Tag Archives: Product Design

Girard-Perregaux’s Luxury Timepiece Features 4.5 Billion-Year-Old Meteorite on its Dial

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There’s a certain poetic beauty in seeing how well a 4.5 billion-year-old cosmic rock blends so seamlessly with some of the most brilliantly modern timekeeping technology in the world. A gadget that measures time, adorned with one of the oldest remnants of space-time ever.

Imagine strapping a piece of outer space to your wrist, where timekeeping transcends mere functionality and becomes a cosmic journey. Girard-Perregaux, the venerable Swiss watchmaker with over two centuries of horological heritage, has just unveiled its latest masterpiece, the Free Bridge Meteorite: a watch graced with a dial forged from an actual 4.5 billion-year-old meteorite. This wrist-bound marvel connects us to the silent ballet of our solar system’s past, offering not only an instrument for measuring time but also a tangible link to the unfathomable vastness of space itself.

Designer: Girard-Perregaux

The watch is housed in a 44mm diameter stainless steel case, striking a balance between robustness and elegance with its 12.2mm thickness. It features a highly domed box-style sapphire crystal that not only safeguards the dial but also enhances the watch’s visual appeal, offering a distinct view from different perspectives. The case showcases a harmony of brushed and polished finishes, reminiscent of the interplay of light in the cosmos.

Central to the allure of the Free Bridge Meteorite is its dial, where Girard-Perregaux’s craftsmanship shines brightest. The black flange and luminescent metallic hour indices offer a contemporary flair, improving readability while maintaining sophistication. The design forgoes a 6 o’clock mark to accommodate the variable inertia balance, with the GP logo at the 12 position serving as a subtle homage to the brand’s history and design ethos.

The crown jewel of the Free Bridge Meteorite, as its name suggests, is the inclusion of meteorite plates flanking each side of the barrel, secured by two screws. These plates, crafted from the Gibeon meteorite found in Namibia, bear unique Widmanstätten patterns, serving as a tangible connection to the cosmos. Composed primarily of an iron-nickel alloy and estimated to be approximately 4.5 billion years old, these meteorite inlays beautifully represent the enduring passage of time and the wonders of the universe.

Technologically, the Free Bridge Meteorite is no less impressive. The movement, visible through the sapphire crystal case-back, is the Girard-Perregaux in-house automatic caliber GP01800. It operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour and offers a 54-hour power reserve, embodying the brand’s dedication to precision and endurance. The use of silicon in the escapement and balance wheel components not only boosts the watch’s functionality but also its longevity, thanks to silicon’s anti-magnetic qualities and resistance to deterioration.

A black calfskin strap with a fabric-like texture and white stitching near the lugs, secured with a steel triple-folding clasp, completes the ensemble. This strap choice lends a modern vibe to the watch, ensuring it fits a wide range of settings, from formal gatherings to everyday wear. The watch boasts a price tag of 27,100 EUR (~$29415 USD), which may sound a little outrageous but hey, that’s the price of wearing a fragment of space and centuries-old Swiss timekeeping technology on your wrist. Girard-Perregaux does sweeten the deal with a 5-year extended warranty, though…

The post Girard-Perregaux’s Luxury Timepiece Features 4.5 Billion-Year-Old Meteorite on its Dial first appeared on Yanko Design.

Modified $849 GoPro HERO12 lets you mount Professional DSLR Lenses on your Action Camera

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Not many people really appreciate the GoPro for exactly how advanced it is. For a device that small, it boasts a mighty sensor and can capture media in incredibly high resolutions like 5.3K (with image stabilization no less)… but that tiny form factor has one trade-off, the fact that it doesn’t support interchangeable lenses – and, to be honest, that seems like the one thing that makes photographers and videographers not take the GoPro seriously, even though it outputs videos comparable to larger cameras like the ones from RED and Hasselblad.

So what if you could just switch out the GoPro’s fisheye lens for something much more advanced, like some serious DSLR or film camera lenses? Well, the folks at Canada-based Back-Bone managed to hack together a GoPro Hero12 to make it universally compatible with a whole range of DSLR lenses. The Back-Bone H12PRO comes with quite a few interesting tricks up its sleeve. The front features a special mounting armature to load professional camera lenses, giving your GoPro Hero12 the ability to shoot in ultrawide but also telescopic, or even macro, depending on the lenses you’ve got on hand.

