Conference badges are usually flimsy cardboard, a lanyard, maybe a QR code, and they end up in a drawer once the event wraps up. In the maker world, people already strap LEDs and e‑paper to their jackets for fun, but those tend to be one‑off hacks held together with tape and hope. Pimoroni’s Badgeware line asks a simpler question, what if the badge itself was a tiny, finished computer you actually wanted to keep wearing.
Badgeware is a family of wearable, programmable displays powered by Raspberry Pi’s new RP2350 chip. The trio gets names and personalities, Badger with a 2.7 inch e‑paper screen, Tufty with a 2.8 inch full colour IPS display, and Blinky with a 3.6 inch grid of 872 white LEDs. Translucent polycarbonate shells in teal, orange, and lime glow softly when the rear lighting kicks in, making them look like finished toys instead of bare dev boards.
The shared hardware is serious for something pocket sized. An RP2350 running at 200 megahertz with 16 megabytes of flash and 8 megabytes of PSRAM, Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth 5.2, USB C, and a built in 1,000 milliamp hour LiPo with onboard charging. The Qw/ST expansion port on the back lets you plug in sensors and add ons without soldering, while user and system buttons plus four zone rear lighting give each badge its own under glow.
Badger is the quiet one, four shade e‑paper that sips power and holds static content like names, pronouns, and tiny dashboards for days. Tufty is the show off, full colour IPS and smooth animation for mini games, widgets, and scrolling text. Blinky is the extrovert, a dense LED matrix that spells messages and patterns bright enough to read across a room. Together they cover calm, expressive, and loud without changing the basic wearable form factor.
All three come pre loaded with a launcher and a bunch of open source apps, from silly games like Plucky Cluck to utilities like clocks and ISS trackers. Everything runs in MicroPython with Pimoroni’s libraries, and the optional STEM kit adds a multi sensor stick and a gamepad so badges can react to temperature, light, motion, and multiplayer button mashing, turning them into wearable sensors or tiny game consoles.
Double tapping reset drops the badge into disk mode so it shows up as a USB drive, letting you edit Python files directly without juggling tools or serial consoles. The cases have lanyard holes and can free stand on a desk, so they work as both wearable name tags and tiny desk dashboards. The clear shells and rear lighting make the electronics part of the aesthetic instead of something to hide.
Badgeware turns the throwaway conference badge into a reusable platform. Instead of printing your name once and tossing it, you get a little object that evolves from ID tag to art piece to sensor display as your code and curiosity grow. For people who like their gadgets small, expressive, and open ended, Badger, Tufty, and Blinky feel like digital jewellery that actually earns its lanyard space, whether you wear it to a meetup or keep it glowing on your desk.
Charging cables snake across desks, tangle in bags, and turn car consoles into nests of rubber that wrap around shifters and cupholders. We buy nicer desks, stands, and chargers, but the cable itself usually remains the same cheap afterthought that sprawls everywhere. If anything deserves a design rethink, it is the thing we touch every time we plug in, yet most solutions still involve separate clips or Velcro ties you have to remember to use.
SKEGIC’s MagCable tries to solve that mess from the inside out. It is a USB-C to USB-C cable that hides magnets along its length, so it can coil itself neatly and snap into a compact ring or stack instead of sprawling. It still behaves like a proper 100W charging cable with data transfer up to 480 Mbps and support for CarPlay, which means it works for phones, tablets, and smaller laptops without compromising on spec.
The embedded magnets let the cable hold a shape, whether that is a tight coil on a desk or a loop clipped to a bag. You are not adding clips or Velcro; the cable itself becomes the organizer. SKEGIC calls it a “magnetic anti-tangle design,” and it makes it easy to pull out just the length you need while the rest stays coiled. When you are done, a quick wrap snaps it back into place without hunting for a tie.
On a desk, the MagCable lives next to a charger as a tidy stack until you unroll a few loops to reach a laptop or phone. In a car, the same cable avoids wrapping around the shifter and still keeps a phone connected for CarPlay without the usual tangle behind the console. For travel, it can sit in a pocket or hang from a bag strap without turning into a knot by the time you reach your destination.
SKEGIC uses reinforced nylon braiding, which helps the cable withstand wear and gives it a more textile feel than glossy plastic cords. The metal USB-C housings carry the SKEGIC logo and make it feel closer to a piece of gear than a disposable accessory. At one meter long, it is rated for universal charging of mobile devices, from phones to tablets and smaller laptops within the 100W envelope.
The trade-offs are modest. This is still a one-meter cable, not a retractable reel, and the magnets add a bit of stiffness and weight compared to a basic cord. Data transfer is rated up to 480 Mbps, which handles syncing phones and accessories but is not aimed at heavy file shuffling to fast external drives. It is a quality-of-life upgrade rather than a spec breakthrough, meant to keep things neat rather than push performance boundaries.
