This battery-powered ice maker lets you beat the summer heat anytime, anywhere

Summer is always upon us, which means both fun times outdoors as well as uncomfortable moments under the sun. While different people will have different responses to higher temperatures, few will argue that an ice-cold drink is perfect for this season. Easier said than done, though, especially when you’re out on the beach or even just in your backyard. There are, of course, ways to keep drinks cold out of the fridge, but coolers can only last so long. Ice makers, on the other hand, often come as large boxes you still have to plug in anyway, making their use in beaches nearly impossible. Fortunately, you don’t have to give up on that cool, refreshing drink under the summer sun, thanks to this innovative portable device that lets you have your ice anywhere in just five minutes.

Designer: FLEXTAIL

Click Here to Buy Now: $359 $549 ($190 off). Hurry, only 29/110 left! Raised over $160,000.

Making ice for drinks in a snap is probably a dream for anyone who has spent hours under the sun, no matter the season or the reason. Portable ice makers do exist, but their slow speeds and power cords often outweigh any relief you’d get from enjoying a cool drink. Those are the exact problems that the FLEXTAIL EVO ICER ice maker solves using a genius mix of innovative technology and well-thought-out design that delivers the world’s first ice maker with a built-in battery.

Right off the bat, you can immediately see that the EVO ICER is meant to be carried anywhere. Weighing only 20.9 lbs and smaller than most portable ice coolers, the ice maker can be easily lifted and positioned where you can easily make and grab as much ice as you need. The 200Wh battery inside means you don’t have to worry about power sockets, and the EVO ICER can run for as long as three hours on a full charge.

When it does run low, though, you can charge it via a standard charging port or, better yet, through USB-C. With USB Type C charging, you simply need to plug the EVO ICER into a car charger or portable power station to continue enjoying the ultimate convenience of refreshing, cold drinks outdoors.

Despite its size, the FLEXTAIL EVO ICER packs a wallop of features, starting with its key strength, making ice in a flash. The first batch of 12 ice cubes needs only 9 minutes to freeze, and subsequent batches take only 5 minutes each. Compared to other ice makers that require a waiting time of around 15 minutes for the first 9 cubes and around 9 minutes for subsequent batches, the EVO ICER gives you more ice at faster speeds, almost 1.5 times better than any ice maker in the market.

An innovative IceBurstX Rapid Refrigeration Technique allows the EVO ICER to use a smaller motor and compressor while still ensuring maximum ice production efficiency with minimal power consumption, while advanced cooling systems keep it running cool and quiet even under 107°F temperatures.

This wonder ice maker isn’t just fast and efficient, it’s also convenient and safe. EVO ICER has three modes, depending on the speed you need and the amount of battery you have. Quick Mode works the fastest and keeps making ice until the storage basket is full, while Eco Mode consumes less power but is also slower. Cup Mode lets you choose how many cups of ice to make and stops when that quota is reached.

The water container and ice storage basket are made from food-grade polycarbonate material, and the machine uses the natural and non-toxic R290 refrigerant to protect both humans and the environment. The EVO ICER is equipped with a variety of sensors that will warn you to refill the water storage or charge the machine before the crisis even happens. And at the end of the day, a single click is all that’s needed to clean and drain the ice maker.

Fast, convenient, quiet, and safe, this portable, battery-powered ice maker lets you enjoy the cool drink that you deserve in summer or any other season. For only $359, the FLEXTAIL EVO ICER will let you stop worrying about the drinks and focus on what matters the most: enjoying the party.

Click Here to Buy Now: $359 $549 ($190 off). Hurry, only 29/110 left! Raised over $160,000.

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These sustainable artificial floes try to stem the melting of Arctic ice

We might finally be feeling the effects of irregular and extreme climate conditions only now, but global warming has been ongoing for several years already. Its most evident effects, however, are mostly seen and felt in the Arctic, where large masses of ice are melting at a rapidly rising rate. This has a domino effect on the world’s climate patterns and, unfortunately, is something not easily solved in just a few years’ time. Ice masses have to be preserved and regenerated, which is easier said than done. It’s not impossible, though, especially with humanity’s collective intelligence and creativity. A case in point is the idea of a biocomposite structure that could keep the Arctic waters cooler and even build up some pieces of ice over time.

Designer: Niklas Andreasen

Our weather systems have always been cyclical ones. In addition to the usual cycle of seasons, the natural melting of polar ice affects global temperatures, weather patterns, and even the duration of those seasons. When ice masses melt too soon and too quickly, the world’s sea levels rise, and less light is reflected off the Earth’s surface. This causes more heat absorption and rising global temperatures, which, in turn, makes it harder for ice to form in those polar regions, particularly the Arctic.

Of course, we can’t just simply make water freeze faster to compensate for lost ice, but we could at least try to keep the Arctic ocean cooler to prevent ice from melting too rapidly. That’s where Project ARCSTAR comes in, an initiative that will try to deploy man-made floes that are designed to do some of the work that ice masses do in order to let natural sea ice retain its shape for just a bit longer. Even better, these floes are made from biowaste materials and will degrade naturally over time.

