Tag Archives: Technology

Nico AI Companion Concept Borrows Game Controls for Homework Hints

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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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C+C Coffee Machine Concept Turns Hidden Wiring Into Art

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Blue lines double back across a white interior. Red coils sit behind them, while a yellow band bends around the top. Jaka Kordiš’s C+C coffee machine concept turns its internal routing into a graphic composition, visible through a clear enclosure. It addresses a modest but recognizable design problem: a coffee maker can belong to your daily routine without feeling particularly connected to your taste. C+C proposes giving that relationship more personality.

Kordiš developed the project in 2024 during a one-week intensive industrial design workshop led by Aleks Tatic of Taticdesign Studio. Participants started with a predefined coffee-machine technical platform, then identified a user group and designed around its lifestyle and expectations. That constraint makes the result more interesting to me. The assignment concentrated on what design could change around an established technical starting point, rather than claiming a new way to brew.

Designer: Jaka Kordiš

The intended audience comes into focus through Kordiš’s target-user moodboard: electronics projects, coding screens, circuit layouts, and worktables crowded with equipment. It suggests people comfortable around technology in its less polished, more exploratory state. I can see the appeal for someone who enjoys assembling a keyboard or investigating how a device works. That is an interpretation of the imagery, though, rather than a formally stated customer profile.

Viewed from the side, C+C almost reads like a transit diagram. Broad groups of parallel lines travel across a finely ribbed white background, with rounded turns and tightly wound red shapes creating a deliberate rhythm. The transparent housing gives that arrangement room to register. My favorite decision is the restraint of the enclosure itself. With this much color inside, an elaborate outer silhouette would have been a distraction.

The front is comparatively calm. A projecting dispensing assembly combines a pale yellow body, blue edging, and a green face, positioned above a ridged cup platform. A black panel on the upper surface depicts drink choices, while a large circular white element anchors the top. The repeated grooves connect these areas visually. Even the quieter surfaces participate in the same vocabulary, so the colorful internals feel integrated rather than pasted on.

The project’s transparent-tech moodboard includes phones, earbuds, and handheld gaming hardware with visible interiors. That reference makes sense, but C+C gives the idea a different domestic role. A coffee machine occupies a place you might look at repeatedly throughout the day. For a reader who cares about how everyday equipment looks, the potential benefit is straightforward: an appliance that contributes something visually, even while it is sitting unused.

That attention to the interior also earned recognition. C+C won the Logitech Future of Work Award at the Render Weekly Awards 2026. In its announcement published May 11, 2026, Render Weekly specifically praised the treatment of the internal details and cable harnesses. The distinction matters because the award recognizes a design submission. It does not establish that Logitech is manufacturing the machine or that a retail release is coming.

The evidence stops short of establishing everyday performance. The designer’s published project description does not provide brewing specifications, pricing, or retail availability, and it presents C+C as a concept. I would want to know how its enclosure opens, how the machine is cleaned, and whether its carefully composed interior survives the demands of production. Those questions would determine whether the visual idea translates into a convincing appliance.

Transparency also raises a useful distinction between seeing a machine and understanding it. The colored routes are engaging, but the images alone cannot tell us what each one does. Nor does visibility establish repairability. A production version could strengthen the idea by making maintenance information as legible as the internal composition. Until then, the clearest reader benefit is aesthetic and emotional, rather than a demonstrated improvement in convenience.

I like C+C most as an argument for paying attention to an appliance’s idle hours. Coffee occupies only part of its life on the counter; the object remains after the cup is gone. This concept gives that presence a purpose. Whether I would want to live with it would eventually depend on cleaning, access, and upkeep, but the visual invitation is already persuasive.

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Prolo Ring Lets You Click and Scroll Without a Mouse

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There are days when you work on just your laptop. And then there are days when you have to switch between different devices and therefore also use different controllers. If you have a huge desk or workspace, then that’s probably fine. But if you’re working in a limited space, then the different controllers add to the clutter. What if you have something that can fit onto a finger and let you switch between different devices more easily?

That’s the promise that the Wearable Ring Controller by Prolo is making. Called the Prolo Ring, it is a Bluetooth wearable input controller that can be worn on your index finger. It has a trackpad that your thumb can use to move the cursor and scroll, and a touch strip that your other hand’s index finger can operate. The Pro Edition even supports air gestures, giving you another way to control your devices.

Designer: Prolo

The most noticeable design choice is its wide band. This gives your thumb room to work with an 18 × 30 mm capacitive touch surface rather than a tiny button. According to Prolo, the ring measures 23 mm wide and 2.9 mm thick and weighs between 4.1 and 5.2 grams. Its shell is made from polycarbonate, despite the metallic-looking finishes available for the Pro Edition. The broad profile makes it look more like a wearable tool than a discreet piece of jewelry.

That width also makes sizing important. Prolo lists US sizes 7–18 and requires test wear with its sizing kit or a 3D-printed sizer before you confirm your size. Your usual jewelry size may not translate directly to this wider band. Included adjustment shims help fine-tune a slightly loose fit. You can wear it on either index finger, keeping the trackpad facing your thumb.