MagCable is the kind of quiet design fix that makes sense once you live with it, the difference between a desk that always looks slightly chaotic and one that feels finished. For people who care about how their workspace, car, or bag looks and functions, a cable that organizes itself starts to feel less like a gimmick and more like how these things should have worked all along, one less small annoyance to manage while everything else demands attention.
There’s a particular kind of frustration that comes with a stubborn screw buried deep inside a chassis or tucked behind a piece of furniture. You finally wedge a ratchet into the gap, but every swing sends the screw back to where you started, undoing your progress in tiny, maddening increments. The problem isn’t skill or strength; it’s that most ratchets need too much arc to advance the fastener.
The Titaner EDC Ratchet System was built precisely for this challenge, engineered around an impressive tight 4-degree swing arc. At the heart is a tiny ratchet mechanism, just under thirty grams, that can click forward with minimal movement. In cramped spaces where you can barely tilt your hand, that tight swing means you still get crisp confirmation that the fastener is turning.
Traditional thinking says that more precision means more fragility, and more strength means more mass. Titaner’s core weighs just 29.8 grams yet uses a dual-lock gear mechanism engineered to handle serious torque. When fully engaged, it feels like every bit of effort goes straight into the screw without the mushy slop you expect from small ratchets. The core is light enough to carry every day but built to take on rusted bolts without flinching.
Direction control works through a flip-based design instead of a small thumb lever. One side of the core locks for tightening, the other releases for loosening, with engraved markers making it obvious at a glance. Flipping the core in your fingers becomes a natural gesture, and removing that fragile switch simplifies the structure while shaving off weight and potential failure points.
The modular system lets the same core adapt to very different tasks. Snap extension bars into the side ports, and it becomes a T-shaped handle for maximum leverage, letting both hands and your upper body share the load. Reconfigure into an L-shape to work around a chassis brace or wall, or keep it in a slim I-shape when you need to reach deep into a narrow opening.
Of course, controlling force at the moment of maximum torque is where the optional Gyro-Stabilizer cap comes in. It separates downward pressure from twisting motion, so your palm can press straight down while the ratchet turns freely underneath. That helps keep bits seated, reducing cam-out and stripped fasteners. For delicate work on plastics or electronics, the side port configuration gives more linear feedback, making it easier to stop at just the right tightness.
The titanium core, four extension bars, and a set of hardened S2 steel bits all nest into a small aluminum vault case. A clever magnetic structure locks each piece in place with a satisfying snap, so nothing rattles. In a bag or pocket, it feels more like a compact object than a toolbox, yet it unfolds into a capable setup when you need it.
GR5 titanium resists sweat, rain, and seawater, while M390 steel gear teeth handle repeated engagement without rounding off. The outer case is milled from 7075 aluminum, with chamfered edges and smooth surfaces that feel deliberately finished. Spin the core between your fingers, and the fine clicks of the 4-degree mechanism turn precision into something you can hear and feel, a tactile reward for the engineering underneath.
The system comes in two versions. The basic edition offers just the ratchet core with a standard interface, meant for people who already have their own bits and extensions they trust. The pro edition includes the full modular ecosystem with bars, bits, a vault case, and all the configuration options for T, L, and I shapes, turning it into a complete pocket toolkit built around a single titanium heart.
The Titaner EDC ratchet system treats turning a screw as an opportunity for thoughtful engineering and satisfying interaction. It’s built to live in a pocket, ready for the awkward angle or hidden fastener that shows up without warning, and to make those moments feel a little less like a fight and a little more like a solved puzzle with the right tool in hand.
The modern desk is a patchwork of small compromises. Your laptop has two USB-C ports, but you need displays, a wired network, external storage, and constant charging. That leaves you juggling dongles and adapters, with media controls and privacy shortcuts buried in software menus or keyboard combinations you can never quite remember. The setup works, but it never feels tidy or intentional, just workarounds gradually spreading across your workspace.
HubKey Gen2 tries to pull those pieces together in a single compact cube that sits within arm’s reach. It’s both an 11-in-1 USB-C hub and a small hardware control surface, with four shortcut keys and a central knob on top. The idea is to handle displays, power, storage, network, and a handful of everyday actions from one place, turning a desk full of little fixes into something more coherent.
The most requested improvement for this version was better display support and five keys which can be fully customized. HubKey Pro 2 now offers two HDMI ports, each capable of driving a 4K display at 60Hz. That means a laptop can suddenly run a pair of high-resolution monitors smoothly, turning a cramped single-screen setup into a proper workspace for editing timelines, keeping reference material open, or spreading code and documentation across both panels without stuttering.
