While it’s of course always a comfort to be working in a place with air conditioning, there are still times when it might be too cold for you. Or you may sometimes be working outdoors when the weather is a bit too cool / cold for comfort. Not all places have a heater for your convenience so a portable heater may just be the solution. But again, not all portable heaters are actually portable or convenient. This new one from DeLonghi may be the ideal one, and it’s also mindful of the environment.
Designer: Noi Creative for DeLonghi
The DeLonghi Capsule Desk Loop is a personal fan ceramic heater that you can place on your desk or wherever you are working so you can “work or relax in peace.” It has a special air grid design that brings you a convenient airflow speed and distribution when you need that soft warmth for your sedentary activities. The designers call the air grid the Flame pattern which actually creates an illusion of heat and flames from your heating source.
It looks like your typical heater but it’s small enough that you can carry it around with you and it’s also more stylishly designed. It is also more environmentally-friendly than most personal heaters as it uses 50% recycled plastic, a first for a DeLonghi product. It also uses 5.5 times lower energy consumption at just 360W, making it eco-friendly not just in the design but also in its function. It also is not as noisy as normal heaters as it just gives you a quiet 39dB operation so you can really work in peace without an annoying hum in the background.
Having a device that can create your very own micro-climate while working may not be a priority but it is pretty convenient to have especially if you work in places where you can get easily cold. That can solve some of the office arguments that can happen when there’s a mix of people who are either too cold or too warm.
Gone are the days when lighting designs were boring and typically designed objects that did nothing but add light to a living space. A well-designed lighting fixture should not only have the ability to illuminate any living space but also add that extra oomph factor! I mean, of course, we need them to see in the dark, but as highly functional as they should be, a lighting fixture also needs to be aesthetically pleasing, adding an attractive and visually soothing element to your home or office space. And if it manages to be portable – then well it’s everything you could ask for. From a Japanese lantern candle to a collapsible lighting design – these unique lighting designs are what you need to elevate your living or working space!
1. Japanese Lantern Candle
Inspired by a traditional Japanese ‘chouchin’ lantern, this Japanese lantern candle features a billowy pillar shape and emits an ambient and ethereal-looking glow. This lantern is a lighting design that can add some peace and calm to your hectic workday and is also easily moveable from one place to another.
The lantern candle is a modern and contemporary take on an iconic Japanese design. It has a minimalist design that is portable, allowing you to carry it with you. It creates a relaxing glow and is a handcrafted piece by artisans in Kurashiki, Japan. It is a prime specimen of accurate and meticulous craftsmanship.
What we like
The candle’s wax is non-melting, which provides a beautiful clarity on the candle
What we dislike
The lantern can be a fire hazard, so you need to place it carefully around pets and children
2. The Tomori Lantern Kit
The Tomori Lantern Kit is an innovative kit that lets you build your own lantern, and then put it aside once you’re done using it! It doesn’t function as a ready-made lantern, and once it collapses, it doesn’t occupy much space. You can also snugly fit a conventional flashlight inside it!
A foldable cardboard piece functions as the base of the kit, as a flashlight holder, and as a stable structure for the lamp. The kit features an LED flashlight that you can use when it is not fitted inside the lantern. But the cardboard base can also accommodate any other cylindrical flashlight that is less than 30mm in diameter and 160mm in length.
What we like
The whole kit can be folded down into a flat A4-sized package which is ideal for stashing and packing away
A fun experience to put together and create your lantern
What we dislike
The lantern cannot withstand rain
3. Gingko Smart Diffuser Lamp
Called the Gingko Smart Diffuser Lamp, this quaint-looking lamp has a monolithic form that holds a fragrance diffuser in its upper half, and a well-designed ergonomic lamp in its lower half. The lamp works well for desks, but can also be used as a portable design to be carried anywhere with you.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Gingko Smart Diffuser Lamp is made from a combination of wood, copper, and frosted acrylic glass, providing it with an earthy and warm appearance which is one of the signature features of all Gingko’s products.