Designer: Back-Bone

For the folks at Back-Bone, creating this modified GoPro was about allowing the action camera to achieve its full potential. The GoPro Hero12 is a multimedia beast, capable of shooting 5.3K HDR videos and even stills with its 27MP shooter. For a camera this capable, restricting it to a simple fisheye lens is quite a disservice if you ask me, which is why the modified H12PRO is so compelling.

The H12PRO lets you attach a variety of mounting brackets, giving you the choice between M12, CS, and C-mount lenses. It’s pretty much the same size as the existing GoPro, which means it also supports the company’s Media Mod, allowing you to add extra accessories like directional mics, flashes, etc. The H12PRO also packs GoPro’s Enduro Battery, offering longer battery life, especially in cold conditions.

With the Media Mod and the ability to pretty much attach any kind of lens to your GoPro, the H12PRO gives you the most powerful camera setup that can fit in your pocket. It’s cheaper and smaller than a flagship phone, and shoots higher quality content than cameras twice or thrice its size. The H12PRO has a tripod mount on the bottom, allowing you to attach it to tripods, gimbals, or even small-ish drones with decent payload abilities. Heck, the folks at Back-Bone are also selling an optional Micro Four-Thirds mounting plate to let you attach MFT lenses to your GoPro. If that isn’t the wildest, most brilliant upgrade to the world’s most advanced action camera, I don’t know what is. After all, an action camera is just a camera designed to capture high quality content at a great frame rate, right? So why not exploit its abilities to the max?!

Back-Bone’s H12PRO is available on its website. The $849 kit includes the following:

  • H12PRO modified HERO12 Black camera
  • Aluminum Tripod Mount
  • Original folding GoPro mount
  • Enduro Battery
  • 5mm C-Mount ring
  • M12 to CS adapter
  • M12 locking ring
  • Plastic cap (C-Mount)
  • USB-C Cable
  • Curved adhesive mount
  • Mounting buckle
  • Spare protective glass filter

Understandably, a modified HERO12 won’t be covered under GoPro’s warranty program, but Back-Bone does offer a 6-month repair guarantee against faulty parts or defects, and a zero-labor-cost repair warranty for a year (you just pay for parts and shipping).

The post Modified $849 GoPro HERO12 lets you mount Professional DSLR Lenses on your Action Camera first appeared on Yanko Design.

Chonky Cozy Seating Solution Functions As A Collaborative & Comfy Space In Modern Offices

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One of the most essential and integral pieces of furniture in an office is an office chair since we spend the majority of our day typing away or completing tasks there. But what about a chair design or seating system that doesn’t simply focus on you and your seating requirements? What about a modern-day seating solution that serves as a comfortable and cohesive space for co-workers to sit, work, and engage with one another? The US furniture brand KFI Studios just came up with the perfect design – Dotti Seating.

Designer: KFI Studios

KFI Studios unveiled an upholstered seating collection that serves as a cozy and harmonious space for collaboration and relaxation. Designed by a design firm called Union Design, the Dotti collection includes a low-back lounge and a high-back lounge chair with a curved plywood back, pillows, and soft circular seats.

The lounge chairs can be customized in a fixed or swivel base and can be upholstered in a wide variety of textiles, with the choice of white, ash, European beech, or dark chestnut laminate. This offers a lot of variety and options to create a seating system that complements your modern office space well. You can pick colors and materials that create a well-designed and appealing work environment.

The collection is also made up of a circular ottoman and a pouf seating option with a leather handle for maneuverability. The ottoman and pouf can be rearranged to create a seating configuration that is comfortable and sociable, allowing co-workers to huddle together to collaborate and coordinate. The Dotti collection can also serve as a lounging space, where employees can go for a little break, to unwind from work for a bit and catch a breather. The potential and scope for the Dotti collection are endless, and versatile configurations can be created in accordance with different offices, and their diverse requirements.

The post Chonky Cozy Seating Solution Functions As A Collaborative & Comfy Space In Modern Offices first appeared on Yanko Design.