Between the USB-A 3.1 and USB-C 3.1 ports at up to 10 Gbps, SD and TF card slots, a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port, 3.5 mm audio jack, and a dedicated 100 W USB-C PD port, HubKey Pro 2 can replace a whole handful of adapters. One cable from the hub to your laptop or handheld PC brings everything else online, from wired internet to external drives and dual displays, cutting down on the usual cable mess.
The top panel is where the shortcut side comes in. Four keys and a central knob are mapped to actions like volume and mute, screen lock, display off, screenshot, and lighting control. Instead of hunting through menus or remembering key combinations, you can twist the knob to adjust sound, tap a key to blank the monitor when someone walks by, or grab a screenshot with a single press.
Under the surface, the shortcut side goes deeper than a few hard-wired functions. A built-in driver unlocks five preset systems with 170 fixed combinations, plus a sixth mode where you can fully customize the key bindings. When you plug HubKey Gen2 into your machine, a settings interface pops up automatically, letting you assign shortcuts, macros, and key sequences in a few clicks.
For basic use there are no drivers to hunt down; it’s plug-and-play with Windows, macOS, Linux, and even devices like the Steam Deck, while the optional driver adds a deeper layer of customization when you want to fine-tune the keys. The internal circuitry and firmware have been tuned for faster recognition and more stable power delivery, and the press logic for Windows and macOS has been refined to reduce delays or misfires.
The 100W USB-C PD port can keep a laptop charged while the hub is driving dual 4K displays and handling data transfers. The The 10 Gbps USB ports and card readers make moving large files feel less like a chore, especially for photographers and video editors who are constantly offloading cards. The goal is to reduce the number of separate chargers and adapters that need to live on the desk.
Of course, the central knob has a smooth feel when you adjust volume, and the integrated LED ring can be dimmed or toggled with a key. The lighting adds a bit of atmosphere without turning the hub into a light show, and the compact form factor means it can sit next to a keyboard or under a monitor without demanding attention when you’re not actively using it.
HubKey Gen2 doesn’t claim to replace a full keyboard or a studio-grade dock, but it does try to make a typical laptop-based setup feel more intentional. By combining dual 4K display support, a full spread of ports, and a handful of physical controls in one small object, it turns a desk full of little compromises into something more coherent and easier to live with.
iPhone zoom has improved, especially with the 17 Pro’s tetraprism, but anything past 5x still leans heavily on digital tricks. Distant concert shots look like watercolor paintings, city skyline details collapse into mush when you pinch to zoom. If you actually care about long lenses, you usually end up carrying a separate camera and a chunky telephoto, which defeats the point of traveling light in the first place.
Sandmarc’s Telephoto Tetraprism Lens offers a different approach. It is a 48mm 2x optical telephoto that mounts directly over the 17 Pro’s 5x tetraprism camera, giving you up to 16x reach, roughly a 384mm equivalent. Real glass does the work instead of software interpolation. It is built specifically for Apple’s tetraprism module, not a generic clip on trying to cover all three lenses poorly.
The lens is a multi element, multi coated cylinder weighing about 250 grams, closer to a compact mirrorless lens than a toy. The field of view narrows to 16.7 degrees, which gives you tight framing and real telephoto compression, the kind that pulls distant mountains closer or stacks city buildings into dense layers. The front element sits deep inside a metal barrel with blue anti reflection coating, machined rather than molded.
Where it shines is shooting where you physically cannot move closer. Standing on a ridge pulling in a faraway peak, shooting street portraits from across the road, grabbing architectural details from stadium seats without leaning on digital zoom that turns textures into paste. The lens only works with the 5x module, so you need a pro camera app to force the phone onto that sensor, but once dialed in, results look more like a small camera than a phone.
The front of the lens is threaded for Sandmarc’s own filters, so you can snap on an ND, polarizer, or diffusion filter just like you would on a regular camera. That opens up long exposures, glare control, and more cinematic looks. The included Ultra Slim case handles alignment and mounting without fiddling with clips, though it does mean swapping out whatever case you normally use when you want the lens attached.
The trade offs are real. The lens adds bulk and weight, only works with the 17 Pro and Pro Max tetraprism camera, needs Sandmarc’s case, and really wants a third party camera app. It is not something you leave on all day. It is the piece of kit you pack when you will be chasing distant subjects and want something better than cropped pixels, accepting your phone will feel like a small camera for a few hours.