What we like
A portable and dual-functional device that you can carry with you with ease
What we dislike
Some people may not prefer wood as their material of choice for diffusers
4. Harmony Flame Fireplace
Coined the Harmony Flame Fireplace, this stunning brass lamp lets you enjoy a pretty and safe fire indoors. It uses eco-friendly bioethanol to spread light and warmth throughout your home. The technique used to build musical instruments was used to build the fireplace.
The Harmony Flame Fireplace is created to uplift and enhance the mood of indoor spaces. The reflective surfaces of the fireplaces, and the vivid flames play around with shadows and light to form a decorative piece that is aesthetically appealing for your dining table or your patio!
What we like
You can enjoy a warm, pretty, and safe fire inside your home
What we dislike
The lamp is powered using bioethanol which is eco-friendly, but needs to be purchased again for refilling, which in turn creates a fuel dependency
The lamp’s fuel capacity and compact size do not support long-term extended use
5. Anywhere-Use Lamp
The Anywhere-Use Lamp is a minimalist portable table lamp that is a relief in a world populated with harsh lighting and big glaring screens. The lamp offers a touch of tranquility and elegance when placed in a living space. It has a mushroom-inspired head emitting a soft and warm ambient glow.
The lamp is powered by four AA batteries, and it has a modular modular that delivers amazing atmospheric enhancement wherever you decide to place it. The lamp features six high-color rendering LEDS, which radiates a soothing luminescence, transforming any space into an oasis of peace.
What we like
Feature 4 brightness level
Easy to disassemble, store in a bag, and carry anywhere with you
What we dislike
The lamp is not water-resistant
It utilizes four AA batteries
6. Madco Table Lamp
Dubbed the Madco Table Lamp, and designed by Italian designer Elisa Ossino for the Japanese brand Ambientec, this lamp is a subtle, minimalist, and delicate recreation of festive Japanese lanterns. They aim to bring Japanese culture to your home in a convenient and portable form.
Why is it noteworthy?
The lamp is designed to be portable, and it can be recharged using a UBC-C. The designer says that you should take the lamp outside, as it is waterproof, and will create a pretty and intriguing interplay with plants. It can be hung from its handle as well!
What we like
Features a portable and flexible form
Adds a pop of color and Japanese culture to your living space
What we dislike
The lamp seems to be a bit fragile and easily breakable, must be handled with care
7. Iyer’s Lamp Design
Designed by Shail Iyer, this sleek lamp design is an experiment on modern minimalism, to create a lighting fixture that is simple yet multifunctional. Iyer tried to present his take on modern minimalism, which entails taking up minimum space while doing maximum work – and this lighting design is the final result.
Why is it noteworthy?
The portable desk lamp looks much like a modern lamp light lantern, and it features a multi-shaped silhouette. The body has a large cylindrical shape, with a sturdy bottom for stability. What makes the lamp interesting is that it can be hung from a hook, or even rested on top of a flat surface.
What we like
Compact, easy-to-carry form
Multifunctional design that can be hooked or placed on a flat surface
What we dislike
It’s a conceptual design, so we don’t know how well it will translate into a tangible product
8. Stella
Called Stella, this exquisite-looking lighting design was created as a part of the 2023 New Collection lighting products by COG Design Studio x Bonakia. The ethereal-esque lighting design was built through a mix of multiple techniques – repetition and transforming, and by employing various geometric shapes.
Why is it noteworthy?
It features an interesting triangular intaglio shape and is built using acrylic material. The goal behind the design was to observe the sensibility of light when it is transmitted to a detailed intaglio pattern.
What we like
Stella radiates an ambient and seductive glow
Portable design that can be placed wherever you like
What we dislike
The lamp should be carefully cleaned and maintained, as it looks quite fragile
You should move the lamp around with caution, as it could fall and break
9. Z-Lamp
Dubbed the Z-lamp, this innovative lamp has a collapsible feature that makes it easy to carry around. It features a ridged silicone shade that lets the lamp expand or contract, letting you control the lamp’s overall brightness as well. It is equipped with a collapsible silicon clad that sits over the LED base.
Why is it noteworthy?
