Designer: Dnsys

Click Here to Buy Now: $599 $1198 (50% off) Hurry! Only 10 left of 890. Raised over $1,000,000.

The X1 hopes to shatter the misconception that exoskeletons just belong in warehouses. Quite like Apple’s Vision Pro became one of the first VR headsets to actually be seen in real society, with people wearing them in cafes and subways, the Dnsys X1 aims at being the exoskeleton for all kinds of outdoor use. You could be an explorer or trekker looking to cover lots of ground, a backpacker trying to walk large distances with a heavy backpack, a photographer looking to navigate an outdoor location with a lot of gear, or just a fitness enthusiast looking to get in your movement while protecting your knees and legs from strain or injuries. The X1 gives your legs a set of helping hands (or helping legs, if you want to switch the idiom), allowing you to move faster, farther, and with much less energy.

The hallmark of the Dnsys X1 is its ultra-lightweight construction, weighing a mere 1.6kg, thanks to the utilization of aerospace-grade aluminum alloy and carbon fiber. This not only ensures durability but significantly reduces weight, making it an unobtrusive companion for any journey. The exoskeleton’s sophisticated motor, the DNA-1, embodies sheer power, delivering 1.2 horsepower and a torque of 50 Nm/kg, which, in simpler terms, is similar to the power performance of a Formula One race car.

Making an exoskeleton isn’t as easy as simply slapping motors onto a body brace. The X1 employs advanced AI algorithms to adapt to the user’s walking pattern, offering instantaneous walking assistance that makes every step feel lighter. This AI innovation, combined with state-of-the-art motion sensors, enables the device to conserve up to 50% of the user’s energy, essentially halving the strain of carrying heavy loads during challenging treks or climbs. Imagine exploring the wild with the ability to walk or run with less fatigue, climb higher, and embark on longer adventures, all while protecting your knees and reducing the risk of physical exertion-related injuries. The X1’s clever design also enables all kinds of movements, aiding you with walking forwards and backwards, sideways, upwards, or even any odd movement that would result from you walking on an uneven path or terrain.

Different modes let you achieve different tasks. A regular mode gives you a maximum range of 25 kilometers (15.5 miles), aiding with load reduction and energy conservation, while a Boost mode, activated simply by pressing a button on the sides, gives you the full effect of the X1’s 1.2 horsepower output. The regular mode is perfect for walking and climbing, while the boost mode is the equivalent of going full throttle, allowing for more machine power that gives you maximum speeds of 27km/h or 16.7mph. Conversely, instead of having the X1 boost your performance, you can even flip to a Workout mode which restrains your walking ability, making you put more effort in. Designed to be the equivalent of training with weights or resistance bands, this mode is for maximizing your exercise, making it perfect for strength training and isokinetic exercise. The resistance mode also helps reduce impact on your knees during downhill walks, helping prevent injuries.

The X1 starts at $599, a massive 50% reduction over its original $1198 retail price. It includes an app that also works to monitor device status in real-time, and track medical-grade health data such as hip joint mobility and step frequency. Each X1 ships with a smart battery capable of kinetic energy recovery (KERS) for high efficiency, a charging dock, and a charging cable. The Dnsys X1 ships globally starting July 2024.

Click Here to Buy Now: $599 $1198 (50% off) Hurry! Only 10 left of 890. Raised over $1,000,000.

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Portable Powerbox can juice up your laptop and other mobile devices

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When you go to coffee shops, public spaces, and even the beach, you’ll probably see people facing their screens and typing away for work or for leisure. The digital nomad and work from anywhere lifestyle is truly upon us. One of the most important things that they need is a power source since not all places have sockets. Of course there’s the pretty common powerbanks to juice up our smartphones but for those that need something a bit heavier in terms of power, there are only a few options out there.

Designers: Sam Hecht and Kim Colin of Industrial Facility

The OE1 Powerbox is a portable battery so you can power up your laptop, tablet, smartphone, and other mobile devices wherever you are. It is more than just a powerbank as it can actually charge three 70W laptops at the same time with its 250Wh of power. It has three USB-C ports, one USB-A port, and a tracking device holder. It can also fit into the OE1 Storage Trolleys if you need to power larger electronics like monitors, speakers, projectors, etc. The Powerbox has a power level indicator on top so you can see the power level. It can be charged through a PowerTray or with a charging cable kit that you can purchase separately.