The hexagonal floes are coated in a bright white color in order to reflect as much sunlight as possible. This has the effect of lowering the temperature of both the water and the air around it, which means that actual ice masses should melt a little bit slower. ARCSTAR’s abilities, however, go beyond just keeping the ice from melting fast but can even facilitate the formation of new ice masses.

Its shape, which is made up of ridges and perforations, and its sponge-like structure are designed to absorb and store water. And because it effectively lowers the temperature of the water around it, the floe can actually turn that stored water into ice and then retain that ice longer than a regular ice mass. Since it is made from biodegradable materials, the floe itself will eventually decompose without releasing pollutants or harmful chemicals into the ice and, eventually, the world’s oceans.

Those sustainable materials include sulfur-free lignin and calcium carbonate, both of which are waste by-products of wood, paper, fish, and other industries that we use daily. Mixing it with other bio-based materials allows ARCSTAR to be light and strong and, most importantly, decompose faster, allowing the formed ice mass to just be an ice mass in the long run. The project definitely sounds promising as a stopgap measure to stem the rapid melting of Arctic ice, but even the designer warns that it isn’t a long-term solution. That would require changing much of our lifestyle and our industries to embrace more sustainable options, which takes far longer than forming ice in the Arctic.

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Get the party started with alphabet ice cubes that give drinks a personalized touch

G is for Gary, J is for Juice, and U will be the star of the show.

Unless you’re serving only hot coffee or tea at a party, chances are you will need to keep your drinks cold or at least chilled, even after the drink is poured into glasses. Ice cubes and tubes are common and, to be honest, as boring as a stale drink. If you want to make your gatherings a bit more exciting and have your guests really talking, why not insert a bit of a surprise where they least expect it. Ice cubes that come in forms other than, well, cubes immediately attract attention, but ones that come in the 26 letters of the English alphabet are sure to pique people’s curiosities, especially when each glass and each letter are personalized to a guest’s name. It also ensures that you will be remembered as the best host ever, making it easier to get others to join next time.

Designer: DrinksPlinks

Click Here to Buy Now: $29 $35 (16% off). Hurry, for a limited time only!

There are so many things we can take for granted in our daily lives, even at parties. There are also so many small things we can tweak and change that would result in massive improvements to an experience. Seeing a frozen letter floating in your drink, for example, is sure to make anyone pause and ask, maybe even chuckle or laugh. It’s the perfect conversation starter and ice breaker, pun totally intended.

DrinksPlinks’ Alphabet of Ice Cubes offers a dead-simple way to make drinks interesting while also keeping them chilled for maximum enjoyment. You can use whatever system you prefer, whether to customize each drink to match a guest’s name or the drink’s name. Perhaps you can even use those letters to spell out your own name, making sure no one forgets you or your parties. Need to get the adrenaline pumping a little bit? Why not devise a party game designed around the letters of the alphabet? Hopefully, you also came prepared for prizes, because there will probably be a lot of eager participants.

Personal-ice Your Drinks – The A-Z of ice cubes means everyone from Adam – Zoe can personal-ice their drinks.

Chills Not Dilutes – Every letter is 4cm thick and melts slowly, keeping its shape.

Each ice tray comes with four molds for a single letter, making sure that you won’t run out of alphabets for Viviene, Violet, Vince, and Victor. The ice cubes not only make each glass interesting but also keeps the drink inside chilled without diluting its flavors. There’s no bigger downer than a large glass of iced tea that tastes like cold, brown-colored water. And despite their sizes and shapes, these frozen letters still let you easily stir your goblet’s contents to ensure an even distribution of flavor.

Not Just for Ice – Get creative and use DrinksPlinks molds for baking, chocolates, candles, resin, soap, candy, plaster + more.

Get rid of the awkward pauses of silence by handing everyone a drink with their names written on it, almost literally. DrinksPlinks thinks outside the cube to bring curiosity and whimsy to a party or any gathering for that matter, reminding guests, friends, and family members that it’s a time to kick back even for a little bit and have fun, establishing social connections with the people around you. With the Alphabet of Ice Cubes, you can easily personal-ice your drinks and make your parties more personal, more fun, and, most importantly, more memorable, too.

Click Here to Buy Now: $29 $35 (16% off). Hurry, for a limited time only!

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3D Printed R/C Ice Vehicle Is Triple Axel Ready

The brainchild of Simon Sörensen of YouTube channel RCLifeOn, this R/C vehicle was designed specifically with traversing ice in mind. Inspired by the one-wheeled motorcycle from 2003’s Spy Kids 3 (I must have missed that), the vehicle was constructed using 3D printed parts and features a brushless motor powering a spiked rear wheel via a chain drive with steering provided by two repurposed ice skating blades. I’m sure his younger sibling won’t miss those.

After an initial driving test, Simon had to tweak the steering to tighten an unacceptably wide turning radius, but after that, the vehicle appears to perform fairly well. That’s good too because you’re not going to take home the gold model in figure skating if you have to use the entire width of the rink just to perform a 360°.