The top touch strip, called the Modstrip, handles mode switching and additional commands. The four modes are Cursor, Navigation, Touch, and Air, organizing functions such as pointing, browsing, media playback, and motion gestures. Separating these controls lets the same small surface perform different jobs, although it also means learning which mode you’re using. Some interactions require both hands.

One particularly interesting feature is Joystick Assist. Swipe quickly from one edge of the trackpad to the other and keep holding, and the cursor continues moving. Moving your thumb farther from the center increases its speed; releasing stops it. This addresses the limited travel of a finger-sized trackpad, while ordinary trackpad movements remain available for finer positioning.

Switching devices uses a tap followed by a hold on the Modstrip. The ring disconnects from the current device and reconnects to another saved device, so “instantly” would be an overstatement. It connects to only one device at a time. For someone moving between a laptop and a tablet, the appeal is keeping the same controller rather than reaching for another one.

Basic controls use standard Bluetooth HID, the protocol used by compatible input devices, without requiring a dedicated driver or app. Prolo lists support for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS/iPadOS, plus compatible smart TVs and XR devices. Available functions vary by device and app. It can also work alongside your existing mouse and keyboard rather than requiring you to replace them.

The Pro Edition adds more than 40 customizable gestures, assignable shortcuts, macros, and profiles. Prolo Studio, the free desktop companion app, handles customization. You could organize controls around presentations or media playback rather than use every available gesture. Push-to-talk can trigger dictation or AI shortcuts, but the ring has no microphone; a connected device handles the voice input.

Prolo claims up to 10 hours of typical use per charge and includes a magnetic charging cable. The ring is not waterproof, so it needs to come off before showering or swimming. For cramped workspaces, its clearest potential benefit is freeing you from needing a separate mousing surface. Whether that convenience outweighs wearing a broad band and learning its controls will depend on how you work.

The post Prolo Ring Lets You Click and Scroll Without a Mouse first appeared on Yanko Design.

Meet Draco, the 90mm smart telescope that wakes itself up to shoot the night while you sleep

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About 4,500 years ago, while the Egyptians were busy stacking pyramids, the North Star was a completely different star called Thuban. It sat in the constellation Draco, the dragon, and it held the job for centuries before Earth’s wobble handed the title to Polaris. Astrophotographers have spent the last hundred-odd years obsessing over that pole, because lining a mount up with it (a ritual called polar alignment) is the price of admission for long, sharp exposures. It’s fiddly, it’s cold, and it usually happens in the dark with a red flashlight in your teeth. So I find it delightful that DWARFLAB named its new flagship smart telescope Draco, because the whole point of this thing is letting you skip that ritual altogether.

Draco is a 90mm smart telescope from DWARFLAB, the team behind the pocketable DWARF II and DWARF 3, and it argues that serious imagers no longer have to trade ambition for convenience. It packs a folded f/3.8 optical system, a 50MP telephoto camera, a wide-angle camera for Milky Way shots, and a dedicated guide camera into a 12.1-pound (5.5kg) body you carry with one hand. The headline trick is a sensor that physically rotates to cancel out the sky’s spin, which lets Draco hold single exposures for up to 300 seconds on a simple alt-azimuth mount. Your phone handles the rest, from finding the target to stacking the final image. The SHO Edition is up for pre-order at $1,599, while the $1,399 Standard Edition has already sold out.

Click Here to Buy Now: $1599

A sensor that spins with the sky for five-minute exposures

Polar alignment exists because of field rotation. On a simple alt-azimuth mount (the up-down, left-right kind every smart telescope uses), the stars slowly twirl around the center of your frame during a long exposure, turning sharp points into little smears. Draco’s fix is wonderfully direct: the CMOS sensor itself rotates in step with the sky. A separate monochrome guide camera watches for drift and nudges the tracking in real time. The payoff is single frames of up to 300 seconds, when most smart telescopes have topped out around 60, which puts the category in traditional deep-sky territory. The guiding gear that normally takes an hour to balance in the cold now lives inside.

A traditional deep-sky rig is a parts list: optical tube, equatorial mount, polar alignment, guide scope, guide camera, filter wheel, mini-PC, and a nest of cables. Draco folds the optics, mount, guide camera, filters, field rotation, and onboard computing into one 5.5kg body, so the system stops being your homework. Early smart scopes won over beginners with short exposures and heavy stacking, so serious imagers kept their real rigs. For targets almost directly overhead, where rotation speeds up, the all-metal base tilts into Equatorial Mode and the app walks you through the angle. The aluminum tripod weighs about 17 ounces (480g) and opens to a preset angle.