But on its own, the Powerbox is already powerful enough for your mobile devices. It looks like a tool box that is “meant to hold the feeling of ‘battery-ness’. It has a minimalist design since you don’t need it to look like anything other than a battery you can carry around. It is also created sustainably as it uses lithium ion phosphate (LFP) so it can have a longer life cycle. The housing uses 100% post-consumer ABS plastic making it easier to handle during the recycling process.

Of course since it’s more powerful than a powerbank, it’s not that light or can fit into your bag. But it’s still light enough that you can carry it around when needed. As someone who works outside a lot (and whose device batteries seem to be giving up on me easily), this can come in handy even if it may be a little heavy.

The post Portable Powerbox can juice up your laptop and other mobile devices first appeared on Yanko Design.

Empowering Children with a Watch That Guides Habit Formation and Joyful Growth

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As a parent, managing your children’s daily routines can be daunting. The NehNehBaby Training Watch simplifies this with practical features that do more than just tell time. It uses timed alarms, gentle vibrations, and engaging screen animations to remind your child of essential activities like eating, using the potty, brushing teeth, and playing. The potty alerts are particularly helpful, encouraging independence and confidence in bathroom habits. Additional reminders for drinking water and exercising promote healthy physical habits. These features integrate seamlessly into daily life, bringing structure to the chaos of growing children’s schedules and supporting their exploration and growth with fun, effective reminders.

Designer: NehNehBaby

Click Here to Buy Now: $29.99 $39.99 (25% off).

The NehNehBaby training watch guides your child’s day, gently ushering them through essential routines—from mealtime and potty breaks to tooth brushing and cherished periods of reading and play. This guiding presence is what transforms the NehNehBaby training watch from a simple tool into a treasure within the parenting toolkit, as it smoothly orchestrates the daily routines, ensuring smoother days filled with less friction and more harmony.

The Training Watch integrates timed alarms, vibrations, and screen animation reminders to help children develop regular lifestyle habits, covering critical daily activities such as potty, drinking water, brushing teeth, bathing, studying, and exercising.

The importance of this tool becomes even more apparent for parents of children aged 2 to 8. This period is akin to the prime planting season in a garden, where the seeds of healthy routines are sown, destined to grow into lifelong habits. These early years are when habits around healthy eating, staying active, getting sufficient rest, and engaging in regular learning activities take root, setting the stage for a lifetime of well-being.

The training watch ingeniously incorporates the principles of habit formation, as detailed in James Clear’s influential work, “Atomic Habits.” The watch brings to life Clear’s habit cue formula—’I will [BEHAVIOR] at [TIME] in [LOCATION]’—through engaging animations and musical cues that signal when and where specific tasks should be performed. This makes the habit-forming process enjoyable for children and solidifies the association of certain activities with specific times and places, embedding these routines deeply within their daily lives. Moreover, the watch is equipped with timed reminders, skillfully encouraging children to independently recognize and respond to these cues, fostering a growing sense of autonomy.

The watch’s reminder function helps children remember and execute daily tasks, reducing the mental load of parental supervision.

Habit Cultivation

Time Management and Self-Monitoring

The watch’s task completion log represents another strategic application of Clear’s insights, transforming the tracking of habits into an interactive and rewarding experience for children. This feature allows kids to mark off their completed tasks visually, paving the way for parental recognition and rewards. Such positive reinforcement not only celebrates their accomplishments but also motivates continued adherence to their routines, solidifying the desired behaviors and making the cultivation of these habits a natural and integral part of their day.

As children become accustomed to the rhythm introduced by the training watch, the device’s role evolves, with a significant focus shifting towards teaching time management and self-monitoring skills—abilities that are increasingly vital in today’s fast-paced and often overwhelming world. While task management is an integral part of this stage, the focus is on empowering children to approach their days confidently, significantly reducing stress and allowing them the freedom and space to fully embrace the joys of childhood. The ability to keep up with tasks through delightful animations that accompany task reminders engages children. Taking a potty break or brushing their teeth without constant adult supervision cultivates a sense of independence in children, lightening their mental load and creating ample room for play, creativity, and relaxation.