Once you expand the entire silicone cover, it functions as a large diffuser, that scatters more light in all directions. Once you compact it, the diffuser’s size reduces and dims the LED’s intensity. The lamp is simple, smart, and engaging!
What we like
Unique collapsible feature that converts it into an easy-to-carry design
What we dislike
10. Float
Called Float, this cute battery-powered design can create ambient restaurant lighting wherever you like. Designed by the Italian brand Axolight, this lighting design is a versatile product that can be placed on a desk, used as a lamp, or even fixed on a wall.
Why is it noteworthy?
Float has a minimal shape and form, that allows it to easily merge with both indoor and outdoor spaces – whether it is a home or a restaurant patio. You could also place the lighting design over an empty bottle, and create your own pretend-restaurant experience.
What we like
Battery lasts for 9 hours, you can use it wirelessly as well
Features a 5-step touch dimmer, allowing you to adjust the lighting
Projectors are becoming a popular alternative to extra large screens like TVs, mostly at home but sometimes even outdoors. Product design trends have started to move away from bulky boxes to more compact forms, but most of them are still restricted by a few design considerations. Even projectors that are supposedly designed for portability often come with clunky and sometimes unattractive stands, or worse, require setting up on tripods just to get the perfect angle. This concept design tries to solve that problem in a rather creative way, offering a highly compact and portable projector that can be propped up and angled conveniently, all without using a tripod or even a stand.
Thanks to progress in technology and manufacturing, it’s now possible to cram much of the electronics that powered large, hulking projectors into something the size of a small box or even a cylinder. But despite the smaller designs, or probably because of their more cramped designs, these portable projectors often rely on an external mechanism like a tripod or stand to prop them up at the desired angle. Not only does this ruin the aesthetics of the otherwise beautiful product, it also makes it cumbersome to bring the projector along wherever you go.
The Slim.VU concept tries to offer the ultimate on-the-go entertainment experience by encapsulating all the needed parts and design in a single, compact, and portable package. A projector with a built-in battery is not exactly new, but one that comes with 4G connectivity is still unheard of. That enables the projector to function not only without an external power source but even without a Wi-Fi connection, allowing it to access streaming sources without having to use up your phone’s cellular data.
The more interesting aspect of the projector’s design, however, is the built-in stand that looks nothing like a stand. The removable “cap” of this tumbler-like projector functions as this stand, holding the projector in its place magnetically. The curved shape of this stand lets you rotate the cylindrical projector and angle it properly. This way, you don’t need any other accessory to enjoy a video anytime you want, anywhere you go.
The Slim.VU projector concept contains everything you need, freeing you from concerns about power, connectivity, and stability. Of course, actually implementing such a projector is a different matter entirely, and it might need to make a few compromises in exchange for its compact form. Audio and video quality might actually take a hit just to cram this much technology inside a canister shape, making the portable projector less ideal for outdoor use, or even indoor when there’s too much ambient light.
Coffee is often touted as the fuel that runs the world, but not everyone is a lover of the brown liquid. For others, tea is what gets them going, whether perking them up for the work ahead or putting them in a more relaxed state. But just like coffee, good tea isn’t something you can just make any time, even though it’s technically a bit easier to steep and infuse tea leaves compared to coffee beans that still have to be ground. Keeping the freshly brewed tea still fresh when and where you actually want to drink it can also be a bit of a problem, especially if you spend a lot of time outside. This portable smart bottle solves all of that by letting you brew your favorite tea anywhere you need it and keeping it warm so you can enjoy it all day, wherever you go.
To be fair, you can actually brew tea anywhere as long as you have all the necessary pieces, which include the tea leaves, a way to boil water, and a brewing chamber to steep the leaves in the water. The problem is that you need to bring that many pieces with you, which is almost the same as saying you can’t. That’s where Bota comes in, an all-in-one smart tea bottle that lets you do all of those, keep your brewed tea hot, and let you enjoy your favorite flavors as you go about your day or even night.