Ninety millimeters of aperture and a sensor that bins four pixels into one

Going from the 50mm aperture common in smart telescopes to Draco’s 90mm gives you roughly 3.2 times the light-collecting area, which is the optical threshold serious imagers demand. The folded optics land at a 340mm focal length and f/3.8, a fast ratio that gathers light quickly, so faint targets build up sooner. An aberration-corrected design keeps stars pin sharp from the center of the frame to the edge. For context, ZWO’s Seestar S50 Pro ($999) runs a 50mm, f/5.2 setup. Draco costs a few hundred dollars more for nearly twice the aperture.

The 1/1.3-inch, 50MP sensor works in two modes. For nebulae and galaxies, it bins 2×2, merging four 1.2µm pixels into one 2.4µm pixel for roughly 12MP images with cleaner faint detail. For the Sun, Moon, and planets, it switches to the full native readout and crops around the target, which is how you get craters, sunspots, Saturn’s rings, and Jupiter’s Great Red Spot. A second camera with a 23.3mm equivalent focal length shoots at the same time, covering an 85.74° diagonal for Milky Way panoramas and star trails. Active TEC cooling and waste-heat dew prevention make thermal management part of the design instead of an accessory bolted on.

The SHO Edition automates Hubble Palette imaging

In 1995, Hubble’s Pillars of Creation image made sulfur, hydrogen, and oxygen glow like a gold-and-teal cathedral, and amateurs have chased that look ever since. The recipe maps sulfur II to red, hydrogen-alpha to green, and oxygen III to blue, each captured through a narrowband filter (one that passes only a thin slice of color, 13nm wide here). The SHO Edition carries an Hα + O III filter and an S II + O III filter, runs them in sequence, and merges the data automatically. Doing this by hand usually means a filter wheel, a laptop, and a weekend lost inside editing software. Draco makes it a native capability, calibration included, and asks for one tap.

Both editions share the Astro filter, a dark-frame shutter, and the Hα + O III filter, which also helps with emission nebulae under light-polluted skies. The Standard Edition ($1,399) adds a built-in ND filter (think sunglasses for a telescope) that swaps into place with one tap for solar imaging. The SHO Edition ($1,599) trades that for the sulfur filter and includes a magnetic external ND filter you snap on before aiming at the Sun. Solar System Mode then centers, focuses, and locks onto the Sun or Moon, so sunspots and eclipses are fair game. Galaxies and the Milky Way still shine brightest under dark skies, which is a fine excuse for a road trip.

A capsule you carry like a lantern and control remotely

The body is a smooth capsule column with the optical tube hinged off one side, and stowed away it looks like a very expensive thermos or, in the right light, an Among Us crewmate. A recessed grip lets you carry it one-handed from the backyard to the car, and the all-metal base locks into a metal frame for a rigid stance on the tripod. Tap your phone to the body and NFC launches the app, where an AR Sky Finder shows what’s visible overhead, obstructions included. Pick a target, tap GoTo, and Draco handles focus, calibration, tracking, and stacking. The 10,000mAh battery runs roughly five hours.

PhotonLink remote control lets you run Draco from anywhere through the app, and Ethernet over USB gives it a wired connection for long deployments. Schedule a target and it wakes up, finds it, and shoots under clear skies while you sleep, so the hardware runs the session instead of you babysitting it, with Mega Stacking combining nights and Astro Mosaic widening the view. Stellar Studio in the app handles star reduction, star removal, and the Hubble Palette effect, with FITS and TIFF export for your own workflow. Pre-orders are open at dwarflab.com/us, with the SHO Edition at $1,599 and shipping estimated within three months. Traditional astrophotography exposes the system to the user. Draco turns the system into the product.

Click Here to Buy Now: $1599

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Oppo Find X10 Pro Max Review: Stunning Imaging, Well-Balanced Flagship, Big Price

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PROS:


  • Industry-first triple 200MP camera system

  • Natural, consistent photo colors across all cameras

  • Strong video capability

  • Bright, immersive AMOLED display with thin bezel

  • Excellent battery life

CONS:


  • High price

  • Optional teleconverter kit limits lens options while in use

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

With standout cameras and top-tier hardware, the Find X10 Pro Max nails nearly every mark. Just be ready to pay for the privilege

In 2026, nearly every major phone maker is eager to add “Pro Max” to their flagship lineups. Oppo is now joining this trend with its Find X10 Pro Max. Whether you see the naming as bold or just another industry move, one thing is hard to ignore. Even when manufacturers like Oppo pack their phones with leading-edge hardware and arguably superior imaging, they still face the ongoing challenge of measuring up to Apple’s influence at the top of the market.

This device brings a massive 6.78-inch AMOLED display and debuts the industry’s first trio of 200-megapixel cameras. Its battery is also among the largest found in any mainstream smartphone. Oppo claims this phone stands out for both design and capability. After spending time with the Find X10 Pro Max, I set out to discover if this “Pro Max” truly lives up to its name or simply chases a label.

Designer: OPPO

Aesthetics

The Oppo Find X10 Pro Max carries forward some of the Find X9 Pro’s most recognizable design elements, including its signature square camera bump, now paired with an oval accent for the color sensor and LED. Oppo offers this flagship in two finishes. The Titanium Grey edition features a single sculpted piece of glass with contours that flow seamlessly into the camera area, softening the visual impact and giving the phone an understated, professional vibe. The grey itself is subtle, with hints of mauve appearing under certain lighting conditions.