The watch’s design acknowledges the unique ways children perceive and interact with time. They often become fully immersed in the moment or rush through tasks that are less appealing. With its musical or vibrational alerts, the watch’s timer feature bridges the gap between a child’s relaxed pace and the adult world’s need for timeliness. By establishing clear end times for activities, the watch transforms potential daily challenges, like toothbrushing or getting ready for school, into smooth, enjoyable routines that teach the importance of time management without the pressure of feeling rushed.

Additionally, the watch introduces the “Breath Sync” feature, a thoughtful addition designed to help children relax and manage stress. This feature provides guided breathing exercises through charming animations, such as easy-to-follow text cues or a friendly bear demonstrating deep breathing techniques. This focus on relaxation is particularly beneficial, helping children wind down and find calm amidst their active days.

Physically, the watch has a 1.09-inch screen and a comfortable, hypoallergenic silicone strap. It features a power button, which also serves as a “return to home screen” button, and a “Fun button” that announces the time with a short press. A double tap on the “Fun button” brings up the settings. The watch charges through a magnetic charger port, avoiding the need for exposed charging holes.

Click Here to Buy Now: $29.99 $39.99 (25% off).

The post Empowering Children with a Watch That Guides Habit Formation and Joyful Growth first appeared on Yanko Design.

Tim Cook rocks an exclusive pair of Nike Air Max 1 ’86s “made on iPad”

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Nike made these exclusive ‘Made on iPad’ Air Max 1 ’86s for Tim Cook

When Apple announced, “Nike made these exclusive ‘Made on iPad’ Air Max 1 ’86s for Tim Cook to celebrate the launch of the new iPads,” calling them exclusive barely scratches the surface. The design of these Nike Air Max 1s immediately grabs your attention. They have an off-white upper that seems to be a blend of synthetic rubber and mesh. The sneaker really stands out with its multicolored Nike Swoosh wrapping around it, displaying a vibrant rainbow spectrum with a textured, paintbrush-like effect.

Designer: Nike

Speckles of color are scattered throughout the white midsole, adding a playful touch to the otherwise minimalist design. The visible air unit in the heel, a signature of the Air Max series, is showcased through a transparent window, offering a glimpse into the shoe’s cushioning technology.

The shoe’s sole sports a speckled brown finish that really pops against the lighter upper. Parked next to the shoe is the latest iPad Pro and the shiny new Apple Pencil Pro, showcasing a sketch of the design. It’s like a little window into how this cool shoe came to life. This sneaker is a piece of art—but also practical too, something Tim Cook might wear every day. For the rest of us? It’s the kind of collector’s item we daydream about scoring.

‘Made on iPad’ Air Max 1 ’86s

The tongue of this Nike Air Max 1 features a special customization. It sports a crisp white label with the iconic Nike logo in blue at the top. Below the logo, a striking red Nike Swoosh catches the eye. The unique touch is the phrase “made on iPad,” scrawled in a casual, handwritten-style font right beneath the Swoosh. This detail highlights the collaboration between Nike and Apple, connecting the sneaker to the creative capabilities of the iPad. It’s a sleek blend of technology and fashion, making this shoe truly one of a kind.

Shifting from the colorful design of the Nike Air Max 1 ’86, let’s explore another uber-rare sneaker with a nostalgic twist. These Omega Sports Apple Computer Sneakers were custom-made for Apple employees and distributed at a National Sales Conference in the mid-’90s. Featuring a predominantly white upper, the old-school rainbow Apple logo on both the tongue and the lateral quarter is a standout detail, adding a splash of color.

Omega Sports Apple Computer Sneakers

Never released to the public, this particular pair of sneakers is one of the most obscure in existence and highly coveted on the resale market. Each pair comes with an alternative set of red laces, enhancing their collectibility. The sneakers bear the style number 8106 and, comically, come with a note that sales are final and not eligible for return.

With prices reaching up to $50,000 USD, these sneakers are among the rarest Apple collectibles. They highlight Apple’s early initiatives to blend technology with lifestyle long before their tech products became global icons.

Circling back to the origin of the Nike Air Max 1, this iconic sneaker first hit the shelves in 1987. It was the first in the Nike Air Max line to feature visible Air cushioning in the midsole. Created by Tinker Hatfield and inspired by the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, the Air Max 1 is celebrated for its innovative design that showcases its inner workings, much like Pompidou’s architecture.