Bota includes everything you need in a single bottle. It holds and then boils water at the specific temperature you need for brewing. It has a steeping chamber to hold the tea leaves separately from the rest of the bottle, allowing for hassle-free cleaning afterward. And it can keep that tea hot for about 12 hours, presuming you don’t finish that delight cup before then. Drink a hot cup of tea any time or brew a fresh batch when you get the chance. All you need are the tea leaves and water.
Despite all those features mashed together, Bota manages to come in a sleek and portable form, making it easy to throw the bottle in your bag when you’re in a rush (after you’ve securely closed the lid, of course). There are no complicated buttons either, just a single touch screen and button to set the temperature and start the boil. It’s a stress-free experience for making a drink that’s associated with calmness and relaxation.
There’s also an indirect sustainability angle to this portable device that also gives you a good feeling while you take a sip. You produce less waste by doing away with single-use cups and using tea leaves directly, so you can make as much tea as you want without adding to the planet’s trash problem. This way, you can relax and enjoy your favorite drink knowing that you’re healthy lifestyle doesn’t come at the cost of the Earth’s health.
Have you ever wished to put your knickknacks and small treasured mementos in your personal Metaverse room? Or maybe you need a replacement part for a toy or machine that has long gone out of production. You can try modeling these real-world objects using sophisticated 3D software, but not only is it a painstaking process, the end result might not be as accurate and precise as the real thing. What you need is a simple yet powerful tool to digitize physical objects, and that’s what Revopoint’s upgraded MINI 2 handheld 3D scanner offers, providing designers, makers, and all kinds of creatives the power they need to scan small objects not only with speed but, more importantly, with accuracy and precision as well.
3D scanning was once confined to large machines inside professional studios, but thanks to advancements in technology, you can now hold such a scanner in your hand that offers a high level of accuracy and an accessible price tag. You might think that a handheld, portable device would have to sacrifice features just for the sake of size, but the Revopoint MINI 2 3D scanner breaks from the mold and surpasses expectations. With its blue light-powered single-frame precision of up to 0.02 mm and an accuracy reaching up to 0.05 mm, it makes short work of any small object you throw at it, quickly turning real-world three-dimensional objects into their virtual 3D counterparts.
Single Capture Range @ Nearest Distance 52 x 64 @ 120 mm
Single Capture Range @ Furthest Distance 168 x 132 @ 250 mm
An insect scanned by Revopoint MINI 2. Credit: PUTV
The Revopoint MINI 2 presents a significant upgrade from its predecessor across the board. Its single-frame scanning range now reaches 168 mm x 132 mm at a distance of 250 mm, and the scanning speed is now faster at 16 fps. The RGB camera doubles its pixel count and even comes with a larger aperture that lets more light in, allowing it to capture more intricate color details than before. And with a new flash LED system that removes shadows from the object, you can get more uniform colors as well.
Up to 16 fps Scanning Speeds – Create ready-to-use models in seconds.
A 50-cent coin scanned by Revopoint MINI 2. Credit: PUTV.
A ring scanned by Revopoint MINI 2. Credit: PUTV
The MINI 2 isn’t just a leap in power, it is also easier to use as well. A 9-axis IMU (inertial measurement unit) makes sure you still get properly aligned frames, even with shaky hands or fast movement. Revopoint also added tactile buttons directly on the device to make it easier to start or pause the scan and adjust the depth camera’s exposure right then and there, saving you from having to fumble for the right buttons to tap on a phone or a computer. And to make sure the scanned data is also transmitted quickly, the new MINI 2 gets a new USB-C port and support for Wi-Fi 6 for wired and wireless connectivity options.
Up to 2 Megapixels Depth/RGB Cameras Resolution
With more powerful features in a compact and portable package, the Revopoint MINI 2 creates a world of possibilities when scanning small objects quickly and accurately. Scan a part of a toy or a machine to 3D print a replacement when parts are no longer available. Scan pieces of art or historical artifacts to preserve mankind’s legacy for future generations. Or scan designs, prototypes, and other physical items to integrate these objects into your creative workflow. Whether you’re 3D printing gears for replacements, scanning body parts for non-invasive medical analysis, or designing for realistic virtual worlds, the Revopoint MINI 2 3D scanner delivers the precision and power you need to get the job done right at a shockingly cost-effective price point.
