Tag Archives: modified

The world’s first USB-C iPhone exists… and it wasn’t built by Apple

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Apple may have until 2024 to comply with the EU’s demands to have USB-C as the standard charging port for smartphones… but it seems like a Swiss robotics student may have beaten them to the punch. Meet the world’s only USB-C iPhone (that we know of), hacked together by Ken Pillonel, a master’s degree student in robotics at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.

The USB-C iPhone has been on Ken’s mind for a while. In fact, he embarked on this journey 5 months ago with a video explaining how he planned on modifying an existing iPhone, and even demonstrating a work-in-progress. Now, Ken’s work is pretty much complete as he debuted his first working prototype of the iPhone USB-C. The modified iPhone doesn’t just sport a USB-C for kicks… the port actually works, and lets you charge your phone as well as transfer data.

At the very heart of Ken’s solution is a redesigned PCB ribbon cable that fits inside the iPhone X, replacing the lightning charging PCB. Ken’s initial experiments from 5 months ago involved using a breadboard to work out the circuitry, before he actually fabricated a pretty professional-looking ribbon PCB that could actually fit inside the iPhone’s housing, sandwiching itself between the other components. The outer chassis of the iPhone had to be CNC machined too, to fit the new, wider port. Ken’s working on a much more in-depth video to showcase his final result and the process behind it, but he decided to give the world a taste of his prototype in a short YouTube snippet.

For now, Ken’s modded USB-C iPhone is probably one-of-its-kind. It isn’t entirely clear if Ken plans on taking his PCB to the market, although I imagine there’s an entire building of lawyers in Apple’s HQ waiting for a chance to fire up lawsuits and cease-and-desist notices to people and companies who create such kits that involve meddling with the iPhone’s hardware.

As a customer, however, the idea of a USB-C iPhone seems quite tantalizing. Imagine having just one cable for your MacBook, iPad Pro, and iPhone, and not needing multiple cables and solutions to charge different devices (or transfer data between them if AirDrop isn’t an option). That being said, unless Apple makes the USB-C iPhone official, Ken’s little hack isn’t going to sit well with the folks at the genius bar when you go to get anything repaired. Don’t expect any of your product warranties to still be valid!

Designer: Ken Pillonel

Modified Yamaha XS 650 concept ditches the Cafe Racer’s classic appeal for a modern, punkish design

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If your first reaction was “That looks nothing like a Yamaha cafe racer”, believe me, you’re not alone. Alex Casabo’s reinterpretation of the classic mid-size Yamaha XS 650 motorcycle is far from conventional. Bordering into an edgy, almost KTM territory, Casabo’s Concept 13 R looks less like the seasoned, mature, classic Yamaha cafe racer and more like its aggressive late-teenage son… and I personally can’t get enough of it!

The Concept 13 R’s f***boi vibe is deliberate and difficult to ignore. Look past its edgy, armor-like design and you’ll notice that tramp-stamp on its tires that reads “Love You, Fvck You”, sending mixed signals that make you even more curious about the bike. The modified concept ditches Yamaha’s iconic fuel-tank design for a low-poly fairing that is complemented by the unusual windshield plate on the front within which sits the bike’s tiny, yet powerful projector headlight. The Concept 13 R has two additional headlights too, in the form of LED strips mounted on the front spring forks. The taillight sits on the back of the seat, with the same thin LED-strip design.

Designer Alex Casabo uses panel-work to bring the bike’s design to life, resulting in edgy forms with little volume. Even the seat itself has little mass, and is just about an inch thick. The seat, however, sits on rather visible shock absorbers, providing some cushioning as you drive down on bumpy terrain. The nude, zinc-coated galvanized steel finish on the fuel tank further reinforces the bike’s raw attitude, making it look unusual, to say the least.

What makes the Concept 13 R so interesting is that it isn’t like the other mass-produced bikes from Yamaha’s factory. It has its own complex, wolf-like personality that helps it stand out against the sheep. Perhaps the only Yamaha symbol can be seen on the bike’s clutch cover. That itself gets undercut by the smiling emoji beside it and the blue-burnt steel exhausts.

The bike’s tire treats have smileys and X’s on them too, almost like tattoos on a bike-loving gear-head. If, however, the Concept 13 R’s bad-boy attitude is a little too much for you, Alex Casabo’s even made a slightly more mature and respectable-looking white and black variant… although if you personally ask me, where’s the fun in that??

Designer: Alex Casabo