Accessories like this make the iPhone feel less like a sealed black box and more like a modular camera system. For people who already think in focal lengths and filters, the Sandmarc Telephoto Tetraprism Lens turns the 17 Pro into a capable long lens rig, without asking you to give up having your main camera still live in your pocket when you are done shooting and need to check email or navigate to the next location.
You know that feeling when two things you never expected to see together suddenly collide in the most delightful way? That’s exactly what’s happening right now in the world of footwear, and honestly, it’s about time someone shook things up at Crocs.
Let me introduce you to the Crocs Ripple, the brainchild of Steven Smith, a name that carries serious weight in the sneaker world. If you’re not familiar with Smith’s work, here’s the quick version: this guy has 40 years of industry experience under his belt and was the former head of product design at Yeezy. Yeah, that Yeezy. He’s the kind of designer whose resume makes other designers jealous, and now he’s bringing his magic to those polarizing foam clogs we all secretly own.
The Ripple represents Smith’s first design for Crocs since joining as Head of Creative Innovation, and it’s clear he’s not playing it safe. This isn’t just another color variant of the Classic Clog you’ve seen a million times. Instead, Smith has completely reimagined what a Crocs design can be, taking the brand’s comfort-first philosophy and wrapping it in a sculptural, almost futuristic package.
What makes the Ripple so different? For starters, forget about traditional laces or even the iconic heel strap. This is a slip-on clog with a bold personality written all over it. The design features three perforations on top for breathability, but the real showstopper is the wave-inspired aesthetic that runs across both sides. Those concentric oval patterns aren’t just there to look cool (though they absolutely do). They actually serve a functional purpose, incorporating two different types of Crocs foam technology: Croslite and Mellow.
The technical details get even more interesting when you look under the hood. Smith has integrated a TPU shank into the sole unit, which is footwear speak for added stability and support. It’s this kind of thoughtful engineering that separates designer collaborations that are all flash from ones that actually improve the wearing experience. The inaugural colorway launches in gray and blue, a combination that perfectly complements the Ripple’s boundary-pushing silhouette. There’s something almost aquatic about the design, like Smith took inspiration from water movement and translated it into foam and rubber. It stays true to his established design language while pushing Crocs into entirely new territory.
Now, here’s where things get exclusive. The Ripple is making its second in-person debut on December 5, 2025, exclusively at Flight Club Miami, perfectly timed with Art Basel. If you’re lucky enough to be in South Florida, this is one of those first-come, first-served situations where showing up early matters. Smith himself will be on site, which is a pretty big deal if you’re into sneaker culture and design.
But what does this collaboration really mean for Crocs? Smith has made it clear that he’s not looking to completely overhaul the brand. Instead, his approach is more subtle and potentially more impactful. He’s introducing boundary-pushing models that will, as the name suggests, create a ripple effect throughout both the company and the footwear industry at large.
It’s a smart strategy when you think about it. Crocs already has massive brand recognition and a devoted following. What they needed was someone who could elevate the design conversation without alienating their core audience. Smith brings credibility from the high-fashion sneaker world while respecting what makes Crocs work in the first place: uncompromising comfort and unmistakable personality.
The timing of this release feels significant too. We’re living in an era where the lines between high fashion, streetwear, and everyday comfort have completely blurred. The same people buying designer sneakers are also rocking Crocs to brunch. Smith’s Ripple sits perfectly at this intersection, offering something that’s conversation-worthy without sacrificing the practicality that made Crocs a household name.
While the Miami launch is happening now, a wider release through Crocs.com is expected to follow in early 2026. That means even if you can’t make it to Art Basel, you’ll eventually get your chance to experience what happens when sneaker royalty reimagines one of the most divisive shoes in modern history. Whether you’re team love-them or team hate-them when it comes to Crocs, the Ripple is worth paying attention to. It represents something bigger than just another shoe release. It’s proof that even the most established brands can evolve when they bring in the right creative voices.
The maker movement has always had this tension between aspiration and reality. We want to believe that anyone with creativity and determination can fabricate complex physical objects, but the actual tools have never quite lived up to that vision. 3D printers got there eventually, becoming genuinely accessible after years of tinkering and iteration. CNC mills are still waiting for their Prusa moment, that breakthrough where capability and usability finally converge at a price point that makes sense for individual creators rather than small manufacturers.
Makera’s Z1 looks like it might be taking a serious run at becoming that machine. The specs are legitimately compelling: 4-axis machining for complex geometries, laser engraving for multi-material work, tool changing that doesn’t kill your workflow momentum. But the really smart move is how they’ve approached the software side with their Smart Machining Wizard that handles toolpath optimization automatically. That’s the kind of feature that could genuinely flatten the learning curve, because the hardest part of CNC work isn’t understanding what you want to make, it’s translating that into the specific sequence of cuts and feeds that won’t destroy your material or your bit.