One of the most tedious things that I experienced more than once is moving houses. Well for one thing, I have so much stuff so packing them all up and then unpacking them at my new place can be such a pain. So sometimes I wonder if I could just have all of my things and furniture in just one box that I can move from one place to another if I need to not stay in one place. Well, there are now tiny houses that can do just that, provided you can fit everything you own in that space.
There are a lot of tiny houses already available out there but this one is truly portable and high-tech. The Grande S1 is a pre-fabricated tiny home that can be packed up in a huge box and can be transported to where you need to go. And once you’re ready to settle down in that place, it can unpack itself and expand to a 20-foot-wide living space, complete with furniture and all the stuff that you can fit in that place. Once completely expanded, it has a full width of 20 feet and 364 square feet and it’s “street legal” which is an important requirement for those that need to actually live in that house.
To open up the house, you need to fold out the awning and the stairs and lower the stabilizing posts first. After that, you just press the button and it will unfold in all its mechanical glory. Inside, you have a dining space, living room, kitchen, bathroom, home office, and bedroom. All of the furniture can be folded in and out or stowed away into compartments because, of course, you need to put them somewhere when the house will fold into itself. For example, the queen-sized Murphy bed and the office desk can be stowed into the wall while the dining table can be folded on both sides and the chairs inserted into it.
If you’re getting ready to move again, you just need to stow away the desk, bed, and dining table and then put the sofa in the front entry area while the office chair and coffee table can fit into the bathroom. Then you remove the stabilizing posts and then with another press of a button, the house will then fold itself up and you’ll be ready to move in just 10 minutes. Oh and this tiny house can go off grid as it powered by a1,400-watt array solar panels connected to a 5-kilowatt Lycan power box.
In the ever-evolving landscape of contemporary work environments, the demand for functional, adaptable, and visually appealing workspaces has never been more pronounced. In response to this need, the Portable Compartment Desk Looha emerges as a design revelation—a transformative piece that seamlessly integrates practicality and aesthetics into the modern workspace.
Looha’s standout feature lies in its portable compartments, crafted from wires, designed to reimagine workspace organization. These dividers are not just functional but also customizable, allowing users to curate their workspace effortlessly. The elimination of cable clutter is not just a practicality but a testament to the meticulous attention to detail in the design.
The foldable legs of the desk redefine the concept of mobility and flexibility in a workspace. This design element ensures that the desk can effortlessly transition between locations or be conveniently stored when not in use. The adaptability to changing workspaces is a nod to the dynamic nature of contemporary work lifestyles.
Another noteworthy feature is the inclusion of portable trays within the desk. These trays offer adaptable spaces for stationery, books, and tech devices, contributing to an organized and efficient work environment. The design philosophy here is clear: functionality and practicality are seamlessly intertwined.
The easy-fold seating unit not only adds to the portability but simplifies the setup and dismantling of the desk. This intuitive feature underscores the user-centric approach, making Looha a time-saving solution for those who value efficiency.
Looha transcends the ordinary to become a harmonious blend of functionality and elegance. It doesn’t just organize your space; it transforms it into an aesthetic haven, fostering both organization and productivity.
The choice of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) as the material for the desk showcases a commitment to durability, environmental consciousness, lightweight design, chemical resistance, and ease of maintenance. This intentional selection aligns the design with both longevity and eco-friendliness.
The deliberate use of soft colors in the desk’s design is a testament to the understanding that aesthetics play a vital role in enhancing the user experience. The calming and timeless hues promote focus, ensuring that the desk seamlessly integrates into various design schemes.
Beyond its primary function, the desk’s perforated wire dividers serve a dual purpose by providing pinboard functionality. This innovative feature transforms the workspace into a personalized bulletin board, allowing users to infuse their personality into the environment.
