The 8 Best Audio Designs for People Who Want to Own Their Music

Tangerine Sudo music player shown from front and back, with playlists menu on screen and tactile wheel below

An album can be a folder you keep, a disc you lend, or a cassette you record yourself. That is a useful starting point for choosing audio equipment: what happens to the music after you press stop? The most interesting designs here give a collection a place to live, a way to travel, or a reason to come off the shelf. Their appeal starts with what you want to play.

These eight picks approach ownership from different directions, from carrying digital files to displaying album artwork and making recordings. You don’t need to abandon streaming to appreciate any of them. The selection includes an upcoming player alongside established products, chosen for their documented features and design decisions rather than hands-on sound testing. The question throughout is simple: what does this object let you do with the music you have chosen to keep?

1. Sudo Music Player

Silver Sudo music player held in one hand, thumb resting on the tactile wheel

Three silver Sudo players side by side showing the menu, a song list, and the now-playing screen

New Matter’s Sudo puts an iPod wheel beneath a small touchscreen, giving a familiar interaction a contemporary home. The upcoming player has an expected price of $ 249 and a straightforward appeal: carry your library on an object dedicated to listening. In the Tangerine version, black controls interrupt the orange body, making the wheel the obvious focal point. The layout gives playback its own physical territory, rather than asking a touchscreen to handle every interaction. It’s a promising starting point for a pocket music player.

New Matter lists 64GB of storage, microSD expansion up to 1TB, a 3.5mm jack, Bluetooth, and USB-C charging. It also lists streaming, so this isn’t a strictly offline machine. The reservation terms deserve equal attention: a refundable $50 deposit goes toward the expected purchase price, with shipping projected for the beginning of Q4 2027. Sudo leads this collection because of its design proposition, not proven performance. It remains something to watch, rather than a player to buy for immediate listening.

What we like

  • A dedicated wheel gives playback a clear physical interface.
  • Expandable storage accommodates a growing personal library.

What we dislike

  • Shipping is still projected for Q4 2027.
  • The $249 price is an estimate, not final pricing.

2. CD Jacket Player

The CD Jacket Player gives album packaging a job after you’ve removed the disc. Its frame accommodates the jacket artwork, letting the record you’re listening to become the player’s face. That makes particular sense for a collection assembled with some affection for sleeves, typography, and photography. Instead of letting those details disappear into a storage rack, the design brings one album forward. It turns choosing what to hear into choosing what to display, without requiring a separate picture frame.

The player offers Bluetooth output for wireless speakers or headphones and a 3.5mm jack for wired listening. A rechargeable battery and USB-C charging let it move between listening spots, while the shop includes a wall bracket. You’ll still need headphones or a speaker, and the display stand is sold separately. For someone who already owns a suitable listening setup, the attraction is the frame itself: the player gives an existing CD collection a visible place in the room.

Click Here to Buy Now: $170.00

What we like

  • Album artwork becomes part of the player’s appearance.
  • Wired and Bluetooth outputs provide listening flexibility.

What we dislike

  • It requires separate headphones or speakers.
  • The display stand costs extra.

3. FiiO DM15 R2R

FiiO’s DM15 R2R has a useful answer to the divide between collecting CDs and carrying digital files: it can rip tracks to external storage in WAV format while you listen. That makes it more than a destination for a disc. It can also be a step toward building a portable library from albums already on your shelf. For a collector who wants both formats, this is a more consequential feature than simply giving an old playback format a new enclosure.

Physical buttons and a volume knob keep the main operations accessible, with 3.5mm and balanced 4.4mm headphone outputs accommodating different wired setups. The copying workflow has boundaries worth knowing before buying. FiiO specifies FAT32 storage, recommends a USB-C flash drive of 32GB or smaller, and requires external power for ripping. Its support documentation also excludes Enhanced CDs from that function. Think of it as a disc player with a specific copying facility, rather than a replacement for every part of managing a digital collection.

What we like

  • WAV ripping connects a CD collection with digital playback.
  • Physical controls and two headphone outputs broaden its usefulness.

What we dislike

  • Ripping requires external power and compatible storage.
  • Enhanced CDs aren’t supported for ripping.

4. Side A Cassette Speaker

The Side A Cassette Speaker borrows the appearance of a mixtape, but its place here comes from a less conspicuous feature: microSD playback. Put MP3 files on a card, and the speaker can play your selection without using a phone as the source. The transparent shell and Side A graphics supply the visual joke, while the included clear case doubles as a stand. At $49, it’s an approachable way to give a small, personally assembled collection its own playback object.

Its limits are worth stating plainly. This is a cassette-shaped digital speaker, not a machine that plays tapes, and card playback supports MP3 files only. Bluetooth offers another source option when you want it. The case becoming a stand is the more thoughtful detail: something needed for storage also supports the speaker on a desk. It suits a deliberately edited selection of tracks, although the format restriction makes it less appropriate for someone hoping to play an existing library of lossless files unchanged.

Click Here to Buy Now: $49.00

What we like

  • microSD playback gives personal files a phone-free route.
  • The protective case doubles as a display stand.

What we dislike

  • Card playback is limited to MP3.
  • Despite its appearance, it cannot play cassettes.

5. Audio-Technica Sound Burger AT-SB727

Audio-Technica’s Sound Burger makes a compelling case for keeping a record player small without pretending records themselves are small. Its narrow clamshell body leaves much of the disc exposed during playback, creating an unmistakable silhouette. The regular-line AT-SB727 follows the limited anniversary model, bringing the design into the company’s continuing lineup. A belt-driven platter plays 33⅓ and 45 RPM records, while a spring applies stylus pressure through the tonearm. The compact mechanism is the story here, not merely the retro colors.

Bluetooth and a wired line output let it connect to suitable listening equipment, and Audio-Technica rates the rechargeable battery for up to 12 hours of playback. Portability needs a little interpretation: you can carry it between places, but the manual requires a level surface and warns against moving it while playing. You’ll also need an external listening device. For a smaller home, that tradeoff can make sense. The player is compact enough to put away, while your record collection remains the substantial part of the arrangement.

What we like

  • A distinctive compact mechanism accommodates full-size records.
  • Bluetooth and line output support different listening setups.

What we dislike

  • It needs external audio equipment.
  • Portable doesn’t mean usable while moving.