Simon says he’s pleased with the result but plans on making an even better version sometime in the future. And I, for one, can’t wait to strap two of those suckers to my feet and terrorize everyone at the ice skating rink Wile E. Coyote style.

[via TechEBlog]

The Hakii Ice TWS Earbuds look so incredibly ornamental, they make the AirPods cases feel boring

Instead of creating a sleek design that requires an ugly case, the Hakii Ice cleverly takes care of both aspects by creating a beautifully textured design encased in a protective clear resin outer layer. This seemingly ‘frozen’ design becomes an aesthetic as well as a utilitarian feature that protects the case from damage.

Meet the Hakii Ice. You’ve probably never heard of them, although once you see them, chances are you won’t ever forget them. With perhaps the most memorable design in the earbuds category, the Hakii Ice sport a double shot molded case design that looks almost like the earphones are preserved in a block of ice. The outer transparent layer, and the textured inner layer create an interplay of light and shade, with a touch of refraction, that makes the Ice earphones look incredibly awe-striking. In a world filled with TWS earbud cases that look like floss cases, the Hakii Ice looks like an ornament.

The problem with most TWS earphone cases is the fact that the earbuds, their performance, and the underlying technology get all the focus, making the outer case an afterthought. That, in retrospect, has created the perfect stage for companies like Hakii to put actual design efforts into their case designs (Gravastar went all-out with their Sirius Pro TWS earphone cases too). As its name suggests, the Ice earbuds look like they’re trapped in a block of ice. Designed for active wearers (sportspeople, fitness freaks, etc.), the Ice takes inspiration from ice-based sports, and focuses on creating an impression of being quite literally ‘cool’.

On the technical front, the Hakii Ice are a pair of Bluetooth 5.2 TWS earphones with a semi-in-ear design and a 7-hour battery life. Like any good pair of TWS earphones, they come with minimal latency, pair up quickly, and are intuitive to use, with touch-sensitive panels that let you trigger smart features and control volume and playback. Where they stand apart are in the fact that the earphones have massive 13mm drivers (that’s 2mm larger than the ones found on the AirPods Pro), and the fact that they run DNN (deep neural network) noise-canceling, relying on machine learning to help the earphones get better at isolating and canceling noise with use. They’re great for music, workouts, calls, podcasts, and Hakii’s even made sure the low-latency feature is perfectly tuned for gamers, who like absolutely tight response times.

However, the case remains the Hakii Ice’s magnum opus. Created through as many as 6 different material tests (with 21 separate iterations) for an optimal balance between strength, lightness, heat-resistance, and transparency, the case uses a manufacturing method called double-shot injection molding, which allows you to create a product with two different materials right within one mold in one process. There’s obviously a case (no pun intended) to be made for the fact that websites tend to lean on the side of creating dramatic photogenic product shots, although images of the product circulating on Twitter and the rest of the internet show a earphone case that definitely looks eye-catching to the extent of feeling ornamental. Hakii’s even won a fair bunch of design awards for its previous products (including the Red Dot, IDEA, iF Design, Good Design, and the Design Intelligence Awards). I wouldn’t be surprised if the Ice ended up snagging a bunch of awards too… after all, it blows a breath of fresh air into a category where most TWS Earbud cases look like glossy, spray-painted floss-containers…

Designer: Hakii

The post The Hakii Ice TWS Earbuds look so incredibly ornamental, they make the AirPods cases feel boring first appeared on Yanko Design.

Clearview AI wins an ICE contract as it prepares to defend itself in court

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) this week signed a deal with Clearview AI to license the facial recognition company’s technology. According to a federal purchase order unearthed by the nonprofit Tech Inquiry (via The Verge), an ICE mission...

This swirling orb of ice helps make your drinks look amazing and cool faster too!

This could be the mildly delusional me speaking but oh, what I’d give to be in a crowded bar, not being able to hear myself think while sipping on an Old Fashioned and admiring the swirling orb of ice in it. As perfect as that orb does tend to look with the orange peel above it and the alcohol around it, it seems like it could be perfected, be engineered to look better, and perform better.

It isn’t often that something as mundane as an ice-mold wins a design award, but it seems like the Icy Galaxy deserves recognition. Designed to look like a beautiful wavy orb of ice, the Icy Galaxy sphere does two things – It creates an interesting interaction with the liquid it’s immersed in, especially when the liquid slides into the orb’s multiple crevasses, but at the same time, it also helps rapidly cool drinks down by increasing the icy orb’s surface area (similar to how motorcycle engines come with fins that increase their surface area allowing wind to cool them more effectively). The orbs are crafted using silicone+plastic molds that create two spheres at a time, and the resulting ice spheres look absolutely mesmerizing when suspended in colorful liquids… sort of like galaxies within your glass!

The Icy Galaxy Ice Mold is a winner of the A’ Design Award for the year 2020.

Designers: Ladan Zadfar and Mohammad Farshad

ACLU sues Homeland Security over airport facial recognition records

There's no question that AI surveillance is on the rise, but there are a lot of questions about just how extensively law enforcement agencies, like the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), are using it. In an attempt to increase transparency, the A...