Makera built this thing with a die-cast metal frame that keeps it rigid enough for precision work while staying compact enough for a desk or workbench. Most desktop CNCs either sacrifice rigidity for size or end up being “desktop” machines that require you to dedicate half a room to them. The Z1 actually fits where people work without turning into a wobbly mess the moment you put any real cutting force on it. A transparent enclosure with blue LED lighting lets you watch what’s happening, which sounds purely aesthetic until you’ve spent enough time with CNC work to know that being able to see when something starts going wrong is the difference between catching a problem early and ruining your third attempt at an expensive piece of walnut.
Most people who’ve used desktop CNCs have experienced the tool-changing nightmare. You’re halfway through a project, need to swap from a roughing bit to a finishing bit, and suddenly you’re stopping the job, manually changing tools, re-zeroing everything, and praying you didn’t throw off your alignment. Mess it up and you’ve wasted material, time, and patience. The Z1’s quick tool changer handles swaps in seconds without breaking workflow. Queue up your roughing pass, finishing pass, and laser engraving in sequence, start the job, and come back to finished work. You can actually plan projects with multiple operations now instead of avoiding them because the process is too tedious.
Adding a fourth axis changes what you can make, not just how easily you can make it. Standard 3-axis machines force you into flat-world thinking. Want details on a cylinder? You’re manually rotating and re-fixturing, hoping your alignment is perfect each time. Complex curves? Forget it unless you enjoy spending hours setting up custom jigs. With 4-axis capability, cylindrical parts become straightforward. Jewelry with wraparound patterns, custom instrument components, robotics parts with mounting features on multiple faces – projects that used to require either expensive shop time or elaborate workarounds become things you can just do.
Makera bundled a laser module into the same machine, which solves a problem anyone working on mixed-material projects has run into. Mills cut wood, plastic, soft metals well. Lasers excel at engraving and cutting leather, acrylic, veneer. Usually you need two machines, two software packages, and endless frustration trying to align work between them. Having both in one system with unified control means you can mill a relief pattern into wood and laser-engrave fine details in the same setup. For prototyping or small production runs, not having to move work between machines eliminates a huge source of error and wasted time.
Makera Studio unifies design, CAM, and machine control instead of forcing you to juggle multiple applications that barely talk to each other. More importantly, the Smart Machining Wizard actually does something useful: it looks at your geometry and suggests toolpath parameters. This matters because new CNC users consistently get stuck at exactly this point. You’ve got a 3D model, you know what you want to cut, but now you need to figure out feeds, speeds, stepover percentages, roughing versus finishing strategies. Get it wrong and you break expensive bits, ruin material, or spend six hours on a cut that should take forty minutes. Most CAM software assumes you already know this stuff. Makera’s wizard gives you a starting point based on your specific geometry and material, which won’t make you an expert overnight but might keep you from quitting in frustration after your fifth failed attempt.
Built-in presets cover relief carving, 4-axis operations, and PCB milling. PCB work is particularly brutal for beginners because you need precise depth control and appropriate feeds to get clean copper traces without destroying the board. Having proven workflows ready to use means these capabilities become practical tools instead of theoretical features you never figure out how to use properly.
Makerables, their content platform, lets users share projects and download models, which is table stakes for any modern fabrication tool. More useful is the AI modeling feature that generates 3D models or reliefs from images and prompts. You can argue about whether AI-generated designs are “real” making, but practically speaking, not everyone has years to invest in mastering Fusion 360. If you’ve got strong design sense but CAD software makes you want to throw your computer out a window, being able to go from concept to cuttable model without that barrier actually matters. Plenty of artists and designers who understand form, proportion, and aesthetics have been locked out of CNC work purely by software requirements.
Auto-probing and leveling handle surface calibration without manual tramming, which saves twenty minutes of tedious setup before every job. Integrated dust collection with ports for external collectors means you can run this indoors without coating your entire workspace in fine dust. The built-in camera lets you check on progress remotely and record time-lapses, catching problems before they get expensive and documenting your work without setting up separate recording equipment.
Pricing sits at an MSRP of $1,199, but early Kickstarter backers can secure the Z1 for $899. Compare that to quality 3-axis desktop CNCs without laser modules, 4-axis capability, or automated tool changing, and the Z1 looks legitimately competitive. So much so that over 6,000 backers have already pledged more than $8 million USD to secure the Makera Z1- with the campaign running until December 12 – before it begins shipping next month.