Aera x Firmship Designs A Special Edition Of Their P-1 Pilot Watch

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Embark on a journey through time with the Aera x Firmship P-1 Pilot – Titanium Edition, a limited-edition timepiece that’s not just a watch but a dynamic fusion of maritime elegance and contemporary craftsmanship. In a collaboration that transcends design boundaries, Yachtbuilder Firmship and Aera have crafted a timekeeping masterpiece that resonates with minimalist charm and functionality.

Designers: Firmship and Aera

It is a T-5 Titanium case in Firmship’s signature grey, housing a dished dial embellished with a recessed Aero logo. It’s not just a watch; it’s a visual symphony. The watch’s heartbeat is the Sellita SW200-1 Elabore movement, ensuring precision, while the scratch-resistant sapphire domed crystal not only provides a clear view of time but also adds a layer of durability. Sapphire crystal is the most expensive type of watch glass as it is incredibly hard and therefore durable and perfect to protect the watch dial against shock.

The three-hand display, featuring white Swiss Super LumiNova on the hour, minute hands, and crown, transforms the classic tool watch into a contemporary marvel. This isn’t just a timekeeping device; it’s a wearable work of art.

Behind the creation of this edition are the visionary founders of Aera and Firmship, whose two-decade-long friendship has spawned this exclusive timepiece. More than a watch, it’s a shared commitment to craftsmanship and quality, etched into each piece with a collaborative logo and a unique serial number.

Included with the purchase of every Firmship Land Rover Defender, the watch becomes an integral part of the Firmship experience, harmonizing seamlessly with the silent strength of the vehicle and the sophisticated aesthetics of the Firmship 55 work ship.

The P-1 Titanium Edition comes not with just one, but two strap options, each telling its own story. The Smooth Mahogany Leather strap, inspired by the Firmship 55 work ship’s wooden decking, exudes elegance. Meanwhile, the Battleship Grey Rubber strap draws inspiration from the Land Rover Defender’s interior, adding a touch of modernity.

The best part is a quick-release function on both straps, allowing you to switch up your style effortlessly. It’s a watch that adapts to your vibe, ensuring compatibility with a full selection of quick-release straps across the Aera range.

The Aera x Firmship P-1 Pilot – Titanium Edition isn’t just a watch; it’s an invitation to sail through time in unparalleled style. As it graces the wrists of Firmship Land Rover Defender owners, it not only tells time but also weaves a narrative of collaboration, craftsmanship, and a shared passion for design. It’s more than a timepiece; it’s a testament to the artistry of Aera and the maritime mastery of Firmship.

The post Aera x Firmship Designs A Special Edition Of Their P-1 Pilot Watch first appeared on Yanko Design.

This WALL-E-inspired tabletop robot has artificial intelligence and a friendly personality

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If we’re going to give in to our eventual robot overlords, my only hope is that they’re as adorable-looking as Doly.

With its googly eyes and treadmill-operated motion system, Doly instantly reminds me of Pixar’s WALL-E. Designed as a robot companion with high emotional intelligence, and the ability to respond to requests, evoke joy, and even serve as a learning tool, Doly combines an open-source build with AI capabilities. The result is remarkably better than the tabletop toys you’re used to expecting. Doly is smart, sensitive, and self-sufficient, as it moves around from A to B, enriches you with interactions and those adorable eyes, and then makes its way back to its charging station when it’s low on batteries.

Designer: Levent Erenler – Limitbit Inc.

Click Here to Buy Now: $299 $449 ($150 off). Hurry, only 4/325 left! Raised over $190,000.

On the design front, the Doly adopts a familiar form factor, mimicking the success of WALL-E and even the Vector robot by Anki. It stands at just 68mm (2.67 inches) tall, but has a personality that’s larger than life. Nearly half that height can be attributed to Doly’s massive eyes that give it its distinct cartoonish character that instantly makes you fall in love with the robot. The eyes can look in different directions, respond to stimuli, express emotions, and can even be replaced by imagery like weather status, a clock, or a timer. Depending on Doly’s mood, or how it reacts to your commands, the eyes do most of the speaking… while voice models allow Doly to speak in any tone of your choice too.