For this review, I received the Luna White edition, which channels inspiration from classic cameras and reimagines the look for a contemporary audience. The camera island sports a matte silver metallic finish with knurled detailing, highlighted by Hasselblad’s signature orange accent ring. The back showcases a subtle fabric-inspired pattern, with Oppo and Hasselblad branding on the side. While both colors exude sophistication, those who prefer darker tones or bolder shades may find themselves wishing for greater variety in the color lineup.

Ergonomics

Despite its impressive size and powerful hardware, the Oppo Find X10 Pro Max manages to feel thoughtfully balanced in hand. My review unit is the global version, which comes with a substantial 8000mAh battery and weighs 235 grams (about 8.29 ounces) in Titanium Grey or 233 grams (about 8.22 ounces) in Luna White. The EU version features a slightly smaller 7150mAh battery and is a bit lighter at 228 grams (about 8.04 ounces) for Titanium Grey and 226 grams (about 7.97 ounces) for Luna White. Measuring 161.32 x 76.57 x 8.40 mm, or approximately 6.35 x 3.02 x 0.33 inches, this phone clearly fits into the large flagship category, yet its slim profile keeps it manageable.

The weight of the Find X10 Pro Max is certainly noticeable each time you pick it up, although the distribution helps maintain comfort during longer use. Both color options have a matte back and frame that do an excellent job resisting fingerprints and smudges, while also offering a velvety texture that is genuinely pleasant to touch. The device maintains a clean look throughout the day and feels luxurious with every interaction. The edges are only slightly curved, almost flat and straighter than on many other flagships, so they do not dig into your hand but may affect comfort depending on how you hold the phone over time.

Performance

The Oppo Find X10 Pro Max delivers the kind of fluid, responsive experience you expect from a flagship. Powered by the Dimensity 9600 Pro, the phone handles daily tasks, multitasking, and demanding apps without any noticeable lag or slowdowns. ColorOS 17 brings a polished feel with more refinement than revolution, ensuring that every interaction is smooth and intuitive. Everything from app launches to switching between tasks happens with impressive speed and reliability.

The large 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display stands out with a sharp 2772 × 1272 resolution and vibrant colors, thanks to BT.2020 coverage and 10-bit color support. Bezels measure just 1.15mm and are perfectly symmetrical, which makes the screen feel even more expansive. With up to 3,600 nits peak HDR brightness, visibility outdoors is excellent. The adaptive refresh rate ranges from 1 to 120Hz for smooth scrolling, while 144Hz is available in select gaming scenarios for extra fluidity. The speakers provide plenty of volume, though sound quality does not really stand out.

Hasselblad Hi-Res (50MP) mode, main camera, 1x

Main Camera, 1x

Over the past few years, smartphone cameras have leaned heavily on computational processing to overcome the limitations of small lenses. Sometimes the results are impressive, but too much digital magic can leave photos looking punchy or even artificial. With the Find X10 Pro Max, Oppo takes a different route by aiming for images that genuinely match what you saw in real life. The brand continues its collaboration with Hasselblad to fine-tune color science, and this generation introduces the LUMO True Image Engine, which keeps colors believable and resists the urge to overdo sharpening or saturation.

Oppo debuts the industry’s first triple 200-megapixel camera system in the Find X10 Pro Max. You get a 200MP main camera (Samsung ISOCELL HPC, 1/1.3″, f/1.5 with OIS), a 200MP ultra-wide (Samsung ISOCELL HP5, 1/1.56″, f/2.2 with autofocus), and a 200MP periscope telephoto (Samsung ISOCELL HP5, 1/1.56″, f/2.1 with OIS). Flip the phone around and you’ll find a 50MP front camera (Samsung ISOCELL JN5, 1/2.75”, autofocus, 100° FOV).

Ultrawide, 0.5x

Telephoto, 3x

Telephoto, 6x

The headline megapixel count is only part of the story. The main sensor leverages DeepPix technology, redesigning each pixel to improve light-gathering efficiency and preserve detail even in challenging conditions. It delivers up to 17 stops of dynamic range for images full of nuance from shadow to highlight. Daylight photos are crisp and vibrant, and low-light shots stay clear and accurate.

Most flagships treat ultra-wide cameras as a weak spot, but Oppo breaks that trend by using the same large sensor in both its ultra-wide and telephoto modules as in the main camera. The ultra-wide’s 13mm-equivalent focal length provides an expansive 124-degree field of view and captures sharp images across the frame. There is still some noticeable lens distortion at the edges, which is common for lenses this wide, but overall image quality remains impressively crisp. Color consistency is another area where Oppo truly excels. Tones stay remarkably uniform across all three lenses, so your shots always look cohesive.