Makera is also offering a Z1 Pro configuration that addresses the performance ceiling some users will eventually hit. The standard Z1 uses lead screws and open-loop steppers, which work fine for most projects but can show limitations under sustained heavy use or when you’re chasing the tightest possible tolerances. The Pro upgrade swaps in ball screws across all three axes and adds closed-loop stepper motors. Ball screws reduce backlash and handle heavy cutting loads better over time, while closed-loop motors automatically correct position errors, eliminating the lost steps that can ruin a long job when you’re six hours in and something goes slightly wrong.
The upgrade costs $399 normally but Kickstarter backers can add it for $249. You’re looking at hardware changes that meaningfully improve accuracy and reliability rather than marginal spec bumps, which matters if you’re planning to use this machine for small production runs or client work where failures get expensive fast. The Pro units ship around two months after the standard Z1, starting March 2026, which makes sense given they’re swapping core motion components. Whether the upgrade is worth it depends on your use case – hobbyists and occasional users probably won’t notice the difference, but anyone planning serious production work or precision-critical projects should consider it seriously.
If you’ve ever wanted to dress like a Rebel Alliance soldier without looking like you just walked out of a cosplay convention, Columbia Sportswear has you covered. Their new Star Wars Endor Collection, dropping December 11th, is their most ambitious collaboration yet, and honestly, it’s pretty spectacular.
This isn’t just another brand slapping a logo on a hoodie and calling it a collaboration. Columbia has been partnering with Star Wars since 2016, releasing annual holiday collections that go deep into the details. But this 20-piece Endor Collection takes things to another level entirely. The designers actually visited Skywalker Ranch to see the original spray-painted camo costumes from Return of the Jedi in person. That hands-on research shows in every piece.
The collection reimagines some of the most iconic looks from the Battle of Endor: Han Solo’s camouflage trench coat, those memorable ponchos Luke and Leia wore, and the Rebel troop uniforms. But here’s what makes it special. These aren’t costume replicas. They’re actual functional outdoor gear that happens to be inspired by a galaxy far, far away. Columbia took their signature performance technology and merged it seamlessly with authentic Star Wars design elements.
Take the Endor Issue Ponchos, for example. They recreate the iconic look from the film, but they’re made with Omni-Tech waterproof fabric and feature bungee-adjustable arms. You could actually wear these hiking in the Pacific Northwest (which, let’s be honest, looks a lot like Endor anyway). The General Han Solo Trench is even more impressive because it separates into three individually wearable pieces, each packed with Star Wars Easter eggs for fans to discover.
The boots deserve special mention too. The Endor Issue Boots combine technical features like Omni-MAX cushioning, an Omni-Grip outsole, and a TechLite midsole, making them genuinely trail-ready. Following last year’s footwear debut in the collaboration, Columbia clearly learned what works for fans who want both authenticity and actual performance from their gear.
The attention to detail is where this collection really shines. Throughout the pieces, you’ll find carefully placed Rebel Alliance logos, coordinates, and messages written in Aurebesh (the Star Wars alphabet) for fans to decode. The blanket features original concept art, there are Ewok fleece patches, Bright Tree Village references, and even the actual map of the filming location tucked inside the shoebox and printed on long-sleeve tees. It’s like a treasure hunt for Star Wars enthusiasts.
What’s particularly clever is how Columbia captured that organic, hand-sprayed technique used on the original costumes. The designers worked to ensure their versions maintained that same imperfect, authentic look while still being performance-driven outdoor apparel. Balancing costume accuracy with real-world functionality took considerable time and effort, but the result is pieces that feel genuinely inspired rather than gimmicky. The color palette pulls directly from Endor’s forest moon aesthetic: earthy browns, mossy greens, and woodland camouflage patterns that feel both fantastical and wearable in everyday life.
The collection includes everything from the standout trench coat and ponchos to more practical pieces like the Endor Issue Pants (Columbia’s first-ever Star Wars-inspired pants), cargo jackets, reversible jackets, cargo vests, and various pullovers and half-zips. There’s also an Endor Issue Cargo Backpack for carrying your gear, water bottles with themed designs, multiple hat styles including a ball cap and wider-brimmed options, and even a quilted blanket perfect for outdoor adventures or cozy movie marathons watching the original trilogy.
Columbia enlisted Billie Lourd for the campaign, which feels particularly meaningful. Lourd, who played Lieutenant Connix in the sequel trilogy and is the daughter of the legendary Carrie Fisher, was photographed among towering California redwoods with her children wearing Ewok-inspired fleece pieces. It’s a beautiful tribute that connects the collection to Star Wars legacy while showcasing how these pieces work for real families having real outdoor adventures.