Doly accepts touch and voice inputs, through strategically located microphones and capacitive touch surfaces located on its body. You can tap its head, pet it, tickle it, and Doly emotes exactly how you’d expect a pet to. Talk to it too, and its built-in AI responds intelligently to your queries and commands, letting you set timers, know the weather, take a photo, etc. The robot has natural language understanding, and packs an 8MP camera that lets it see the world around it, identify humans, and even recognize familiar faces. Treads on both sides allow Doly to move around too, shifting forward, backward, and even making turns, while ToF sensors on the front allow it to sense depth, and four strategically placed edge-detection sensors prevent your robot from accidentally driving off surfaces like the stairs or a tabletop (Amazon’s Astro could pick up a few lessons from Doly)

On the inside, Doly runs on a Raspberry Pi board that drives its systems and even powers the AI functions. The robot is built on open-source approach with open-hardware and open-design, allowing you to mod or customize your robot in a variety of ways through I/O ports or even by adding quirky attachments to the robot’s magnetic hands. The hands themselves are an interactive dream to begin with, allowing you fistbump your Doly , or even have it grab things, with lights inside the arms adding a rich layer of interact-ability. I/O ports on the top let you build attachments for your Doly, transforming it in a variety of ways and helping you learn robotics too.

8 MP camera allows Doly to memorize and recognize people with their names, take high quality snapshots and many more.

Doly communicates and responds you back with his own voice when you ask about the weather forecast, time, your name and many more.

To that end, Doly’s much more advanced than most other STEM toys out there. It grows with you, learning and evolving to understand you, your mannerisms, needs, etc. so that no two Doly robots are alike after multiple months/years of usage. Moreover, the robot itself encourages people of all ages to learn coding, with support for languages like C, C++, and Python that let you program your robot, and even much more intuitive block-based coding apps like Google’s own Blockly that help children grasp the basics of programming through the robot toy.

Doly relies on cameras to analyze its surroundings and recognize faces, and built-in microphones to pick up on voice commands – that’s a fair amount of data that your toy robot gathers on a daily basis (sort of like your smart camera and smart speaker combined). Coupled with the fact that Doly has a built-in AI that learns from you (which means it does gather data for machine learning purposes), data privacy can be a pretty large concern. To ensure that your data stays safe and away from hackers, governments, and data-brokers who sell data to third parties, Doly stores and processes all its information locally, oftentimes even working offline. Embedded processing power and local storage ensure that your data never reaches any remote server where it can be compromised by targeted hacks.

Other than that, each Doly comes with an app that lets you access specific features like managing settings or performing graphical programming (Doly’s creators emphasize that you don’t NEED an app to use your robot). The creators do, however, mention that the robot can be customized to wild degrees, with even the ability to swap out the Raspberry Pi module on the inside with better CM4 boards that have better RAM and storage. The Doly robot starts at $269 for a DIY kit that lets you build your own robot from scratch, or $299 for a fully assembled bionic buddy. Limitbit, the creators behind Doly, promise free lifetime over-the-air (OTA) software updates to ensure the robot is always up to date with the latest features, and are apparently even working on ChatGPT integration to make your tiny robotic friend even smarter! Just promise that you won’t turn it against humanity!

Click Here to Buy Now: $299 $449 ($150 off). Hurry, only 4/325 left! Raised over $190,000.

The post This WALL-E-inspired tabletop robot has artificial intelligence and a friendly personality first appeared on Yanko Design.

This WALL-E-inspired tabletop robot has artificial intelligence and a friendly personality

Posted on by

If we’re going to give in to our eventual robot overlords, my only hope is that they’re as adorable-looking as Doly.

With its googly eyes and treadmill-operated motion system, Doly instantly reminds me of Pixar’s WALL-E. Designed as a robot companion with high emotional intelligence, and the ability to respond to requests, evoke joy, and even serve as a learning tool, Doly combines an open-source build with AI capabilities. The result is remarkably better than the tabletop toys you’re used to expecting. Doly is smart, sensitive, and self-sufficient, as it moves around from A to B, enriches you with interactions and those adorable eyes, and then makes its way back to its charging station when it’s low on batteries.