Ultrawide, 0.5x

Main Camera, 1x

Main Camera, 1x

Telephoto, 3x

Personally, I love shooting with the telephoto camera on the X10 Pro Max. It is genuinely a treat for anyone who enjoys zoom photography. Hasselblad Master mode is another highlight because it delivers a more natural, less processed look that gives images a classic photographic character rather than an overdone “smartphone” feel. For those who want total control, Pro mode within Hasselblad Master mode allows for granular manual adjustments.

For users seeking more flexibility, Oppo offers a Hasselblad Teleconverter Kit in Luna White that includes a MagSafe-compatible case, lens adapter plate, teleconverter lens, lens bracket, shoulder strap, and pouch, all in silver or white with orange accents to match the Luna White phone version. While I love how visually unified the kit appears, attaching the lens adapter plate blocks both the main and ultra-wide lenses at once, just like on the Find X9 Pro teleconverter. This can limit your photo options when using the kit.

Telephoto Converter, 20x

Telephoto Converter, 40x

Oppo’s camera app supplies a nice set of filters. The selection is not as broad as Vivo’s catalog but still offers plenty of creative and customizable choices. Each filter lets you tweak tonality, saturation, and intensity to match your style preferences. My main gripe is with how OPPO lays out these filters: instead of small thumbnails along the bottom edge like most brands use, you only see one filter preview filling the UI at a time. This makes it tougher to quickly browse options and can slow down creative experimentation.

Filter UI

Open Gate Mode

Video performance keeps pace with stills. All three rear cameras support up to 8K at 30fps, 4K at 60fps, and even 4K at 120fps for dramatic slow motion. The front camera supports up to 4K at 60fps for sharp selfies and vlogs. If you apply creative filters during recording, output is capped at 1080p at 30fps. Open Gate recording is available on all rear cameras as well, so creators can leverage every pixel for flexible cropping in post-production.

My global review unit features a massive 8000mAh battery, while the EU version is equipped with a still-impressive 7150mAh cell. Both models support fast charging, with 80W SUPERVOOC wired charging making it easy to top up quickly and 50W AIRVOOC wireless charging for added convenience. Battery life is outstanding. It easily lasts more than a full day of heavy use and can reach two days with moderate usage.

Main Camera, 1x, Night

Sustainability

Oppo positions the Find X10 Pro Max as a durable and future-proof flagship, but most of its claims align with what’s now expected at the high end. The phone comes with IP66, IP68, and IP69 ratings, so it stands up well to dust and water in a wide range of scenarios. Both the front and back are protected by OPPO Crystal Guard Glass, co-developed with Corning, promising solid scratch and drop resistance. SGS Five-Star Drop Resistance Certification adds further reassurance, though these certifications have become standard for premium smartphones.

Oppo also states that the battery should retain over 80% of its original capacity after five years of typical use, which is consistent with leading brands but does not set a new bar. The promise of five years of major Android OS updates and six years of security patches is definitely good news for long-term owners and matches current flagship expectations. That said, it would be great to see Oppo take additional steps in sustainability, such as using more recycled materials in construction and offering easier repair options, to truly stand out in this space.

Value

Official pricing was unavailable at the time of writing this review, but the Oppo Find X10 Pro Max is rumored to launch at €1,799 (about $1,900) for the 16GB+512GB EU version. This firmly places it among the highest-priced flagships on the market and marks a clear jump from last year’s Find X9 Pro (€1,299, or around $1,370) and even the Find X9 Ultra (€1,699, or about $1,790). A significant part of this price hike likely comes from soaring RAM and storage costs, driven by increased demand from the AI boom and broader tech trends.

If these figures are correct, Oppo will face an uphill battle. Even with top-of-the-line hardware and some of the best mobile imaging features available, nearly two thousand dollars is a serious investment, especially as many consumers are feeling economic pressure. The EU version of the Find X10 Pro Max is even more expensive than both the iPhone 18 Pro Max with 512GB of storage and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 512GB model in the U.S. For Oppo to justify this price point, buyers will need to be truly convinced by its unique camera system and design philosophy. Otherwise, many may find more value in established alternatives from Apple or Samsung.

Verdict

The Oppo Find X10 Pro Max stands out as a well-balanced flagship that gets almost everything right and, at times, feels nearly flawless. What really sets it apart is its excellent mobile photography, from the industry-first triple 200-megapixel camera system to the natural color science developed in partnership with Hasselblad. Everyday performance is smooth, build quality is unquestionably premium, and battery life ranks among the best available in any flagship.

On the flip side, the high price tag puts the Find X10 Pro Max in direct competition with industry giants. While it delivers top-tier hardware and leading imaging capability, buyers must be willing to stretch both their expectations and their budgets. For those who put a premium on cutting-edge camera features and want an alternative to Apple or Samsung, Oppo’s latest is a compelling choice. For everyone else, especially those mindful of budget, there are several strong alternatives on the market that may offer a more accessible fit.

The post Oppo Find X10 Pro Max Review: Stunning Imaging, Well-Balanced Flagship, Big Price first appeared on Yanko Design.