Tim Cook wearing a pair of exclusive ‘Made on iPad’ Air Max 1 ’86s

This shoe has become a major favorite in sneaker culture, known for its comfort and the array of colorways it has inspired, such as the striking original red and white. Each version highlights the unique style and enduring appeal of the Air Max 1.

The post Tim Cook rocks an exclusive pair of Nike Air Max 1 ’86s “made on iPad” first appeared on Yanko Design.

The new Apple Pencil Pro is a death-sentence for Wacom

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Wacom was once an industry leader in the sketching tablet PC market. However, it’s no match for the deadly combo of the new iPad Pro M4 and the Apple Pencil Pro. Announced at the iPad keynote yesterday, the new Pencil Pro packs features so unique, it makes regular capacitive styluses look like tools from the Stone Age. The new Pencil Pro has a new squeeze gesture to activate quick menus, can track rotation to have objects and brushes rotate in real-time (known as barrel roll), and even has a haptic motor for feedback – while still packing features from previous models like the hover feature, pressure and tilt sensitivity, and low-latency. If all that wasn’t enough, the Pencil Pro even has Find My support, allowing you to locate your stylus if it ever gets lost. The Wacom Pro Pen 3 on the other hand, has buttons.

Styluses have existed for decades at this point, and if you asked anyone ten years back which was the most well-designed stylus and tablet combo for creatives, the answer would invariably be something from Wacom’s lineup. The company had three options back in the day, the budget Wacom Bamboo, the mid-range Wacom Intuos, and the flagship Wacom Cintiq. Apart from the Cintiq, none of the other tablets had screens – they were just massive trackpads that you could only draw on with styluses. The Cintiq was the closest thing to an iPad – it had a screen, allowed multi-touch gestures, and came with controls galore… the only problem was that it didn’t work independently, it needed to be tethered to a desktop or laptop to work. The Cintiq, along with the Intuos and Bamboo, came with a stylus that featured a pressure and tilt-sensitive tip, along with programable buttons that let you undo or redo tasks, and a stylus tip on the back of the pen also that activated the eraser, mimicking how most pencils come with erasers on their reverse tip. The styluses also operated without batteries, allowing for hours of sketching without needing to charge the pen periodically.

The Wacom Cintiq Pro is anywhere between 5-8 times thicker than the 2024 iPad Pro

Cut to yesterday when Apple dropped the iPad Pro M4 and the comparison is incredibly stark. For starters, whenever anyone asks me whether they should buy an iPad or a Wacom, the answer is almost always the former… because when you’re not sketching on the Wacom, it’s useless, but when you’re not sketching on the iPad, it’s still an iPad. The difference seems even greater with the new iPad Pro being Apple’s thinnest device yet at just 5.1mm thick, while the 16-inch Wacom Cintiq is a whopping 25mm thick – 5 times thicker than its competitor. Cut to the larger 22-inch Cintiq and it’s a staggering 40mm thick, or the equivalent of 8 iPad Pros stacked one on top of the other.

However, a hardware comparison between a trillion-dollar electronics giant and Wacom, that’s valued at just half a billion dollars doesn’t seem fair. What does seem fair, however, is to just look at one singular product to see how far Apple’s outpaced its competition – the humble stylus. Wacom played a critical role in perfecting its EMR stylus technology, which was game-changing a decade or so ago. The pens ran without batteries, could sense pressure and tilt with stunning accuracy, and an eraser on the rear, becoming the creative industry’s go-to for digital sketching. When Apple debuted the Pencil, it had the same features except without any buttons. The Pencil 2, on the other hand, got a tap feature that let you swap between brush and eraser, and a unique charging mechanism that allowed you to charge your stylus simply by snapping it to the side of an iPad (it subsequently also got a hover function with newer iPad models). Apple’s newly announced Pencil Pro, which dropped yesterday, however, is an entirely different beast.

The new Pencil Pro has the hover function, lets you squeeze to activate a quick menu, and even supports barrel rolls that allow you to rotate brushes or objects simply by rotating your stylus. In true Apple fashion, it doesn’t have any buttons on it, but you can still tap to alternate between brush and eraser, and you even get a brush preview when your stylus is near the screen, letting you know how your brush is oriented. If all that wasn’t enough, the new Pencil Pro even packs Apple’s Find My feature, letting you locate a lost pencil through your iPad or iPhone.