The Portable Compartment Desk Looha stands as more than a piece of furniture; it’s a design statement—a testament to thoughtful innovation, adaptability, and aesthetics. As a design journalist, it is clear that Looha is not just a desk; it’s a narrative, a design journey that elevates the mundane into the extraordinary.
Although the handheld gaming trend has been going strong recently, especially with the likes of the Nintendo Switch and the Steam Deck leading the market, major console makers haven’t taken the plunge completely yet. Granted, Xbox isn’t too concerned because every Windows gaming handheld PC can theoretically run some of its titles, but Sony introduced a rather odd and quite unsatisfying version of this idea. The PlayStation Portal isn’t being “portable” for a reason, since it basically just streams games from the PS5 sitting somewhere in your house. Take it to more enterprising creators to bring the PlayStation 5 Portable dream to life, like this rather impressive gigantic PlayStation 5 “Tablet Edition” that is very much worth all the hard work involved.
The PlayStation 5 diverges from generations of console design with a sleek, futuristic, yet also alien aesthetic that some have compared to a trophy. But it’s especially thanks to that new design, especially the improvement Sony quietly made after launching the console, that makes this creative endeavor even possible. In a nutshell, Sony trimmed the PS5 motherboard down to a smaller size that could be made to fit inside a thick and hefty 14-inch tablet. That, however, was the least of the project’s problems, considering the things inside that actually make the bulk of the PS5’s, well, bulk.
The PlayStation 5 generates around 200W of heat at full power, so the majority of the console’s internals are actually devoted to thermal management. These include bulky fans and a strange-looking heatsink that would never fit any portable design. That’s why the majority of the effort around this PS5 tablet was spent on figuring out an equally efficient thermal management system that didn’t take up too much vertical space. Thanks to some creative thinking and a lot of research, that problem was eventually solved to much satisfaction.
With the biggest engineering hurdle out of the way, putting the rest of the giant tablet was relatively easier. A 3D-printed shell had to be made that matched the black-and-white aesthetic of the PS5. The screen of choice for this project was a 14-inch OLED salvaged from a broken laptop, allowing game graphics to really shine. Finally, an external power source had to be designed since the original PS5 power supply was just too large and too weird to use as is.
After much work, the PS5 Tablet Edition, a.k.a. PS GO, was ready to be put to the test, and the end result is truly impressive, both from the thermal aspect and especially in performance and visual quality. It’s a truly portable system that can fit inside a backpack, though you’ll have to plug it somewhere to actually use it. Then again, the idea was to create a more social console that you can take to your friend’s or relative’s house so that you can enjoy the experience together, rather than sitting in a corner, alone in the dark, mashing the buttons on your handheld PC.
3D scanning has traditionally been the domain of big production studios and companies because of the size of the equipment and their prohibitive costs. With the arrival of handheld scanners, however, the doors were thrown wide open for anyone in any field to make their own 3D models from real-world objects, whether it’s for fun, art, health, or profit.
Typical handheld 3D scanners work great when working with small objects that are no larger than the device itself. Of course, real-world objects like car parts, whole vehicles, and even human bodies are quite big and push these smaller scanners to the limit. Enter the new Revopont RANGE 2, the latest in a line of lightweight but powerful 3D scanners designed to handle large objects without breaking a sweat, making sure that your creativity and productivity aren’t limited by the size of your model.
Revopoint RANGE 2 is a portable handheld dual depth camera structured infrared light 3D scanner designed for capturing large objects like furniture, people, and vehicles.
Because handheld 3D scanners work by guiding the depth cameras across and around the target, the devices need to be able to capture a great amount of detail with great depth quickly and steadily with accuracy and precision. That’s a rather tall order for a small device, especially one that is made to be accessible to both amateurs and pros alike, but Revopoint’s expertise really shines through with the upgrades that its RANGE 2 3D scanner packs in a compact and portable form. For example, thanks to new depth cameras that have double the sensor size, the Revopoint RANGE 2 can work on a distance ranging from 400 mm to 1,300 mm, a 60% increase that makes it even faster to capture large objects compared to the previous generation, and can scan an area up to 860 x 1380 mm in size.