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

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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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Huawei Watch D3 Review: A Game Changer for On-Wrist Blood Pressure Monitoring

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PROS:


  • Cuff-style blood pressure reading with 24-hour ambulatory monitoring

  • Quiet measurement that didn’t disturb my sleep

  • Streamlined ensign and comfortable everyday fit

  • Good battery life

  • Comprehensive health and fitness tracking alongside everyday smartwatch features

CONS:


  • Limited third-party app selection

  • Not suitable for swimming or showering

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The Huawei Watch D3 pairs quiet blood pressure monitoring with everyday comfort and style.

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a major cause of premature death worldwide and increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney damage. Nearly half of U.S. adults have it, according to the CDC. Yet it often causes no noticeable symptoms, so feeling fine does not necessarily mean your blood pressure is where it should be.

The Huawei Watch D3 puts blood pressure measurement on your wrist, using an inflatable airbag built into the strap and offering scheduled readings throughout the day and night. That sounds like a recipe for a bulky, rather clinical accessory, but the watch I received looks nothing of the sort. More importantly, it is comfortable enough that I was happy to keep wearing it, including overnight. Huawei has squeezed some unusual hardware into a familiar package, and after living with it, I am impressed by how little fuss it adds to my day.

Designer: Huawei

Aesthetics

Huawei has made the Watch D3 surprisingly discreet, and that is one of its biggest design strengths. This is a health-focused smartwatch with more going on under the surface than most, yet it does not look overly technical or awkwardly bulky. Instead, it comes across as clean, polished, and easy to wear, which helps it feel like a proper everyday smartwatch rather than a specialist device.

Visually, it sits somewhere between the clean familiarity of an Apple Watch and the more assertive presence of an Apple Watch Ultra, giving it a look that feels both familiar and slightly more rugged. Huawei offers the Watch D3 in three color options: White, Black, and Mocha Gold. I received the Mocha Gold version, and it gives the watch a warmer, slightly more elevated look than the other finishes. The rectangular-shaped case is paired with a color-matched fluoroelastomer strap, which also houses the airbag used for blood pressure measurement.

Ergonomics

For a smartwatch with a tiny airbag tucked into its strap, the Watch D3 is surprisingly easy to wear. On paper, it is not a small device at 1.83 x 1.61 x 0.44 inches, but it never feels ungainly or overengineered once it is actually on your wrist. The 1.92-inch rectangular display fits well and doesn’t overwhelm the wrist, keeping the overall look streamlined. Huawei has also trimmed the thickness down from 0.52 inches on the Watch D2 to 0.44 inches here, and that slimming makes a real difference. The D3 feels less like a specialist gadget and more like a smartwatch you can throw on in the morning without a second thought.

In practice, the bigger surprise is how quickly it stops feeling unusual. The Watch D3 feels like an ordinary smartwatch on the wrist in the best possible sense. The strap is inevitably thicker than a conventional smartwatch band because it contains the inflatable airbag, but I never found it cumbersome. If anything, that unusual construction fades into the background faster than expected, which is not something I would have assumed before wearing it.

The weight helps here too. At around 1.41 ounces without the strap, the Watch D3 feels substantial enough to come across as a proper piece of hardware, but not heavy enough to become annoying over the course of a full day. Fit matters more on the Watch D3 than it does on a typical smartwatch. Huawei accounts for that with a paper measuring guide and two strap sizes. A watch built around blood pressure readings needs to fit properly, and the D3 feels better for that extra attention.

Performance

Blood pressure monitoring is the main reason to consider the Watch D3, but what surprised me first was how quiet it is. It makes virtually no sound during a reading, with the increasing pressure around my wrist providing the only obvious sign that anything is happening. The sensation is noticeable, as you would expect from an inflatable strap, but the process feels discreet enough that taking a reading does not become a bother.

There are medical credentials behind the feature, too. According to Huawei, the Watch D3’s blood pressure measurement has obtained NMPA medical device registration in China and CE certification under the European Union’s Medical Device Regulation, commonly called CE-MDR.

The Watch D3 also supports ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, or ABPM, which schedules repeated measurements over a 24-hour period, including while you sleep. Rather than giving you one isolated reading, it builds a record of how your blood pressure changes throughout the day and night. Huawei Health brings those results together into a report showing daytime, nighttime, and overall averages, which you can save or share with your doctor.

That does not mean you can forget about the process entirely. During waking hours, you still need to pause, keep still, and hold the watch at heart level, following the positioning instructions. You can adjust the measurement schedule rather than stick with the default intervals. Overnight, the watch takes readings automatically without requiring you to assume the daytime posture. Thankfully, those nighttime readings did not bother me or wake me up.

There is also a dedicated feature for measuring blood pressure before and after six workout types, covering indoor and outdoor running, walking, and cycling. You take an initial reading before starting, then begin another measurement within two minutes of finishing. There is a reason those changes are worth studying. Research using clinical exercise tests has linked certain blood pressure responses during exercise and recovery with a higher risk of developing hypertension or experiencing cardiovascular events later on.