The Pencil Pro can be squeezed to activate a quick menu

A great stylus on the iPad Pro, which already comes with an industry-leading chip, laptop-grade performance, a brilliant camera setup and LiDAR sensor, and an app store, basically makes the iPad or Wacom question moot. The only true advantage Wacom’s tablets have at this point is that they’re bigger than iPads, starting at 16 inches and maxing out at 27 inches diagonally. They also cost MUCH more than the iPad Pros, with the Cintiq Pro 16″ starting at $1599, and the Cintiq Pro 27″ having an eye-watering $3499 price tag. That’s Vision Pro territory for a sketching tablet.

The haptic motor gives you feedback when you squeeze the Pencil Pro

There still is a market for Wacom products. They’re massive, preferred by the hardcore animation and visual industries, and are platform-agnostic, which means you can easily run Windows or Linux programs on them, which most power users will appreciate over being limited to the iPadOS. But for the most part, the iPad Pro and Pencil Pro are so far ahead of their competition at this point, that they’ve made Wacom’s tablets (an already niche creative-focused gadget) even more niche… almost to the point of obscure.

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Why the M2 iPad Air Is Ideal for Students, Designers, and Everyone In Between

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iPad Air M2

The iPad Air, now available in both 11-inch and 13-inch models, caters to a variety of needs and preferences. Whether you’re a student always on the move or a designer needing ample screen space for intricate visuals, there’s an option perfectly sized for you. The 11-inch version excels in portability, easily slipping into a small bag or backpack, making it the go-to device for students who juggle between classes and study sessions across campus. Meanwhile, the 13-inch model, with its expanded display, provides 30 percent more screen real estate, offering designers and students the luxury of a bigger canvas to work on complex projects or manage multiple applications side by side with iPadOS’s multitasking features.

Designer: Apple

The 11-inch iPad Air is super-portable, while the 13-inch model provides an even larger display, giving users more room to work, learn, and play.

Beyond size, the iPad Air boasts a Liquid Retina display with advanced technologies such as True Tone, high brightness, and anti-reflective coating, ensuring everything you see is detailed and vibrant. This is crucial when precision in color and detail plays a significant part in your coursework or professional projects. The support for P3 wide color gamut also means that the visuals are not just bright but incredibly accurate, which is especially important for design students and professionals who rely on true-to-life colors for their digital artistry.

The repositioned front-facing camera is another subtle yet impactful enhancement. Set along the landscape edge, the camera automatically keeps you in frame during video calls, thanks to the Center Stage technology. This feature is particularly beneficial now that remote collaboration has become more prevalent in both educational and professional settings. Whether you’re presenting a thesis to your class or brainstorming with colleagues over a video call, the camera adapts dynamically to ensure you are always seen, complemented by dual microphones that focus on your voice while minimizing background noise.

Moved to landscape edge, 12MP Ultra Wide front-facing camera with Center Stage improves call experience.

Performance-wise, the M2 chip in the iPad Air is a big leap forward, bringing not only speed but also efficiency to every task. This chip is tailored for advanced tasks such as photo and video editing, 3D modeling, and large-scale graphic designs, all while maintaining energy efficiency for all-day battery life. This means less time tied to a power outlet and more flexibility to work in settings that inspire you, be it a quiet corner of a library or lounging at your favorite cafe.

Moreover, the iPad Air now supports not only the Apple Pencil (2nd generation) but also the newly introduced Apple Pencil Pro, enhancing its utility for both students and designers. The Apple Pencil Pro includes a new sensor in its barrel that can detect squeezes, enabling users to quickly switch between tools, line weights, and colors effortlessly—ideal for designers working in applications such as Affinity Designer 2. Additionally, its custom haptic feedback provides tactile responses to actions like squeezing or double-tapping, enhancing the user’s interaction by confirming their inputs in a way that feels intuitive and direct. The inclusion of a gyroscope allows for fine control over tool orientation, mimicking the real-world experience of rotating a pen to achieve the desired stroke or effect.

Apple Pencil Pro enhances creativity with squeeze, barrel roll, and haptic feedback for intuitive marking, note-taking, and design in apps like Affinity Designer 2.

For those who are prone to misplacing their tools, the Apple Pencil Pro introduces support for Apple’s Find My network, a first for Apple’s stylus line. Both the Apple Pencil Pro and the Apple Pencil (2nd generation) attach magnetically to the side of the iPad Air, where they also charge, ensuring they are always ready for use and conveniently stored. This versatility makes the iPad Air an even more attractive option for anyone looking to maximize their productivity and creative output, whether they are annotating documents, taking detailed notes, sketching out a design, or navigating through complex creative software.

