Tag Archives: clamshell

DIY ultra-wide Steam Deck DS hybrid trades joysticks for a keyboard and trackpad

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Although hardly the first of its kind, the Nintendo Switch definitely kicked off a handheld gaming renaissance. Now we have mini PCs letting us play all sorts of games on the go and innumerable projects that try to cobble up together their own handheld console. The latter has given rise to many unconventional designs, though most follow the standard combination of buttons and joysticks found on gaming controllers.

One designer, however, went out of his way to do something different thanks to his dislike of joysticks. The result is a unique and rather curious handheld device that combines the clamshell form factor of the Nintendo DS and the guts of a laptop, and then stretches it wide to a rather unusual degree.

Designer: Marcin Plaza

There are a few things quite unconventional about this ultra-wide Steam Deck Nintendo DS hybrid, not just its super-wide form factor. Actually, that shape was a result of the decision to repurpose the usable motherboard of a broken Lenovo laptop, which happened to be roughly 13 inches wide. But unlike another DIY Steam Deck that did the same with a modular Framework laptop motherboard, the “DS Deck” didn’t go the usual joysticks and buttons layout either.

Since the goal was to ditch the joystick and replace it with a more PC-oriented keyboard and trackpad, a new kind of shell design was needed. Long story short, it required looking for a compatible 12.7-inch screen that happened to also be in an ultra-wide aspect ratio. These restrictions and requirements led to a design that followed the footsteps of the clamshell DS, which made for a rather interesting device.

While time and effort were saved in using the laptop motherboard as-is, more time was spent designing a custom circuit board for the non-standard keyboard and button layout. There was plenty of soldering and assembly involved, not to mention repairs of data cables that were accidentally torn off. Suffice it to say, this is a project very few will be able to follow.

Still, the final result is just as interesting and special. The DS Deck is able to run a full operating system like Windows or Linux because it basically uses the same motherboard and battery as the source laptop. Widescreen compatibility with games is a mixed bag, but one can always run two windows side-by-side thanks to the screen size. The custom design definitely needs a lot of work, as it doesn’t take into account safety and heat management, but the fact that it even works is itself already a commendable accomplishment.

The post DIY ultra-wide Steam Deck DS hybrid trades joysticks for a keyboard and trackpad first appeared on Yanko Design.

HMD Barbie Phone is Real and Really Pink

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A few months back, HMD Global, which now brands itself as “Human Mobile Devices,” teased the existence of a Barbie-branded flip phone. Since it has Mattel’s name riding it, was surely not some simple marketing ploy or early April Fools, but an actual product that was just biding its time. That time has finally come and the official and functional Barbie Phone is finally here, or at least for some markets. The retro-chic flip phone is unabashedly pink and, well, totally Barbie, and just like the era that it pays homage to, the phone goes back to a time when mobile phones were really just mobile phones. Perfect for a GenZ vacay, or so HMD says.

Designer: HMD x Mattel

Although the recent live-action film put the iconic doll in a very different perspective, generations will always remember Barbie and her friends as fun-loving teens. Of course, the franchise has a rich history with many twists and turns, but the spirit of the product has always revolved around the joy of the moment and spending it with friends. That’s the kind of almost Zen-like message that the HMD Barbie Phone is trying to send, telling the GenZ crowd to give their phones a vacay and enjoy their own vacay the old-fashioned way.

In terms of technology, the Barbie Phone is pretty much just a specially-branded feature phone with a classic clamshell design. It opens up to reveal a small 2.8-inch “QVGA” (that means 320×240 pixels) screen above a conventional T9 keypad. It runs the old Nokia S30+ platform, which means it barely does anything other than make calls, handles text messages, and a few specialized utilities and light games. Even the 0.3-megapixel camera is terribly old-school, and not because HMD is trying to be cheap. Every facet and feature of the Barbie Phone is designed to deliver a retro phone experience for a reason.

In addition to decades-old aesthetics, the HMD Barbie Phone tries to embody the “digital detox” lifestyle that some GenZers are embracing, at least during vacations and breaks. The phone focuses on features that immediately connect friends on a more personal level compared to just tapping hearts and giving likes. You can still take photos, of course, but even that will be in the style of classic, old-school photos where everyone has to squeeze together to fit.

That’s not to say HMD is using it as an excuse to skimp on details. In fact, the HMD Barbie Phone is quite overloaded with knick-knacks and accessories that will make any Barbie fan gush. Two interchangeable colors add some pizzazz to that hot pink motif, while stickers, a beaded lanyard, and charms offer plenty of room for personalization. On the software side, you have a special watermelon-theme Snake game variant, themes and sounds from the franchise, as well as apps that guide you to be Zen in the middle of a summer beach vacation. The HMD Barbie Phone is going for 99 GBP, around $130, but it won’t launch in the US until sometime in October.

The post HMD Barbie Phone is Real and Really Pink first appeared on Yanko Design.