Designer: Levent Erenler – Limitbit Inc.

Click Here to Buy Now: $299 $449 ($150 off). Hurry, only 4/325 left! Raised over $190,000.

On the design front, the Doly adopts a familiar form factor, mimicking the success of WALL-E and even the Vector robot by Anki. It stands at just 68mm (2.67 inches) tall, but has a personality that’s larger than life. Nearly half that height can be attributed to Doly’s massive eyes that give it its distinct cartoonish character that instantly makes you fall in love with the robot. The eyes can look in different directions, respond to stimuli, express emotions, and can even be replaced by imagery like weather status, a clock, or a timer. Depending on Doly’s mood, or how it reacts to your commands, the eyes do most of the speaking… while voice models allow Doly to speak in any tone of your choice too.

Doly accepts touch and voice inputs, through strategically located microphones and capacitive touch surfaces located on its body. You can tap its head, pet it, tickle it, and Doly emotes exactly how you’d expect a pet to. Talk to it too, and its built-in AI responds intelligently to your queries and commands, letting you set timers, know the weather, take a photo, etc. The robot has natural language understanding, and packs an 8MP camera that lets it see the world around it, identify humans, and even recognize familiar faces. Treads on both sides allow Doly to move around too, shifting forward, backward, and even making turns, while ToF sensors on the front allow it to sense depth, and four strategically placed edge-detection sensors prevent your robot from accidentally driving off surfaces like the stairs or a tabletop (Amazon’s Astro could pick up a few lessons from Doly)

On the inside, Doly runs on a Raspberry Pi board that drives its systems and even powers the AI functions. The robot is built on open-source approach with open-hardware and open-design, allowing you to mod or customize your robot in a variety of ways through I/O ports or even by adding quirky attachments to the robot’s magnetic hands. The hands themselves are an interactive dream to begin with, allowing you fistbump your Doly , or even have it grab things, with lights inside the arms adding a rich layer of interact-ability. I/O ports on the top let you build attachments for your Doly, transforming it in a variety of ways and helping you learn robotics too.

8 MP camera allows Doly to memorize and recognize people with their names, take high quality snapshots and many more.

Doly communicates and responds you back with his own voice when you ask about the weather forecast, time, your name and many more.

To that end, Doly’s much more advanced than most other STEM toys out there. It grows with you, learning and evolving to understand you, your mannerisms, needs, etc. so that no two Doly robots are alike after multiple months/years of usage. Moreover, the robot itself encourages people of all ages to learn coding, with support for languages like C, C++, and Python that let you program your robot, and even much more intuitive block-based coding apps like Google’s own Blockly that help children grasp the basics of programming through the robot toy.

Doly relies on cameras to analyze its surroundings and recognize faces, and built-in microphones to pick up on voice commands – that’s a fair amount of data that your toy robot gathers on a daily basis (sort of like your smart camera and smart speaker combined). Coupled with the fact that Doly has a built-in AI that learns from you (which means it does gather data for machine learning purposes), data privacy can be a pretty large concern. To ensure that your data stays safe and away from hackers, governments, and data-brokers who sell data to third parties, Doly stores and processes all its information locally, oftentimes even working offline. Embedded processing power and local storage ensure that your data never reaches any remote server where it can be compromised by targeted hacks.

Other than that, each Doly comes with an app that lets you access specific features like managing settings or performing graphical programming (Doly’s creators emphasize that you don’t NEED an app to use your robot). The creators do, however, mention that the robot can be customized to wild degrees, with even the ability to swap out the Raspberry Pi module on the inside with better CM4 boards that have better RAM and storage. The Doly robot starts at $269 for a DIY kit that lets you build your own robot from scratch, or $299 for a fully assembled bionic buddy. Limitbit, the creators behind Doly, promise free lifetime over-the-air (OTA) software updates to ensure the robot is always up to date with the latest features, and are apparently even working on ChatGPT integration to make your tiny robotic friend even smarter! Just promise that you won’t turn it against humanity!

Click Here to Buy Now: $299 $449 ($150 off). Hurry, only 4/325 left! Raised over $190,000.