Beyond blood pressure, the D3 covers heart rate, sleep, blood oxygen saturation, and skin temperature, with ECG available in supported regions. Fitness tracking is solid too, with more than 80 workout modes. It works well as an everyday companion for keeping an eye on activity, workouts, and daily movement without making every walk feel like homework.

The everyday smartwatch features are more familiar. The D3 runs HarmonyOS and works with both Android and iOS, although the experience is not identical across the two platforms. Bluetooth calling and music playback are supported, but the limited third-party app selection leaves less room to expand beyond the built-in tools.

With a compatible Android phone, you can respond to supported messages using quick replies or the on-screen keyboard. Message replies are not supported when the watch is paired with an iPhone, which is worth knowing before you buy. Offline maps are available for supported models, while NFC payment support depends on your region and the available payment service. Having NFC hardware does not automatically mean it will work with your usual cards.

Battery life has been good in my use, too. Huawei quotes up to six days under typical conditions, dropping to around one day with ABPM enabled. My typical-use results were close to that six-day claim, while I comfortably passed a day with ambulatory monitoring enabled. Measurement frequency matters here, since Huawei’s ABPM battery test uses 15-minute intervals, so your results may differ depending on your settings.

Charging speed is okay rather than especially quick, but outside ABPM sessions, I was not constantly looking for the charger. The supplied charger uses a USB-C rather than USB-A, which is a welcome change. That is one less reason to keep an older USB-A power adapter around.

Sustainability

The Watch D3 has an IP68 rating, but that is not an invitation to take it swimming or into the shower. Huawei advises against both because of the air openings used by the blood pressure system. The watch is not water- or dust-resistant while taking a measurement, so those openings need to stay clean and dry. It requires a little more care around water than you might expect from an everyday smartwatch.

The strap feels durable, although Huawei does not provide wear-test figures to put that impression into context. It is removable, so a tear would not necessarily mean replacing the whole watch, provided Huawei makes compatible replacement straps available. That is useful for keeping the D3 in service, but the broader sustainability picture remains unclear. I would have liked more information about recycled materials, repair options, and long-term software support.

Value

The Watch D3 costs £399.99 (roughly $533) in the UK and €449 (roughly $505) in Europe, so it is not exactly an impulse purchase. Whether that feels expensive depends on what you want from your watch. The D3’s appeal is having cuff-style blood pressure readings and 24-hour ambulatory monitoring in something you can wear throughout the day and overnight.

If those are features you will use regularly, the price becomes easier to justify, especially given how comfortable I found it. I am also impressed by how streamlined the whole package feels, considering the specialized hardware tucked inside the watch and strap. You are getting more than an extra health metric on a screen, without having to wear something that feels like medical equipment. If you mostly want notifications and workout tracking, though, I would be less inclined to pay for blood pressure hardware that rarely gets used.

Verdict

The Watch D3 impressed me most by making its unusual hardware so easy to live with. Blood pressure readings are quiet, the strap never felt cumbersome, and overnight measurements did not wake me up. Battery life was good, too, particularly outside ambulatory monitoring sessions. I never felt I was putting up with an awkward gadget just to use its blood pressure features.

I would still like a broader selection of third-party apps and clearer information about repair options and long-term support. The price also makes more sense if blood pressure monitoring will be a regular habit rather than an occasional curiosity. It is a tool to use alongside professional care, not a reason to diagnose yourself or change medication based on your readings. With that understood, the D3 earns my recommendation for combining useful blood pressure features with the comfort and discretion of an everyday smartwatch.

The post Huawei Watch D3 Review: A Game Changer for On-Wrist Blood Pressure Monitoring first appeared on Yanko Design.

Final’s Porta wireless on-ear headphones strip back the headband to just 40 grams

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Japanese audio brand Final has introduced Porta, a pair of wireless on-ear headphones that rethink one of the most familiar elements of headphone design – the headband. Unlike most headphones with a conventional padded arch, the Porta uses a minimal, single-wire structure called AirWire, reducing the headphones’ weight to approximately 40 grams while aiming to make extended listening more comfortable.

The AirWire design minimises the area of contact between the headphones and the wearer’s head. According to Final, this approach reduces pressure on the top of the head, a common source of discomfort with traditional headphones. The lightweight construction also gives the Porta an unusually stripped-back appearance, with a thin metal-like frame connecting two compact earcups. The pair of cans is a minimalist accessory that goes well with your other no-nonsense gadgets.

Designer: Final

Porta’s aesthetic draws on the visual language of older portable audio equipment. Its orange ear pads recall the bright accents associated with classic Sony Walkman headphones, while a black version offers a more understated alternative. Both variants share the same main body, with the ear-pad colour providing the visual distinction. Final also plans to sell replacement ear pads separately in 2027, giving owners the option to refresh the look without replacing the entire product.