6. Shanling Q2

Shanling’s Q2 concentrates the personal-library argument into an 83g player measuring 80 by 50 by 13.5mm. Its microSD slot supports cards up to 2TB, giving a substantial collection somewhere to travel without requiring a phone. The rounded body, small touchscreen, and circular control make it visually approachable, but the interaction deserves clarification. Shanling identifies the touchscreen as the navigation interface and the touch wheel as a volume control. That distinction matters if its appearance has you expecting the full browsing behavior of an old iPod.

The Q2 includes both 3.5mm and balanced 4.4mm headphone outputs, making it relevant to listeners who already own wired headphones. It also supports network features, including Tidal streaming, so owning files and accessing a service aren’t mutually exclusive here. Shanling specifies that Tidal playback is online only, without offline downloads. For this collection, the microSD slot remains the reason to choose it: the player provides a compact home for music files you manage yourself, with streaming sitting alongside that function rather than replacing it.

What we like

  • Up to 2TB of card storage suits large libraries.
  • Two headphone outputs accommodate different wired connections.

What we dislike

  • The wheel controls volume rather than full menu navigation.
  • The 2.09-inch screen gives browsing limited space.

7. We Are Rewind GB-001 Blaster Curtis

The GB-001 Blaster Curtis brings recording into a collection otherwise dominated by playback. We Are Rewind’s boombox plays and records Type I and Type II cassettes, with backlit VU meters helping you monitor levels. The design puts the cassette mechanism between substantial speaker sections and adds dedicated controls for volume, bass, treble, and balance. It gives tape an appropriately physical interface. For someone interested in making recordings as well as collecting releases, the deck has a purpose that its retro appearance alone couldn’t supply.

A stereo line input and microphone input provide routes for recording, while Bluetooth allows the unit to work as a speaker for another source. The rechargeable battery is replaceable, a worthwhile provision in such a substantial object. And substantial it is: the manufacturer lists 6.81kg, or roughly 15 pounds. At $579, this is a deliberate commitment to cassette listening and recording. The carrying handle makes it transportable, but the weight suggests choosing its everyday home with more care than you would a pocket player.

What we like

  • Recording makes it useful beyond playing purchased tapes.
  • The rechargeable battery is replaceable.

What we dislike

  • Roughly 15 pounds limits casual portability.
  • The $579 price demands a serious interest in tape.

8. ClearFrame Speaker CD Player

ClearFrame lets the owner decide how much of the player to reveal. Insert album artwork into its included tray and the sleeve becomes its face; leave it out, and the clear body exposes the disc, circuitry, and mechanism. That choice gives it a different emphasis from the CD Jacket Player earlier in this list. The artwork can take center stage, but the hardware is also allowed to be interesting. At 27mm thick, the player makes those layers visible within a relatively shallow enclosure.

The built-in speaker is the practical distinction, allowing CD playback without a separate audio setup. It lists a 40mm driver with a bass diaphragm and up to 3W output, alongside a headphone jack and Bluetooth transmission. That last word matters: ClearFrame sends CD audio to compatible headphones or speakers but cannot receive music from a phone. Starting at $240, it offers a self-contained place to play and display discs, although the upright stand and wall-mount hardware are optional purchases rather than standard equipment.

Click Here to Buy Now: $240.00

What we like

  • Built-in audio avoids a separate speaker setup.
  • Artwork and exposed mechanics offer two distinct appearances.

What we dislike

  • Bluetooth cannot receive audio from a phone.
  • The display stand and wall mount cost extra.

Choose for the Music You Already Own

Start with the collection you actually have, rather than the format you feel you ought to love. A drawer of CDs calls for a different purchase from a carefully tagged folder of downloads. Think about where listening happens, too. Headphones on a train, a shelf beside a desk, and a shared living room ask different things of an object. Choose for the place where you’ll actually press play most often.

Leave room for the less photogenic parts of the decision: organizing files, keeping backups, finding suitable headphones, or making space for the media itself. Those tasks are part of maintaining a collection, and no attractive enclosure removes them. Good audio design should make that effort feel worthwhile by keeping the music within reach. Buy the object that helps you use your collection, rather than one that merely matches its aesthetic.

The post The 8 Best Audio Designs for People Who Want to Own Their Music first appeared on Yanko Design.

DIY Modded Game Boy Color has an OLED screen, USB-C, and wireless charging

Last year Zac Builds took a fifth-gen iPod, gutted it, and handed it back to the world with USB-C, Bluetooth, and a transparent face that made it look like a mechanical watch. You all loved it, and so did I. Now the Canadian YouTuber has turned his tri-wing screwdriver on Nintendo, and the Game Boy Color is getting the resurrection treatment. Same playbook, same clear plastic, same refusal to let a beloved gadget die of old age. At this rate I’m genuinely curious which 90s icon he rescues next, and my money is on the Tamagotchi.

The 1998 Game Boy Color had a lot going for it (Pokémon, mostly), but its hardware hasn’t aged gracefully. The screen had no backlight, the mono speaker was weak, and two AA batteries ran the whole show. Zac keeps the original Nintendo motherboard and rebuilds everything around it, starting with a vivid OLED display that makes the old reflective panel look like a sheet of wet cardboard. A lithium-ion battery brings USB-C and wireless charging, a dedicated amp and regulator make the speaker louder and practically hiss-free, and RGB lights glow under every button. An EZ Flash Jr cartridge then squeezes the whole game library onto a single microSD card.

Designer: Zac Builds

A 2013 phone screen gives the Game Boy Color its eyes back

Zac calls the OLED display the best single upgrade you can give a Game Boy Color, and the side-by-side shots back him up. The panel fills a larger window than Nintendo’s original, and its self-lit pixels let Super Mario Bros. Deluxe pop without a desk lamp overhead. It also sits under real glass, which looks more premium and holds up better than the old plastic lens. Zac suspects the panel started life in a phone, and kits like his are reported to use screens from the BlackBerry Q10. A phone that lost the smartphone war ended up rescuing a Game Boy, which is karma working overtime.

A touch menu on the screen itself handles settings, letting Zac adjust brightness, add faux scan lines, and change the color of the glowing Game Boy Color logo under the display. He finds the touch controls a bit clunky, which is fair, since jabbing at your game screen feels very 2026 for a 1998 console. Installation is refreshingly simple by modding standards. The screen presses into a precut shell at a slight angle, an adhesive ring holds it in place, and a single power wire runs to the power switch’s C pin, held down with Kapton tape. Pokémon Red has honestly never looked this crisp.