The post This WALL-E-inspired tabletop robot has artificial intelligence and a friendly personality first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Colorful & Playful Chair Will Give You A Break From Conventional Office Seats

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Perfectly picked office furniture can truly set up a working space. It can create a comfortable and conducive environment that lets you work productively and comfortably. And one of the most important furniture pieces in an office is our chair. However, conventional office seats can be quite boring. They’re often mundane-looking, although we don’t doubt their functionality. In an attempt to spruce up typical office chairs, Scandinavian brand Fora Ferm released the Bud Chairs designed by Skogstad and Wærnes.

Designer: Skogstad and Wærnes for Fora Form

The Bud Chairs are a playful and whimsical alternative to the traditional office chairs we’ve probably come across all our lives. The designers wanted to create something that would support a collaborative and comfortable working environment, without being overly extravagant, or visually loud. “We wanted Bud to be able to stand alone and to function in larger numbers, without creating a wall of backrests,” said designer Fredrik Wærnes.

The chairs include a metal frame available in a variety of leg formations, including a variant with caster wheels. The frame supports a padded seat cushion and a cylindrical wraparound crafted from foam. The backrest has a spherical form accentuated with four narrow legs, that provide the seat with a contrasting yet geometrically intriguing form. It instantly stands apart from the conventional office chairs, as it seems to tether on the boundary between an office chair and a dining table chair, but somehow manages to safely stay rooted in the former group.

The different elements of the chair are available in a wide range of finishes, from a spectrum of fabrics to leather upholstery options. They can be repaired and replaced, an initiative on the part of the brand. The chair has plenty of bright color options to choose from, allowing you to add a pop of color to your work environment, breaking the monotony of a modern office space. Different colors can be mixed and matched to create a fun and vibrant office, where furniture pieces can and will serve as subtle mood uplifters.

The post This Colorful & Playful Chair Will Give You A Break From Conventional Office Seats first appeared on Yanko Design.

Tiny USB Device Saves You Nearly $1000 Per Year on Cloud Storage by Auto Backing Up Your Photos

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How much do you pay for your iCloud+ or Google Drive storage to make sure your photos get backed up on the cloud? Imagine paying zero.

Remember a time when flagship phones came with memory card slots that let you expand storage and potentially even swap out old cards for new ones to get more storage? Sure, some phones still go as far as offering expandable storage, but for the most part, all companies have defaulted to the ‘cloud storage’ model where you pay a monthly subscription and your phone automatically backs data up without you needing to remember. It’s convenient, but it’s also costly, as you’re suddenly required to pay monthly cloud storage fees. It isn’t easy to ask phone makers to revert back to those good old MicroSD card days… but that’s where something as deviously simple as the PhotoCube PD+ comes in. Designed as a simple plug-and-play USB-C device, the PhotoCube automatically backs up your photos to an SD card for you, saving effort and money. A companion app makes the entire process as simple as clicking a button (instead of manually selecting all your images and copy-pasting them) and the PhotoCube does the rest, updating your old storage files with new ones so your photo backups are always up to date. It’ll also create separate file structures for multiple devices, letting you separately back up photos across different phones and even tablets. Your photos remain offline, so you don’t need the internet to access them – and as a result, they’re also hacker-resistant. Quite impressive for a device that just costs $55.

Designer: PhotoFast

Click Here to Buy Now: $55 $99 (45% off) Hurry! Only 4 left of 470.

The reason most people prefer cloud storage is because it’s designed to be the easiest option ever. The phone backs itself up without you needing to remember, the files get stored in a safe server somewhere else, and if you ever lose your device, you can easily restore your photos if you log into your cloud storage account. What users then ignore is the fact that they end up paying hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars each year to store their photos. The PhotoCube PD+ aims at breaking that dependency with a hardware solution that’s just as easy. Plug the PhotoCube in and it literally begins backing up your photos in an instant. Photos get stored on a MicroSD card, so you can choose how much storage you want (you get 2 terabyte MicroSD cards nowadays), and it all happens offline without eating data transfer fees.