Despite its lightweight construction and retro appearance, the pair of cans incorporates modern wireless connectivity. Bluetooth 5.4 enables connection to compatible devices, while support for the SBC and AAC audio codecs provides compatibility with a broad range of smartphones and other Bluetooth audio sources. The headphones have a stated frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz.

Final says the Porta has been tuned to deliver a lively presentation, with a sense of depth and substance in the midrange and lower frequencies. The company highlights vocal weight as a particular consideration in its sound design, addressing the challenge of maintaining a full listening experience in a lightweight headphone enclosure. These are manufacturer claims rather than independently verified performance results.

A 57mAh lithium-ion battery provides up to eight hours of music playback on a charge. Recharging takes approximately 90 minutes through USB-C, keeping the charging process straightforward. The headphones also carry an IPX4 rating, indicating resistance to water splashes, which offers some protection during everyday use and light exercise.

The design does involve trade-offs. The Porta does not offer active noise cancellation, a feature found in many contemporary wireless headphones. Its modest battery capacity and eight-hour rated playback time also place the emphasis on everyday convenience and low weight rather than extended listening between charges.

Final has priced the Porta at ¥12,800 (approximately $80), with availability in Japan scheduled for October 23, 2026. International availability has not been confirmed, although the brand sells products through its Amazon storefront.

The post Final’s Porta wireless on-ear headphones strip back the headband to just 40 grams first appeared on Yanko Design.

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

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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.

The post SolidSafe Duo Magnetic Power Bank Is Shaped to Fit Apple’s Folding iPhone first appeared on Yanko Design.

Kenko’s 18-Gram Pieni III Camera Shoots Without a Screen

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Keychain cameras have a certain appeal for those who love to carry a bit of nostalgic charm with them. Well, technically, they’re still digital cameras, but there’s a retro feel to them that appeals to those who remember taking photos before smartphones. They’re cute and tiny enough to carry as accessories, but they still let you take photos and videos to add to your collection.

Kenko Tokina has released another tiny camera to add to the fun. The Kenko Pieni III is an ultra-small digital toy camera designed to be worn as a necklace or an accessory. It comes with a neck strap for that purpose. It’s not meant to replace your bigger camera, of course, but it offers another way to take photos and videos.

Manufacturer: Kenko Tokina

This version of the Pieni camera is just over two inches wide and weighs approximately 18 grams, excluding the memory card and accessories. It comes in a classic camera-style design, so it can also serve as a camera-shaped accessory or a decorative display. But when you want to use it as an actual camera, it can capture still images at 1440 × 960 pixels and videos with audio at 720 × 480 pixels and 30 frames per second.

There’s an important detail behind those photo dimensions, though. The sensor has only 320,000 effective pixels, or 0.32 megapixels, and the camera interpolates the images to create larger files. That doesn’t give you the detail of a higher-resolution sensor. It’s worth keeping your expectations in toy-camera territory rather than expecting crisp images suitable for large prints. But I think this lo-fi aesthetic is part of the appeal of using these toy cameras as a secondary way to capture moments.

It doesn’t have a screen or a viewfinder, so you can’t preview your framing or immediately review what you’ve taken. It can be a way to enjoy capturing a spontaneous moment without worrying about making it perfect, although aiming without a preview may be a challenge for some. There’s also a difference between accepting an imperfect photo and accidentally leaving someone out of the frame, so that uncertainty is part of the trade-off.

The controls are simple in number, with just two buttons. One handles power and the shutter or video recording, while the other switches between photo and video modes. LEDs indicate which mode you’re using. There aren’t many controls to navigate, although you’ll still need to learn the button presses and signals. The camera also has an integrated rear magnet, so you can attach it to compatible magnetic surfaces, such as a refrigerator or a suitable metal railing. This could be useful for recording yourself when you don’t want to hold the camera. You’ll still need to find a secure position and judge where it’s pointing, especially since there’s no screen to help you set up the shot.

Photos and videos are saved to a separately purchased microSDHC card, with supported capacities ranging from 4 GB to 32 GB. There’s no user-accessible internal storage, so the card is something you’ll need before you start shooting. That’s a small but important extra purchase if you’re planning to give the camera as a gift. To see the results, you can connect the camera to a computer or transfer files directly to a compatible USB-C smartphone using the included USB-C-to-USB-C cable. Kenko Tokina cautions that it doesn’t guarantee compatibility with every smartphone. The USB connection also handles charging, keeping the basic setup fairly compact.

The Pieni III is available in four colors: Soda, Strawberry, Milk, and Black. There are also five character versions in the separate Sanrio Character Toy Camera STREET line, which has the same basic performance as the Pieni III. The range includes Hello Kitty, My Melody, Kuromi, Cinnamoroll, and Hangyodon.

For moments you absolutely need to capture correctly, the lack of framing and immediate review may be frustrating. But if you’re happy to take a few chances, there’s something appealing about putting the camera away without checking every shot. You get to find out later which pictures worked—and which ones missed what you were aiming for.

The post Kenko’s 18-Gram Pieni III Camera Shoots Without a Screen first appeared on Yanko Design.