USB-C charging, with weird ‘Magic Mouse’ port placement

On first boot, the modded console played audio while the OLED stayed black, and fresh AAs fixed it instantly. The culprit was voltage sag, with the new hardware’s startup load dragging tired batteries below what the screen needed. Zac’s permanent fix is a lithium-ion pack with more capacity, a higher voltage, USB-C charging, and a wireless charging coil, good for what he estimates is well over eight hours of play. The USB-C port lives on the back panel, so charging sends a cable sprouting out the rear like a tail, which gives off serious Magic Mouse energy. Thankfully that coil lets you skip the cable and drop the console on a wireless charging pad instead.

The new speaker and its flex-PCB amp brought extra volume along with a loud hiss, because Nintendo’s 28-year-old regulator was never meant to feed an OLED, an amp, and a set of RGB LEDs at once. Zac’s answer is a replacement regulator from Helder, a longtime name in the Game Boy modding scene, which smooths out ripple on the console’s shared 5V rail. The board also brings a solid-state capacitor with more than five times the capacitance of the part it replaces. The hiss dropped to a trace you can only hear with the speaker an inch from your ear. Every flashy upgrade here leans on unglamorous power hardware, and Zac is refreshingly upfront about that.

RGB buttons and a smoke shell that puts everything on display

An individually addressable RGB LED sits under each button and replaces the original power LED, with the colors controlled through button commands. In the photos, the D-pad gets a blue ring, A and B glow red, and Select and Start pick up green and amber. Installing it takes roughly a dozen solder joints, and Zac recommends anchoring the 5V and ground pads first so everything else lines up. Before any of that, he cleaned the board with isopropyl alcohol, swapped all three aging capacitors, and fitted fresh white silicone membranes to fix the sticky buttons. The finished console still feels crisp, despite all the wiring now packed beneath those buttons.

The precut smoke-transparent shell ties the build together, putting the lighting, the amp’s ribbon, and the motherboard on full view. It also brings a larger screen opening and drops the original battery divider to make room for the new pack. Clear plastic has deep roots here, since Nintendo sold the Game Boy Color in Atomic Purple back in 1998, the same year Apple’s Bondi Blue iMac G3 made translucency cool. Modders have pushed that idea hard lately, with Natalie the Nerd’s fully transparent Game Boy Color even swapping in a see-through circuit board. Zac’s version keeps Nintendo’s original green board in plain sight, which suits a build that celebrates the real hardware.

An overclock that breaks the screen, and a cartridge that holds everything

Zac’s most ambitious mod replaces the crystal oscillator with a variable clock board, letting the console run slower or up to 50% faster with a button combo. Getting the old crystal off took hot air, heat shielding, and Kapton tape, and Zac flat out tells beginners to skip it. Underclocking works great and turns tricky platforming into slow motion. Overclocking keeps the game running, but the OLED loses sync and shows nothing, since the clock also governs display timing. Some IPS kits reportedly handle 1.3x or 1.5x speed, though Zac didn’t test one, and the OLED looks too good to give up anyway.

An EZ Flash Jr cartridge handles the games, loading Game Boy and Game Boy Color ROMs, homebrew, and hacks from a FAT32 microSD card, and Zac says even 8GB covers the whole library. Leave out the overclock and he reckons a similar build takes a couple of afternoons, mostly with off-the-shelf kits on an original motherboard. ModRetro’s $149.99 transparent Chromatic offers a ready-made route to a similar look, while Zac’s approach keeps Nintendo’s actual silicon at the heart of it. That makes this build feel closer to restoration than replacement. Nintendo built the Game Boy Color for AA batteries and sunlight. Zac rebuilt it for USB-C and midnight.

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Nico AI Companion Concept Borrows Game Controls for Homework Hints

Getting stuck on homework doesn’t always call for someone to hand over the answer. Sometimes a small nudge is enough to get the pencil moving again. Nico is an AI learning companion concept built around that idea, putting a helpful character inside a handheld device with a joystick. Children would steer him toward a question and receive a hint rather than the solution.

The hardware borrows the familiar arrangement of a handheld game console, with a large screen above an orange joystick and two matching action buttons. A dark gray body and rounded corners keep the silhouette simple, while the contrasting controls make the places to press immediately obvious. There’s something reassuringly straightforward about having a proper button instead of another tiny icon to tap.

Designer: Mikail Yücel Erdogan

A side button would open the camera view, bringing Nico into the child’s surroundings through the display. The character could then move across that view under joystick control, stopping beside whichever exercise needs attention. A microphone and speaker are intended to let children ask questions aloud and hear responses, so getting help wouldn’t require typing a carefully worded request on a little screen.

With a math worksheet, for example, Nico could point out that multiplication comes before subtraction without filling in the blank. The child would still have to work through the calculation, ideally returning to the paper with a better idea of what to try next. That distinction matters, because finishing an assignment and understanding how to do it aren’t necessarily the same achievement.

Nico himself is a small white character with a rounded rectangular head, dark eyes, and orange accents that echo the hardware. Keeping that personality on the display would let the same device become a homework helper or a virtual home. The wrist strap and USB-C port, meanwhile, ground the friendly face in the ordinary business of carrying and charging yet another electronic companion.

Of course, Nico wouldn’t disappear when the homework is done. The concept includes mini-games, a room to explore, and a virtual house where children could cook with the character or look after him. That gives the joystick more to do, but it also introduces a familiar complication: the device helping with fractions would be offering somewhere else to spend the afternoon.

The camera and microphone raise questions that the presentation doesn’t answer. There’s no stated approach to storing children’s images or conversations, no explanation of parental controls, and no identified AI model behind the advice. These are unresolved parts of the concept, not evidence of a privacy breach. But they would need attention before a friendly face earned a place beside a child’s schoolwork.

Nico remains a design proposal, with learning benefits that haven’t been established through published independent testing with children. Its joystick does make a specific suggestion about how children might ask for help, though: move toward the problem instead of waiting for an answer to appear. The important test would come afterward, when the device goes down and the pencil starts moving again.