The PhotoCube device can easily be configured using an app

The fact that your data gets stored on a MicroSD card allows the PhotoCube to be such a ridiculously compact device. It’s no bigger than an AirTag, albeit square in shape (hence its name). A card slot on one end lets you add a MicroSD card in, while a male USB-C pin on the other end lets you plug your PhotoCube into any Android phone/tablet, any iPad with USB-C, and the latest iPhone 15 series. There’s also a female USB-C port on the opposite end (right under the card slot) that allows you to charge your phone THROUGH the PhotoCube, so you can run long backups while juicing your battery – a feature so wildly convenient it deserves a special mention.

Measuring just 30mm wide and 38mm long, the PhotoCube is smaller than even an AirPods case, but it can store up to 2TB

The PhotoCube’s brilliance lies in the fact that it isn’t a one-trick pony. When it isn’t backing up photos from your phone, it works as a card reader with all your devices (especially with your laptop), allowing you to read photos from your phone, drone, or DSLR on any machine. With USB 3.2 Gen 1, the PhotoCube PD+ can transfer files as rapidly as 5Gb/s, letting you swiftly back up or even access media without waiting for stuff to load.

Speaking of swift, the tiny gadget does a remarkable job of power delivery too, allowing you to charge your phone at an impressive 60W for fast-charging. The PowerCube PD+ supports pass-through fast-charging which means your backups and your charging can happen simultaneously… and rapidly.

Photo transfers happen in tandem with the PhotoFast app, which has a few impressive features. You can do more than just backing up photos and videos – the app lets you back up contacts, calendars, documents, even music (if you still believe in listening to MP3 files)… and if you’ve already paid for cloud storage, the PhotoFast app lets you download your backups from the cloud server onto the PhotoCube so you can cancel that pesky subscription and keep your files safe locally, and access them without needing to connect to the internet. The app intelligently also allows the PhotoCube to create and maintain separate backups for separate devices, so one PhotoCube could potentially store your entire family’s data, getting you off that expensive family cloud storage plan.

This isn’t maker PhotoFast’s first rodeo. Last year’s PhotoCube PD had a similar design, but didn’t support OTG plug-and-play storage (it needed a separate power source), and it wasn’t configured to work with iPhones (because iPhones didn’t have USB-C ports until September last year). The new PD+ comes with all those improvements under the hood, and now with two color options too – a simple white and grey, and a slightly jazzed up white and sky blue. The PhotoCube PD+ starts at $55 for Kickstarter backers (the original price after the crowdfunding campaign goes up to $99) and ships starting June 2024. It doesn’t come with a MicroSD card, so you have the liberty of choosing what brand/capacity of storage card you want to pair with your gadget. That’s quite a lot of flexibility for a device that fits in your pocket and also saves you money every month!

Click Here to Buy Now: $55 $99 (45% off) Hurry! Only 4 left of 470.

Click Here to Buy Now: $55 $99 (45% off) Hurry! Only 4 left of 470.

The post Tiny USB Device Saves You Nearly $1000 Per Year on Cloud Storage by Auto Backing Up Your Photos first appeared on Yanko Design.

This designer is handcrafting attractive MagSafe charging stands from laser-cut acrylic

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MagSafe – magnetic charging and accessory attachment technology- is arguably a big transition for smartphones. It’s an Apple prerogative and has been part of every gadget the Cupertino giant has rolled out since 2020. It is no surprise then, that there’s been an unrelenting outflow of accessories for the MagSafe-compatible iPhones, Apple Watch, and AirPods. Doing this very attractively is Leon’s Electric Trout Co., which has been designing MagSafe charger stands that are a total game changer.

In the list of metallic and plasticky MagSafe accessories, David Stychno’s Electric Trout charging docks made from acrylic are confident newcomers. They outshine the old-school docks for all things Apple with productive and sleek silhouettes that are bound to redefine convenience and efficacy. Since Electric Trout wishes to tap a large spectrum of users, it has MagSafe-compatible charging solutions for one, two, or an entire range of Apple’s handheld and wearables.

Designer: Electric Trout

As mentioned, the stands are designed to add more character than the traditional iterations. Case in point, the $39 Expo Apple Watch charging stand with watch band storage that arrives in an ‘X’ shape. The charging dock comes flat-packed and can assemble in seconds, without the use of tools or gum. You can set the watch to charge on this acrylic stand while the extra watch bands can hang by the elastic strap, so you don’t need additional place to keep your watch accessory.