Connectivity is also an important feature of the iPad Air’s appeal. With the introduction of Wi-Fi 6E and the option for 5G connectivity, the device ensures that you can work from anywhere without lag or interruption. This is particularly valuable for students who need to download large resources quickly or for designers who must upload high-resolution files to cloud-based platforms.

Magic Keyboard: Floating cantilever design, magnetic attachment, multiple viewing angles, integrated trackpad, USB-C pass-through charging, and full iPad protection.

Traveling with tech can sometimes feel like a balancing act between staying productive and managing your gear effectively, especially for someone like myself who’s always on the move. One of the standout features of the iPad Air, from my perspective, is its versatility—particularly the ability to detach it from the Magic Keyboard. This becomes incredibly handy during air travel. Picture this: you’re on a flight, deeply absorbed in your latest design project or perhaps the climax of your favorite Netflix series. Just as the airplane prepares for takeoff, the usual announcement comes over the PA: “Please stow your laptops.” However, thanks to the iPad Air’s detachable setup, you can continue your work or entertainment seamlessly by simply detaching the iPad from its keyboard. It’s moments like these where the iPad Air proves its worth, allowing you to maintain your creative or entertainment zone without a hitch.

In terms of the operating system, I appreciate the straightforward and efficient design of iPadOS 17. It simplifies daily tasks and enhances user interaction, making everything from navigation to app management feel more fluid. The customization options in iPadOS 17 are particularly notable; they allow you to tailor the Lock Screen on both the 11-inch and new 13-inch displays. This personalization capability lets you set unique wallpapers and choose expressive fonts that truly reflect your personal style.

As WWDC 2024 approaches, while iPadOS 17 certainly gets the job done, I’m eager to see what iPadOS 18 will bring to the iPad. Anticipating new features and enhancements that could further refine and expand the functionality of this already versatile device adds an exciting layer of potential for iPad users looking forward to the next evolution in their device’s capabilities.

Interactive widgets on iPadOS 17 are also great for productivity. Imagine being able to glance at your screen and tap a widget to immediately capture a brilliant idea in the Notes app or adjust your schedule in Calendar. This kind of immediate interaction is perfect for someone who needs to stay flexible and react quickly to changes, which is often the case in both travel and creative professions.

iPad Air with M2 uses AI for features like Subject Lift, Visual Look Up, and Live Text.

The enhancements to Messages and FaceTime add a layer of fun and convenience. With new sticker features and the ability to leave video messages, staying connected feels more personal and engaging. For professionals, the Continuity Camera feature is particularly impressive. You can start a video call on your iPad Air and seamlessly hand it off to Apple TV, making it perfect for professional presentations or casual catch-ups.

Freeform’s new tools for drawing and collaboration are a boon for creatives. Whether you’re sketching out a quick concept or organizing a project with teammates, these tools make it easy to bring your ideas to life. And for someone who frequently deals with contracts or creative briefs, the enhanced PDF capabilities in the Notes app can be incredibly efficient, allowing you to annotate, fill out forms, and collaborate without ever needing to print or scan anything.

Lastly, the inclusion of features like Stage Manager, which lets you handle multiple overlapping windows, is ideal for multitasking. This feature, combined with AI-driven capabilities like Live Captions and intelligent accessibility features, ensures that the iPad Air isn’t just keeping up with the demands of mobile professionals and creatives—it’s anticipating them.

Every Apple product I’ve used, from my M1 MacBook Pro to an iPhone 12 Pro Max or a three-year-old iPad Pro with an M1 chip, continues to hold immense value. Remarkably, there has been very little performance degradation, and none feels obsolete. This changelessness is largely thanks to Apple’s timeless design concepts, which are consistently implemented across the product line.

Moreover, the new iPad Air reflects Apple’s ongoing commitment to environmental responsibility. It is crafted with 100% recycled aluminum for its enclosure, utilizes 100% recycled rare earth elements in all magnets, and features 100% recycled gold plating and tin soldering in multiple printed circuit boards. These efforts are complemented by packaging that is entirely fiber-based, aligning with Apple’s goal to eliminate plastic from all packaging by 2025. As part of a broader commitment, Apple aims to be carbon neutral across its entire manufacturing supply chain and the life cycle of every product by 2030. These steps not only reflect Apple’s dedication to reducing its environmental footprint but also enhance the appeal of the iPad Air to environmentally conscious consumers.