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Smartwatch Mobile Charger Hidden in a Hershey’s Kiss-Shaped Shell

We’ve gotten used to bringing along power banks when we’re out and about since we don’t want our smartphones to run low on battery during crucial moments. But now we also have to worry about other devices, like smartwatches. Some need less frequent charging than our phones, but there are still times when we forget to charge them before leaving the house. Before you know it, you find yourself needing some extra juice for your wearable.

miniduct has found a very cute solution to your problem, if you’re rocking a compatible Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch, that is. Its Kisses Smart Watch Power Bank is shaped like an actual Hershey’s Kiss. Instead of satisfying your sweet cravings, though, this one will power up your smartwatch while you’re on the go. According to its product information, it has a system that aligns with your watch, but there’s also an option to charge other compatible devices through a USB-C port.

Designer: miniduct

Aside from giving your smartwatch extra life when it’s about to run out of charge, this is a cleverly designed accessory that you can carry around with you. It takes the iconic silhouette of a Hershey’s Kiss and its silver-wrapper look and turns it into something other than a snack. It even comes with the tiny white ribbon bearing the word “Kisses,” which doubles as a strap for attaching the device to your bag or pouch. That’s probably the nicest design detail here: a familiar part of the candy packaging gets a practical purpose.

According to the published specifications, the power bank measures approximately 41 millimeters in diameter and 45 millimeters tall, excluding the ribbon. It weighs 40.2 grams, or about 1.4 ounces, and contains a 700mAh battery. That makes it a small backup for your wearable rather than a replacement for the larger power bank you might already carry for your phone.

The charging system is called Auto Fit, and miniduct describes an internal mechanism that automatically aligns with the watch being charged. Its product information explains that the magnets rotate rather than remain fixed to accommodate Apple and Galaxy watches. You’ll still want to check compatibility with your particular model before buying, rather than assume every watch generation is supported.

The chocolate shape also has a job when you put the charger down. miniduct says it positions the watch at a 20-degree viewing angle on a desk, allowing you to check the screen while it charges. You’ll need to take the watch off your wrist, so a break at your desk is a more practical charging opportunity than a workout.

Of course, the small battery comes with limitations. miniduct estimates that it can provide approximately 40% to 120% of a watch battery’s capacity, depending on the model. Some watches therefore won’t get a complete recharge. The brand also notes that features such as GPS, Bluetooth, and an always-on display can reduce the net charge gained. Think of it as an emergency reserve, not a promise of several days away from an outlet.

The product materials also advertise charging support for compatible earbud cases, including wireless charging for supported AirPods cases. USB-C output provides another option for compatible earbuds or an emergency phone top-up. With only 700mAh available, though, charging a phone is a secondary use rather than the main reason to buy it.

The appeal here is having a backup charger that feels like an accessory you’d actually want to bring along. The ribbon gives it a place on your bag, while the familiar shape gives it some personality when it’s sitting on your desk. You’ll still have to remember to charge the power bank itself, but at least this little reminder looks sweeter than another loose cable.

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SolidSafe Duo Magnetic Power Bank Is Shaped to Fit Apple’s Folding iPhone

Magnetic charging makes attaching a battery easy, but it doesn’t guarantee that the battery will fit your phone’s shape. Apple’s folding iPhone Duo introduces a shorter body that gives accessories less room to stretch. BMX’s SolidSafe Duo responds with a compact, 5,000mAh power bank designed around those proportions, bringing a rotating stand, color display, and attached USB-C cable along for the ride.

The difference starts inside, where a custom-shaped battery cell lets the enclosure follow the Duo’s footprint instead of extending beyond its edges. The black, CNC-machined aluminum housing has rounded corners and a broad face that sits below the cameras. That gives the accessory a more deliberate relationship with the phone, although matching its outline doesn’t make the added thickness disappear, of course.

Designer: BMX (Better Mobile Experience)

A circular ring folds out from the back and rotates 360°, giving the phone support in portrait or landscape orientation. Reading a recipe on the counter could give way to watching a video over lunch without detaching the battery. The stand makes particular sense for an unfolded screen, which offers more room to watch but also more phone to hold in your hand.

Nestled inside that ring is a full-color display showing the power bank’s remaining charge and live charging wattage. The distinction matters because the percentage belongs to the accessory, not your iPhone. It also gives you a way to check both your reserve and the current power output, rather than assuming that an attached battery is always charging at its advertised maximum speed.

The attached USB-C cable doubles as a lanyard, so wired charging doesn’t begin with a search through your bag. Plug it into a compatible device for up to 20W output, or use it to refill the power bank at up to 15W. It’s a simple detail, but it keeps the wired option available even when the rest of your charging gear is elsewhere.

Wireless charging, meanwhile, tops out at a claimed 15W, below the iPhone Duo’s supported 25W maximum. You’re getting a tailored shape rather than the phone’s fastest wireless charging. Connecting two devices also changes the numbers, splitting output between 10W over USB-C and 5W wirelessly. That could help another device through the afternoon, but neither connection retains its single-device maximum in that arrangement.

The SolidSafe name also needs a little unpacking. BMX uses semi-solid-state cells and says their reduced liquid electrolyte content helps lower fire risk compared with conventional lithium-ion batteries. That’s a reduced-risk claim, not a promise that the battery can’t fail. The rigid aluminum enclosure also helps dissipate heat, according to BMX, rather than preventing the pack from becoming warm while it charges your phone.

Available for $79.99 in the US, SolidSafe Duo adds about 0.43 inch of thickness and 4.47 ounces to your phone. Those numbers deserve as much attention as its compact outline, particularly when the phone itself already folds shut. Having a stand and cable built into the battery means fewer loose accessories to pack, but a thicker stack to slide back into your pocket.

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Clevetura S Keyboard Review: Swipe Across the Keys Instead of Reaching for a Mouse

PROS:


  • Innovative combination of keyboard and touchpad in one

  • Compact, lightweight design

  • Customizable gestures and sensitivity

  • Supports 3 Bluetooth and 1 USB-C connections

CONS:


  • Has a bit of a learning curve for accuracy and speed

  • Premium price tag

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The Clevetura CLVX S brings typing and navigation together in a compact design that gives your mouse hand less traveling to do.