If you want a more productive accessory that does more than hold and charge your Apple Watch, David’s design house has you covered with the interestingly styled upright clip NS-3 that charges a watch and iPhone and stores a pair of AirPods for you in the base. NS-3 Clip, and the previous options in the category, can be used on the nightstand or kitchen counter. It is handmade from a single piece of laser-cut acrylic.

In line with the idea is the MagSafe 3-in-1 charging stand that can help charge your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods on a seamless sheet of acrylic. It comes flat-packed for travel, and can become your nightstand essentially with the assembly of a kickstand. The latter allows this charging stand to be used in portrait or landscape orientations to browse or take calls while charging.

The most intriguing yet is the 3D-printed Ezl-02. It is an all-in-one dock created to let you juice up your devices with the chargers you already own. Shipped with a black Mophie wireless charging pad in the box, the Ezl-02 charges and helps organize your iPhone, Apple Watch, Airpods, and extra watch bands in one place. If you have been waiting to get home a sleep charging stand for your Apple device, which won’t add clutter, but instead would look fancy, the buck stops at the Electric Trout shop!

The post This designer is handcrafting attractive MagSafe charging stands from laser-cut acrylic first appeared on Yanko Design.

Kismas Glass Brick Lamps: A Fusion of Vintage Elegance and Modern Innovation

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Dive into the world of cool lighting with Kismas, a Lithuanian design studio that’s turning vintage vibes into modern magic. Old-school glass blocks from the Cold War era are getting a fresh lease on life, thanks to Kismas’ playful design spirit. They’ve introduced a dreamy collection of glass brick lamps – the Vintage Line and the Modern Line. It’s like Kismas is playing matchmaker between the past and present, creating a home vibe that’s both nostalgic and cutting-edge. These lamps aren’t just illuminating; they’re time-traveling storytellers, celebrating the cool factor of vintage design. So, if you want your space to be a mix of retro charm and contemporary chic, Kismas has got the perfect lighting symphony for you!

Designer: Kismas

The Kismas Vintage Line brings forth a marriage of minimalist steel bases and reclaimed glass blocks, each with a unique history dating back to the fierce times of the Cold War. Salvaged from various Baltic countries, these original glass elements, deemed “imperfect” by the brand, find a new identity in Kismas lamps. The juxtaposition of sturdy yet subtle dark steel bases with the transparent glass blocks creates a striking visual interplay, emphasizing graphic patterns and corrugated edges.

Rich Green Lamp 01, a standout from the Vintage Line, showcases the deep green color characteristic of blocks used in brutalist buildings in the Soviet Union. Bearing marks, scratches, and small cracks, each lamp becomes a one-of-a-kind piece with a rich history. The Bigger Optical Lamp 01, another Vintage Line gem, features lighter green blocks from the ’70s-’80s in Lithuania, allowing for the use of filters that can change the color of the emitted light.

In the Kismas Modern Line, the design takes a leap forward with glass block lamps crafted by Seves Glass Blocks. Clean lines, bold patterns, and flawless clarity define this collection, paying homage to modernist architecture. The centerpiece, Doric Lamp 01, features a Doric19 glass block inspired by renowned architect Rafael Moneo, while the Linear Lamp 01 and Cross Linear Lamp 01 introduce ribbed patterns and intersecting lines for unique lighting effects. The 80s Dream Lamp 01 and Orbital Lamp 01 round out the Modern Line with a frosted surface and Maison de Verre building inspiration, respectively.

Kismas doesn’t stop at elegant design; it introduces a creative twist with light filters that can instantly transform the ambiance of a room. These easy-to-install filters come in seven hues, from the cinematic Dirty Yellow and Tokyo Blue to the subtly neon Dark Pink and Neon Green. Primary Red adds a vibrant touch perfect for lively gatherings, while Pale Rose and Aprico offer a warm and cozy glow.

The post Kismas Glass Brick Lamps: A Fusion of Vintage Elegance and Modern Innovation first appeared on Yanko Design.