Scan of the body by Revopoint RANGE 2. Image credit: PUTV
Range isn’t the only thing that’s bigger and better on the RANGE 2, of course. Four flash LEDs banish shadows for a more uniform color capture, while an improved RGB camera with a bigger aperture is able to capture more color information, ensuring clear color capture with higher levels of detail for more accurate textures and realistic-looking 3D models. An upgraded tracking system utilizes the device’s built-in 9-axis IMU (Inertial Measuring Unit) to keep the scan steady even if your hands aren’t. Four Infrared LED fill lights also make it easier to recognize markers, resulting in more accurate frame stitching in marker mode.
Angel Candelabra scanned with Revopoint RANGE 2. Image credit: dfodaro
Thanks to these powerful features, the Revopoint RANGE 2 is even more versatile and as flexible as before. With Wi-Fi 6 and USB-C connections, you can be assured that transmitting critical data will be fast and stable. As before, the scanner is compatible with Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices, functioning in handheld mode or set on a stand in front of a turntable. And with the Revo Scan 5 software, the scanning process couldn’t be easier, especially with post-processing features, such as frame editing, hole filling, overlap detection, etc, to enhance your workflow.
With the Revopoint RANGE 2 3D scanner, you have a whole new world of large objects you will be able to scan. You can easily scan car or mechanical parts, offering a cost-effective and high-performance way to study them through reverse engineering or produce replacements. Archaeologists, scientists, and museum creators can now also digitize artifacts to preserve them for posterity or turn them into XR experiences. And, of course, artists and creators now have a portable yet powerful tool to bring their ideas to life. Scanning big objects for your big projects will no longer be a problem with the new and improved Revopoint RANGE 2!
Before the current craze of ChatGPT, image generators, and AI-powered services, the world was obsessed with personal assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant. That fad has died down a bit, though mostly because these voice-controlled disembodied voices have become so common and so ubiquitous in many smart home devices these days. That said, most personal AI assistants can only be accessed either from a stationary device at home, such as a smart speaker or TV or from your smartphone, which means you can’t call on your digital friend when you’re outside and can’t pull your phone out. That’s the problem that the Rabbit r1 aims to solve by putting a smart, AI-powered personal assistant in a cute little gadget that feels like a Tamagotchi made for serious purposes.
You wouldn’t immediately associate the Rabbit r1 with AI when you first see it. It initially looks like a simple toy with a pixelated rabbit that’s actually just a blocky head with long ears in a square orange device that fits in your hand nicely. That this rabbit head can show some expressions, blink, wink, or even wear headphones further cements its image as a toy, but it’s actually the face, or rather the head, of what may be the cutest AI assistant to grace the market.
The Rabbit r1 is basically a dedicated AI-powered assistant, formally marketed as “your pocket companion,” that makes the usual AI features more accessible by divorcing them from your phone or home speaker. The idea is that you’d simply pull this less conspicuous (if not for its bright orange color) device out of your pocket or bag, push and hold down a button to talk to the rabbit, and then wait for its response both on the screen as well as via audio. Rabbit OS, as the software platform is being called, seems plenty capable and can answer almost any question, and the rotating camera even does image recognition so you can identify viral personalities or get a suggestion on what to cook based on what you have in your fridge.
If the r1’s aesthetic looks familiar, then you might have recognized Teenage Engineering’s design DNA in it. The Swedish company is best known for its distinctive music-creation devices, and it is indeed the creative genius behind this pocket AI device’s equally distinctive design. Suffice it to say, you won’t be embarrassed to be seen in public using this device, especially in places where a smartphone would be even more impolite or impossible.
The Rabbit r1 is designed to be super simple to use, which is why it only has a single push button and an analog scroll wheel, though the screen is, of course, touch-enabled. In addition to the usual queries, Rabbit OS will also be able to connect with the same apps and services as typical AI assistants, though it’s still a work in progress. It seems that the concept and the design have resounded with many people and the initial batch of 10,000 pre-orders for this $199 sold out on the first day. Whether it will be able to deliver on its promise, we’ll have to wait for initial reviews to see, and hear.