Keyboards and mice have shared our desks for decades, but our hands still have to travel between them whenever typing gives way to clicking. That familiar shuffle becomes especially noticeable when there’s barely enough room for a laptop, let alone another accessory. The Clevetura S offers an interesting solution by turning the keys themselves into a touchpad, giving your fingers another way to get around without leaving the keyboard.

Also known as the CLVX S, this compact, 78-key keyboard brings Clevetura’s TouchOnKeys technology to a more portable design. The Windows version reviewed here can handle familiar gestures without additional software, although there’s plenty to customize if you want to. More importantly, it makes an unusual interaction surprisingly useful, even if sliding across letters and keeping resting fingers from triggering gestures take a little getting used to.

Designer: Clevetura

Aesthetics

Upfront, the Clevetura S looks almost like someone forgot to leave space between the keys. The flat keycaps sit unusually close together, giving the 78-key layout a tidy, almost tiled appearance. There’s a practical reason for that, of course. Fingers need to travel across the surface as comfortably as they press down on it, and generous gaps would make that second job considerably less inviting.

An anodized aluminum base gives the keyboard its silver lower half, while polycarbonate covers the top and ABS plastic forms the keycaps. Both black and white versions retain that silver body, which is particularly noticeable against the darker finish. I would have preferred an entirely black option for a simpler look, though the contrast does make the thin profile a little more obvious when viewed from the side.

Otherwise, there isn’t much to distract from that continuous field of keys, save for the extra markings explaining their secondary functions. Two buttons below the spacebar provide physical left- and right-click controls, recalling the arrangement on older laptops. Then there’s the per-key RGB lighting, which can turn this relatively understated keyboard into something considerably more colorful. Fortunately, those lights also have practical roles beyond decorating your desk.

Ergonomics

At roughly 403g, the Clevetura S doesn’t ask for much commitment when you’re packing a laptop bag. Its body measures approximately 11.5 inches wide, 5.12 inches deep, and just 0.49 inches (12.4mm) thick, making it easy to accommodate on smaller desks, too. The closely fitted keycaps don’t leave many edges sticking out, although I’d still use the included fabric pouch rather than let them rub against everything else.

The scissor switches feel familiar if you’re coming from a decent laptop keyboard, with around 1.2mm of travel. Typing is perfectly serviceable, though it probably won’t steal the attention of someone devoted to mechanical switches. Folding feet let you raise the back, but there’s only one elevated position. That keeps setup simple, provided you’re comfortable with either the flat profile or the available incline.

The more interesting benefit shows up when you need to scroll through a reference or reposition the cursor between sentences. Instead of reaching sideways, you can make that movement right where you’ve been typing. Your chair and screen position still matter, of course. The Clevetura S simply reduces the back-and-forth, although its flat, closely fitted keys take some getting used to when finding your usual typing rhythm.

Performance

The central key area doubles as the touchpad, automatically switching between recognizing finger movements and registering keypresses. Sliding across letters feels a little peculiar at first, but my fingers didn’t catch on the edges, and pointer control worked well. Scrolling through a document becomes especially convenient when you’re jumping back into writing every few moments. A light tap handles clicking without requiring you to press a letter.

That automatic switching does have to contend with personal habits, however. Mine involves keeping fingers on the home row, which happens to sit inside the touchpad area. This frequently triggered three-finger gestures when I hadn’t intended anything of the sort. Sensitivity adjustments and the option to disable unwanted gestures provide useful flexibility, though finding the right balance is something to budget time for rather than expect immediately.

Clevetura’s Adaptive Intelligence, or AI, can help by selecting a sensitivity level after studying 10,000 typed characters. Training requires the TouchOnKeys app and a USB connection, with touch recognition disabled while it runs. A separate mouse is handy during that process, although you can pause training if necessary. Thankfully, this particular AI has a fairly modest assignment: learning when your fingers mean to type rather than swipe.

The lighting makes that second role easier to follow, and a little more entertaining, too. In my setup, a white trail followed my finger across the keys, almost like leaving a trace of magic behind. Checking the battery dims the surrounding lighting and uses illuminated number keys to show the remaining charge. Even the function row gets involved, with touch sliders for volume and backlight brightness.

Windows recognizes supported touchpad gestures without installing additional software, but TouchOnKeys opens up more settings, including profiles for different apps. Three Bluetooth slots and a USB-C connection let you select between up to four devices, one at a time. That’s useful if your desk serves more than one computer. The cable also handles charging and provides the wired connection required for firmware updates.

Clevetura advertises up to 44 hours of continuous use without backlighting, which is an important qualification for anyone drawn to those colorful effects. That’s the manufacturer’s estimate rather than a result measured here, so it shouldn’t become a promise of weeks between charges. Wired operation remains available at a desk, while wireless endurance deserves particular attention if you’re planning to travel with the lighting switched on.

Sustainability

The aluminum and plastic construction follows a fairly familiar recipe, and there’s no documented recycled content to give the CLVX S a particular advantage on materials. Clevetura rates its keys for 3 million presses, although that remains a manufacturer specification rather than a prediction of service life. The more useful question is how easily this unusual keyboard can be maintained once everyday use starts leaving its mark.

Here, the same integration that makes TouchOnKeys possible also limits what owners can replace. Clevetura warns against removing or swapping keycaps because doing so can damage the keyboard, and the battery isn’t easily user-replaceable either. Routine surface cleaning and manufacturer support therefore matter more than they would on a board designed for tinkering. It’s worth understanding that arrangement before expecting mechanical-keyboard levels of customization or straightforward repairs.

Value

At $199, discounted from $209, the Windows model sits well above the price of many conventional compact keyboards. The extra cost is easier to understand when you consider what you’re paying for: typing and pointer control in the same footprint. Separate devices offer more freedom to choose each component, but they also need more space. Clevetura’s appeal is having those everyday functions share one portable object.

That could be particularly attractive when you’re writing code, checking references, or moving between shortcuts and controls in creative software. Quick navigation stays close, even if detailed drawing or extended pointer work still calls for a separate mouse. The Clevetura S doesn’t have to handle every task equally well to be useful. Its value depends on how often you make those small trips away from the keys.

Verdict

Combining a keyboard and touchpad sounds simple enough until your fingers have to tell the two jobs apart. Clevetura gives that idea a thoughtful physical form, from the closely fitted keys to lighting that explains what’s happening beneath your hands. My habit of resting on the home row made gesture sensitivity especially important, but the pointer control itself worked well and gave the unusual surface a practical purpose.