Whether you’re considering an upgrade or this might be your first Apple product, you can trust that in the next year, or even the year after, you won’t feel the need to upgrade unless you choose to. Apple’s commitment to quality, forward-thinking design, and environmental sustainability ensures that its products not only meet current demands but continue to remain relevant and perform excellently well into the future.

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Upgrade Your WiFi with Unmatched Privacy and Safe Connectivity at Home or Anywhere in the World

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The Rio system, developed by executives at Foxconn, Intel, PC Matic, and InFocus transforms an ordinary WiFi router into a fortified security hub, aptly dubbed the “Fort Knox” of WiFi routers. This transformation addresses a significant vulnerability in personal internet security: the simple fact that traditional routers are protected by only a password, which has become an inadequate defense against cyber threats.

Designer: Rio Router

Click Here to Buy Now: $299 $549 ($250 off). Hurry, only 9/355 left! Less than 72 hours left.

Rio advances beyond basic security measures by incorporating features that control device access on a granular level. It only allows devices that have been pre-approved by the user to connect to the network. Any unapproved device attempting to connect is isolated in a holding area until explicitly allowed by the user via the Rio app. This proactive monitoring and approval system mimics the security checks of a VIP club bouncer, ensuring that only verified devices gain entry and interact within the network.

The company states that “Rio creates a secret code that hides and protects everything about your gadgets when they’re online. It scrambles up their names, where they are, and what they’re saying, so nobody can snoop on your online life.”
This indicates that advanced encryption is used to enhance the privacy and security of communications across your network by obscuring details about connected devices. This encryption safeguards device identities, physical locations, and communication data, ensuring that even if hackers intercept this information, they cannot understand or utilize it without the necessary decryption key, which is securely held by the Rio system and its legitimate users. This process is crucial for preventing potential eavesdroppers from accessing sensitive data, thereby protecting your network even if it is compromised and ensuring that privacy and security are maintained at all times. Given that a startling 80% of consumers have reportedly had personal information leaked onto the dark web, such encryption is beneficial and essential for safeguarding personal data against cyber threats.

This system adopts a method similar to a digital fortress. Using SecureRoom™ technology segments the network into up to 16 distinct compartments. Each compartment is isolated, preventing a compromised device from affecting the entire network.

Additionally, the Rio system is equipped with smart DNS and web filtering capabilities that proactively prevent access to suspicious or harmful websites, enhancing overall online safety. The Rio app facilitates real-time alerts and management, giving users complete control over their network from anywhere in the world.

Moreover, Rio addresses common household concerns about internet safety with built-in features that filter out unsafe web content and block potential phishing sites, creating a safer browsing environment for all family members. Its sleek design and easy setup mean that Rio protects and integrates seamlessly into your home or office environment.

Rio’s guest mode feature improves home WiFi security by providing visitors with a separate access point, making sure the main network stays protected. Whether hosting family gatherings, client meetings in home offices, community events, or children’s playdates, Rio connects each guest to the internet through a special “guest room.” This setup protects your primary network and offers guests convenient and temporary WiFi access. Once they leave, Rio automatically revokes their access, and if they need to reconnect, they must ask permission, effectively acting like a security guard for your WiFi. This seamless integration of guest access into your home network provides both protection and ease, accommodating a variety of hosting scenarios without compromising your network’s integrity.

Rio’s intuitive interface in its mobile app enhances the user experience by simplifying network management. Users can effortlessly adjust settings, monitor network activity, and switch geographic locations without the complexity of traditional VPN configurations. This feature is particularly valuable for users who enjoy international content or travel frequently, as it provides continuous access to home services. Also, Rio allows users to watch shows and movies from anywhere in the world without needing to set up a VPN on each device. Just connect to Rio, and instantly, your internet presence is invisible, assuring that your smart gadgets like Alexa, thermostats, baby monitors, cameras, and doorbells remain hidden from prying eyes, keeping your internet life private and safe.

Click Here to Buy Now: $299 $549 ($250 off). Hurry, only 9/355 left! Less than 72 hours left.

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