The collection launches December 11th at 10 AM EST on Columbia’s website, with early access for members of their free Greater Rewards program starting 30 minutes earlier. It’s the kind of collaboration that shows what happens when a brand genuinely respects both the source material and their customers. You get functional outdoor gear that happens to make you feel like you’re part of the Rebellion, without sacrificing style or performance. And in a world full of half-hearted pop culture collaborations, that’s definitely worth celebrating.
There’s something oddly satisfying about a product that does exactly what it’s supposed to do, but does it with style. That’s the vibe I get from the Arc Alarm Clock by Nanu Electronics, a piece that manages to feel both futuristic and oddly nostalgic at the same time.
At first glance, the Arc looks like it belongs in a sci-fi movie set in a very tasteful future. The curved design is its defining feature, and honestly, it’s a bold move in a world where most alarm clocks are either aggressively minimalist rectangles or trying way too hard to be cute. This one splits the difference beautifully. The gentle arc creates a natural viewing angle that actually makes sense when you’re blearily checking the time at 3 a.m., which is more thoughtful than you’d expect from something you probably curse at daily.
What really sets the Arc apart is how it approaches the whole “waking up” problem. We’ve all been there: you set an alarm, it goes off, you hit snooze approximately seven times, and suddenly you’re late for that meeting you swore you’d be early for. The Arc uses a sunrise simulation feature that gradually increases light intensity before your alarm actually sounds. It’s basically tricking your brain into thinking it’s morning, which sounds manipulative but in the best possible way. Your body responds to light more naturally than it does to a jarring alarm sound, so you’re more likely to actually wake up instead of entering that weird snooze-induced time warp.
But here’s the thing: it doesn’t sacrifice functionality for aesthetics. The LED display is crisp and easy to read without being obnoxiously bright at night. There’s something to be said for a clock that doesn’t light up your entire bedroom like a miniature sun. The controls are intuitive enough that you won’t need to keep the manual on your nightstand, which is a low bar but one that surprisingly few products clear.
The Arc also works as a bedside lamp, which makes it genuinely useful beyond its alarm clock duties. It’s one of those features that seems obvious in retrospect but that most alarm clocks skip entirely. You can adjust the brightness to whatever suits your needs, whether you’re reading before bed or just need a gentle glow to navigate your way to the bathroom at night without fully waking yourself up. Sound quality matters more than you might think for an alarm clock. The Arc’s speaker is decent enough for casual music listening or podcasts, though audiophiles will probably still prefer their dedicated speakers. But for morning news, white noise, or just having some background sound while you get ready, it does the job without sounding tinny or cheap.
From a design perspective, the Arc fits into that sweet spot where it’s distinctive enough to be interesting but neutral enough to work with most decor styles. It comes in a few color options, so you can match it to your aesthetic whether you’re going for modern minimalist, cozy maximalist, or something in between. The curved form factor also means it takes up less visual space than a traditional rectangular clock, even though its footprint is similar.
Is it going to revolutionize your life? Probably not. But it might make your mornings slightly less awful, and in this economy, we’ll take small victories where we can get them. The Arc Alarm Clock proves that everyday objects don’t have to be boring or purely utilitarian. Sometimes the things we interact with most frequently deserve a little extra thought and care in their design. If you’re in the market for an alarm clock that looks good on your nightstand and might actually help you wake up like a functional human being, the Arc is worth considering. It’s the kind of purchase that feels slightly indulgent but practical enough to justify.
Last year, a consumer-focused UV printer made a remarkable splash on Kickstarter, marking the first time consumer UV printing made it to the big leagues. Now, LONGER ePrint enters the market, bringing unique innovation, a user-friendly experience, and highly competitive pricing to DIY enthusiasts, startups, and designers alike. Built for creative expression and customizable solutions. The campaign has already achieved an impressive $3.6 million in sales within its first week.
LONGER brings a decade of experience (and four successful crowdfunding campaigns) making 3D printers and laser engravers to this project, plus patents and research credentials from its MIT and Georgia Tech founding team. The ePrint’s headline feature is its dual-printhead design with 12 ink channels, which the company says delivers print speeds up to six times faster than single-head printers when laying down textured white ink layers. Add automated cleaning systems, white ink circulation to prevent clogging, and compatibility with third-party inks, and LONGER has assembled a feature set aimed squarely at cost-conscious small businesses.
LONGER runs 12 ink channels across two printheads in the full ePrint model: CMYK color plus six white channels and two varnish channels. Building up textured prints to the maximum 60mm height means laying down multiple passes of white ink. Six white channels working simultaneously stack ink six times faster than a single channel could manage. For flat printing without the texture work, the dual-head configuration cuts print time by 50 to 70 percent. At 1440 DPI resolution, print quality stays consistent while speeds improve.