The Clevetura CLVX S makes the strongest impression when space is limited and typing is regularly interrupted by a scroll or a click. Its price deserves consideration, and the flat surface won’t replace everyone’s favorite keyboard feel. Still, there’s something pleasing about editing a sentence, sliding across the letters to move the cursor, and carrying on without sending a hand off to find another device.

The post Clevetura S Keyboard Review: Swipe Across the Keys Instead of Reaching for a Mouse first appeared on Yanko Design.

The 8 Retro-Inspired Gadgets Of October 2026 That Bring Back the Rituals Smartphones Replaced

Turning a radio dial asks something different of your hand than tapping an app. So does loading a game cartridge, pressing a calculator key, or framing a photograph without checking the result. Smartphones gathered these activities onto one surface, making them convenient and strangely similar. The appeal of a good retro gadget is getting some of those differences back, through controls and objects that give each activity its own character.

These eight designs approach that idea with different degrees of commitment. Some restore an older mechanism; others translate its habits into digital hardware. A cassette silhouette alone cannot bring back tape playback, and a dedicated writing machine won’t automatically improve a sentence. What matters here is the action each object makes possible, alongside the compromises it introduces. This is a collection about choosing an experience, rather than collecting vintage costumes.

1. RetroWave 7-in-1 Radio

The RetroWave 7-in-1 Radio begins with a familiar gesture: turning a tuning dial until something worth hearing comes through. AM, FM, and shortwave reception let you listen without opening a streaming service, while Bluetooth, USB, and microSD playback cover more contemporary habits. Its compact body keeps those choices in one physical object. For a kitchen shelf or workbench, the attraction is straightforward: the radio can supply a soundtrack without turning your phone into the control panel for every listening session.

The extra functions give the nostalgic form a practical purpose. A flashlight, SOS siren, clock, and 2,000mAh battery with phone charging capability broaden its role beyond entertainment. The power arrangements deserve a closer look, though. The USB is the primary charging method, the hand crank is the emergency backup, and solar is the supplementary support. Think of it as an everyday radio with contingency features, rather than assuming that its small solar panel can replace regular charging from an outlet.

Click Here to Buy Now: $89.00

What we like

  • Broadcast radio without internet.
  • USB and microSD music playback.

What we dislike

  • Solar charging is supplementary only.
  • Hand cranking is an emergency backup.

2. Await Camera

Await borrows the disposable camera’s discipline without using film. Rolling Square’s digital camera organizes pictures into rolls of 24, with no image preview to inspect after each shot. An optical viewfinder handles framing, while a small OLED shows status and remaining frames. The translucent body and interchangeable magnetic faceplates connect it to playful consumer electronics of the 1990s. Its most consequential choice is removing the immediate review, encouraging you to decide before pressing the shutter rather than shooting endless alternatives.

The proposed workflow carries that restraint beyond the camera. Its free companion app processes rolls with a vintage-inspired filter and offers optional mailed prints, while USB-C lets you export original files directly to a computer. You can keep photographs digital without paying for printing. That makes Await interesting for trips or gatherings where reviewing pictures can wait.

Click Here to Buy Now: $100 $145 (31% off). Hurry, only 6/800 left! Raised over $109,000.

What we like

  • Optional prints without buying film.

What we dislike

  • Printing introduces ongoing costs.

3. Freewrite Smart Typewriter Gen3 Valentine Edition

Freewrite’s Valentine Edition draws on the Olivetti Valentine, translating that typewriter’s red personality into an aluminum digital drafting machine. A mechanical keyboard with box brown switches sits below an E Ink display, giving writing its own dedicated surface. The appeal is especially clear for someone whose journals and first drafts currently live in a phone’s notes app. Sitting down at this keyboard creates a specific activity, rather than adding another task alongside messages, browser tabs, and social feeds.

The typewriter reference doesn’t extend to paper or ink ribbons. Drafts save locally, synchronize to Freewrite’s Postbox service over Wi-Fi, and can also transfer through USB. A matching carrying case and strap are included, extending the red treatment beyond the machine itself. This is a tool for getting words down before finishing them elsewhere, so it suits a deliberate drafting habit better than general computing.

What we like

  • Mechanical keyboard and dedicated drafting display.
  • Local saving with cloud and USB transfer.

What we dislike

  • Drafting focus limits its broader usefulness.

4. Tivoli Audio SongBook MAX

The SongBook MAX revives the boombox as something you carry into a room and operate directly. Tivoli Audio gives it a handle, a large tuning knob, physical switches, and separate sliders for low, middle, and high frequencies. Those controls make adjusting music part of listening, rather than a menu buried inside an app. FM radio adds another useful distinction: you can let a station make the selections. Bluetooth remains available when choosing your own soundtrack matters more than broadcast discovery.

Where the RetroWave offers compact utility, the SongBook MAX makes a larger commitment to shared listening. It weighs 11.5 pounds, and its quarter-inch input and built-in preamp also allow compatible instruments to join the session. Tivoli specifies up to 10 hours of battery life and IPX4 water resistance, which means splash resistance rather than waterproofing. Its multiple drivers form a mono speaker system, not stereo.

What we like

  • Physical EQ sliders make adjustments accessible.
  • Radio and instrument input broaden its role.

What we dislike

  • Heavy for a portable speaker.
  • Mono playback, with current stock limitations.

5. TWEMCO BQ-38 Calendar Flip Clock

The TWEMCO BQ-38 gives the date somewhere to live outside your lock screen. Its long rectangular face combines an analog clock with three calendar windows displaying the weekday, date, and month on physical flipping cards. That distinction matters: the hands tell the time, while the cards handle the calendar. The orange version makes the arrangement particularly expressive, with white lettering against dark cards and a bright surrounding case. It reads as an object designed to remain visible, rather than disappear.

For a desk or shelf, the useful consequence is modest but welcome. You can check the date without picking up anything, entering a passcode, or encountering a notification. Retrospekt lists a battery-powered quartz movement and a single C battery, so there’s no charging cable to accommodate. The BQ-38 has no alarm, though, making it a calendar clock rather than a complete bedside replacement for your phone. The supplied retailer listing also currently shows it sold out, so finding stock comes first.

What we like

  • Real calendar cards beside an analog clock.
  • Battery power avoids a visible cable.

What we dislike

  • No alarm function.
  • Currently sold out at Retrospekt.

6. Casio CA-53WB Calculator Watch

Casio’s CA-53WB makes a miniature piece of computing hardware part of getting dressed. Its design references the Casio Mini calculator introduced in 1972, carrying over green characters on a negative LCD, grid lines between the number keys, and a red mode indicator that recalls a power light. Black, blue, green, and ivory versions draw from the calculator family’s palette. These details give the watch a specific design history, rather than relying on a vague suggestion that anything digital looks retro.

The calculator performs basic arithmetic with up to eight digits, alongside dual time, a stopwatch, and an alarm. That won’t replace a scientific calculator, and the small keypad makes this a deliberate alternative to reaching for your phone, not an obvious shortcut. Its stronger everyday argument is having time and simple calculations immediately available on your wrist. Casio specifies a 25-gram weight and approximately five years of battery life, avoiding the regular charging routine associated with many more elaborate wearables.

What we like

  • Specific, carefully carried-over calculator details.
  • Time and arithmetic without a phone.

What we dislike

  • Tiny keys require careful input.
  • Eight-digit arithmetic has clear limits.

7. Analogue Pocket

Choosing a cartridge gives a gaming session a physical beginning. The Analogue Pocket preserves that gesture, accepting original Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance cartridges directly. Its directional pad and buttons also keep controls separate from the image, unlike a touchscreen overlay. The modern part is the 3.5-inch, 1600 × 1440 LCD, with display modes that reproduce characteristics of older handheld screens. It’s a way to revisit the games while choosing how much of their original presentation to retain.

Analogue uses FPGA hardware to implement the supported systems, while modern conveniences include USB-C charging and save states. The built-in Nanoloop synthesizer and sequencer give the handheld a second life as a music-making device. For this collection, though, the cartridge slot remains the defining feature: picking one game can make play feel more intentional than browsing an app library. Other systems require separately sold adapters, and television output needs the optional Dock. The original handheld ritual comes with an accessory ecosystem.

What we like

  • Original cartridges and physical controls.
  • Modern display with vintage presentation options.

What we dislike

  • Other cartridge systems need adapters.
  • TV output requires a separate Dock.

8. Side A Cassette Speaker

The Side A Cassette Speaker needs one distinction made immediately: it looks like a cassette, but it doesn’t play tapes. Its transparent shell and Side A label borrow the mixtape’s visual identity, while the hardware inside handles Bluetooth 5.3 and MP3 playback from microSD. The more interesting connection to old listening habits is that second option. Loading a card with a chosen set of tracks gives the little speaker its own music supply, rather than making it another destination for phone audio.

Its clear storage case doubles as a stand, turning the familiar cassette-and-case pairing into a small desktop arrangement. That makes sense for a speaker intended to sit nearby rather than occupy an entire shelf. The nostalgic shape earns its place when paired with an intentionally assembled card, not simply by resembling something older.

Click Here to Buy Now: $49.00

What we like

  • microSD playback can leave the phone aside.
  • Storage case doubles as a stand.

What we dislike

  • Cannot play actual cassette tapes.
  • Card playback supports MP3 files only.

Give One Habit Its Own Object

The useful starting point is a habit you already enjoy, rather than a decade you wish your home resembled. A dedicated object earns its space when its controls, limits, or physical presence improve that particular activity for you. Otherwise, it becomes another thing to charge, store, and occasionally dust. Nostalgia can make an introduction, but it shouldn’t have to carry the entire relationship once the novelty of ownership wears off.

There’s no need to reconstruct a whole room of separate devices to recover one satisfying interaction. Start with the moment that feels least rewarding on your phone, and consider what you actually miss about doing it another way. It might be a button, a visible calendar, or the decision to choose before beginning. The worthwhile purchase is the object you’ll keep using after you stop thinking of it as retro.

The post The 8 Retro-Inspired Gadgets Of October 2026 That Bring Back the Rituals Smartphones Replaced first appeared on Yanko Design.

ADHD ONE Lets You Answer iPhone Calls on a DIY 1980s-Style Brick

Answering a call on your smartphone can easily turn into checking messages, opening an app, and forgetting why you picked it up. ADHD ONE keeps that familiar temptation out of your hand, at least while you’re talking. This DIY, 3D-printed Bluetooth handset borrows the shape of a 1980s brick phone, letting you answer iPhone calls while the touchscreen stays tucked away nearby.

The deliberately bulky body puts a speaker grille at the top and a projecting mouthpiece at the bottom, with a narrow OLED display between the grille and keypad. Rounded physical buttons take over from glass, giving dialing and ending a call their own controls. It’s a very recognizable arrangement, even if younger owners might wonder why anyone would willingly carry something this conspicuous.

Designer: Kevin Noki

Of course, the oversized antenna doesn’t mean you’ve escaped modern technology completely. The handset connects to an iPhone over Bluetooth, so that phone still handles the cellular connection and must remain within range. You can leave it in a drawer while reading or working, with the iPhone’s Focus settings deciding which callers are allowed to interrupt your afternoon in the first place.

That retro character isn’t fixed to a single appearance, either. The printable enclosure comes with three speaker grille styles, ranging from perforations to horizontal stripes, plus three antenna designs. There’s even a housing that leaves the antenna opening closed. Builders can choose a cleaner outline or keep the exaggerated silhouette, although removing that long protrusion does take away a rather obvious visual joke.

The shape also came together through a surprisingly hands-on process. Before committing to the printed enclosure, its proportions were explored using foam and a hot-wire cutter. That’s an old industrial design habit with a practical purpose: you can hold a full-size shape and remove material as needed. A digital model can describe a handset without telling you how it occupies your hand.

Getting one, however, involves more than choosing a color. The available product is a €29.99 (around $34) digital download, not a finished handset. It includes printable parts, compiled firmware, circuit-board manufacturing files, a component list, and a build guide. You’ll need to source the required electronics and assemble everything yourself, while editable design files and firmware source code aren’t part of the package.

A boxed DIY kit isn’t available, and its release hasn’t been scheduled. There’s also a standalone 4G version under development, according to the maker, but that shouldn’t be confused with this Bluetooth build. For now, the brick remains an accessory to the smartphone you’re avoiding. Leaving your iPhone at home and taking only this handset would miss an important detail.