Running a small custom merch operation means speed directly translates to how many orders you can fulfill in a day. Print a full-color design on a phone case and you’re looking at roughly 2 to 3 minutes at high quality settings, faster if you drop to balanced or draft modes. A dozen custom phone cases in under half an hour. Coasters, small signs, and similar flat items clock in at similar speeds. Want to add that 3D textured effect with raised logos or embossed details? That takes longer since you’re building up layers of white ink, but the dual printheads working together mean you’re still finishing pieces in reasonable timeframes rather than waiting hours per item. The 310mm by 420mm print bed accommodates most personal accessories and small merchandise. You’re not printing posters, but phone cases, drinkware graphics, small wooden signs, custom keycaps, personalized gifts, all the items that make up craft fair tables and Etsy shops fit comfortably.
That 60mm embossing capability opens up applications beyond flat graphics. You can produce tactile braille signage with actual raised dots instead of stickers. Relief sculptures and dimensional art pieces become feasible without molding or casting. Product prototypes gain realistic texture that photographs can’t convey. Custom keycaps for mechanical keyboards, raised logos on promotional items, textured business cards that stand out in a stack. Small batch production of items that would normally require expensive tooling or outsourcing to specialty shops. Running a custom merchandise side business or handling client work for local businesses becomes viable when you’re not paying per-piece service bureau rates or minimum order quantities.
White ink creates problems for every UV printer manufacturer. Leave it sitting idle and it separates, leading to inconsistent prints and clogged nozzles that can brick expensive printheads. LONGER built a continuous circulation system that keeps white ink flowing even when you’re not printing. Automated cleaning cycles purge the printheads periodically to prevent clogs before they start. Most desktop UV printers demand manual maintenance rituals before each job. LONGER designed this to stay ready rather than requiring constant babysitting.
The best part is that this printer isn’t unscrupulously bound to specific ink cartridges – the system is designed to be open, and LONGER accepts third-party ink cartridges, including low-migration ink varieties for printing on plates and packaging. You get twelve 200ml cartridges in the dual-head model, totaling 2.4 liters of capacity. Proprietary cartridge systems lock you into whatever the manufacturer charges. Over months of production, open ink compatibility saves real money.
Flatbed mode handles your standard work on flat materials up to 310mm by 420mm. Wood plaques, acrylic sheets, metal panels, glass coasters, leather patches. The 10mm high-gap printing capability means the printhead stays elevated above the material, so you can print on textured wood, embossed surfaces, or slightly warped materials without the head scraping or smudging wet ink. Phone cases with camera bumps, rough stone tiles, wrinkled leather, all printable without fighting the machine.
Rotary printing opens up cylindrical objects. Water bottles, wine bottles, tumblers, pens, flashlights, anything roughly cylindrical that fits the attachment. The printer rotates the object while printing, wrapping your design around the curve. Transfer film mode takes a different approach by printing onto a special film substrate first. Print your design with the UV printer, then use the included laminator to apply heat and pressure, transferring the design onto fabric. You’re making custom heat-transfer stickers for t-shirts, jackets, bags, hats. Not direct-to-garment printing, but useful when DTG doesn’t work well or when you want that raised, glossy finish that UV ink provides. The laminator handles the heat-press work, so you’re not buying separate equipment.
Roll-to-roll attachment extends the workflow for producing multiple transfers in sequence. Instead of printing individual pieces, you load a roll of transfer film, print continuously, and wind up the finished prints on the output roll. Makes sense if you’re producing batches of vinyl stickers or multiple heat-transfer designs for a clothing run. The conveyor belt attachment serves a similar batching purpose but for rigid objects. Load up phone cases, coasters, or other small items, and the conveyor moves them through the print area automatically. No manual repositioning between pieces. Between these four modes and the accessories that enable them, LONGER built a system that adapts to different production workflows rather than locking you into one application.
Dual lasers and a 16MP camera handle object detection and positioning automatically. In batch mode, the system scans multiple objects, identifies positions, and fills patterns without manual placement for each piece. Software includes AI-powered background removal and pattern generation too.
UV printing generates fumes that need proper ventilation regardless of what the manufacturer says about filtration. LONGER includes air purification and claims operation stays under 60dB, quieter than conversation. At 650mm by 445mm by 330mm and 30kg for the dual-head version, it genuinely fits on a desk rather than demanding dedicated floor space like industrial models. You still want good airflow in your workspace, but the footprint works for small studios or home offices with proper setup.
Early bird pricing breaks down to $1,499 for the single-head ePrint SE with six ink channels, $1,899 for the dual-head ePrint with 12 channels, and $2,949 for the all-in-one combo bundling rotary, laminator, conveyor, and roll-to-roll attachments. US and EU backers get free shipping.