Having a separate handset does mean finding room for another device and remembering to charge it. Its bulky outline also makes the idea easier to imagine on a desk than in a jeans pocket. But once you’ve finished talking, there isn’t a social feed waiting behind the call screen. You can put the brick down without deciding what else to do on it.

The post ADHD ONE Lets You Answer iPhone Calls on a DIY 1980s-Style Brick first appeared on Yanko Design.

Ato’s Radio-Inspired AI Assistant Trades Touchscreens for a Button and Knob

Keeping in touch shouldn’t require learning another app, but small icons and unfamiliar menus can turn a simple family message into an unwanted chore. Ato approaches that problem with a screen-free AI voice assistant for older adults, packaged more like a tabletop radio than a computer. Designed by Boostep for Ato, the new version has progressed through physical prototypes, with customer deliveries scheduled for the future.

The rounded cream housing and woven front borrow their character from familiar domestic electronics. There’s no glossy display competing with the room, just a textured face and a bright orange button. The resemblance is intentional, drawing on radios, record players, and televisions. It gives the assistant something recognizable to wear without pretending that everyone over a certain age wants the same thing.

Designer: Boostep for Ato

That orange button gives the voice-first interface a physical starting point. Press it and begin talking, rather than remembering which icon opens a conversation. A large volume knob projects from the side, with small dimples around its edge. Turning something you can locate by touch seems a sensible alternative to searching for tiny volume symbols on a smooth and otherwise featureless surface.

The family side of the arrangement still uses a smartphone app. Relatives can set reminders and send messages, while the person at home interacts through speech. An appointment reminder or a note about Sunday lunch could arrive without making the recipient navigate the same interface. The complexity hasn’t disappeared altogether; it’s been placed where family members can manage it more conveniently.

Of course, Ato isn’t intended to wait silently for instructions all day. The company describes proactive check-ins and conversation, alongside radio and spoken information. That gives the device reasons to stay near a favorite chair instead of becoming something used only for reminders. Companionship is the intention, though, not evidence that an AI conversation can replace time spent with other people.

At approximately 5.5 inches tall, the enclosure is small enough to sit beside a chair rather than dominate a shelf. USB-C supplies power, and there’s no battery inside, so its place on a shelf still needs an outlet nearby. Wi-Fi is required too. You can move it between rooms, but power and network access determine where it can actually keep you company.

A familiar exterior doesn’t settle questions about listening and privacy, however. Ato says it doesn’t retain audio recordings or let relatives read conversation transcripts, although it stores selected personal facts for future conversations. That matters when conversation is the product’s main purpose. The company also states that Ato isn’t a medical device and cannot contact emergency services, so it isn’t a substitute for dedicated emergency equipment.

The device is listed at $179 plus shipping, with deliveries scheduled for February 2027. Basic messaging, reminders, and radio remain free, while unlimited conversations require an optional membership listed at $249 annually. The upfront price therefore isn’t the whole decision. Someone expecting long daily chats would need to budget for the service, not just find a place for the speaker.

The post Ato’s Radio-Inspired AI Assistant Trades Touchscreens for a Button and Knob first appeared on Yanko Design.

Arc’s Bracelet Concept Quietly Nudges You to Stop Scrolling

A lot of us have become more conscious about how much time we spend scrolling through our smart devices. Some are using apps and other software designed to limit how we use specific apps that get us doomscrolling on a regular basis. There are also devices whose main purpose is to get us away from our screens. So, for some of us, the solution to limiting our screen time is still found on a screen.

Belgian studio Futurewave has come up with a concept to help you deal with that, and it wants you to look fashionable doing so. Arc is a sculptural bracelet designed to connect to your phone. Through a phone-accessible portal, you’d select apps and set a time limit for uninterrupted use across them. When time is up, the bracelet would give you a tactile nudge to remind you to put your phone away. It’s a discreet approach that doesn’t add another screen to check.

Designer: Futurewave

Arc looks like a bracelet that you’d wear on any day, and its proposed Argentium silver construction makes it easy to pair with your OOTD. It serves as a screen-time reminder, but there is no display to constantly check or any button to push. Instead, a piezoelectric component would send a brief tactile pulse through the silver into your wrist. After the first reminder, you’d get another identical pulse if you kept using your phone, but after that, you’re on your own. So don’t worry about getting continual nudges until you obey the bracelet. These are mechanical pulses, not electric shocks.

Some people don’t like wearing trackers, or at least those that look like trackers, so the jewelry-first design could also be an attractive draw. You get a continuous, organic metal form to wear on your wrist, which could become part of your aesthetic. Those who don’t know about its intended function might think it’s just a new bracelet you got. Its unusual shape could be a conversation starter, while the reminders themselves are intended to stay discreet, without a display announcing what you’re doing.

The shape also has more behind it than simply hiding electronics in something shiny. Arc reinterprets the torc, an open-ended metal ornament, with rounded volumes following a single curve. Futurewave cites rib cages, wishbones, and seed pods among its references. There is no clasp or hinge, so those connected forms carry the design without a separate fastening mechanism interrupting them. The studio says development included 3D-printed form studies and prototypes in stainless steel and titanium.

Inside, the proposed design uses a flexible circuit board that follows the bracelet’s curve, along with Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity and a curved 25 mAh battery. The electronics are meant to remain hidden from the outside. Those details explain how Futurewave intends to fit the technology into the jewelry, although a battery capacity alone doesn’t tell us how often someone would need to charge it.

The important distinction is that Arc wouldn’t actually stop you from opening an app or continuing to scroll. Futurewave’s proposal leaves that choice with you. That could appeal to someone who wants a reminder rather than a lockout, especially when a quick check has quietly turned into a longer session. Of course, it also means you could ignore both pulses. The bracelet might help you notice the habit, but following through would still be your job.

Arc remains a concept, with no announced launch date, so its ability to change screen-time habits shouldn’t be treated as proven. Futurewave also intends it to remain wearable as jewelry after its electronics stop working. That’s a practical reason for making the bracelet something you’d want to wear in the first place. Even if its digital function eventually gives out, you wouldn’t necessarily have to retire it to the drawer where your old gadgets live.

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