Tag Archives: retrofuturism

AYANEO AG01 graphics dock puts a retro-style spaceship on your desk

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Nostalgia is a very powerful (and lucrative) emotion, but the retro designs don’t necessarily have to be just based on past products. In fact, they don’t need to be based on real things at all. Retro designs only need to incorporate elements from the past, whether that’s a historical past or a fictional one. The latter especially applies to what has become known as retro-futuristic styles that try to blend past and future in a way that makes some sense in the present. This upcoming graphics dock, intended to give handheld gaming PCs a performance boost, is one such example, bringing a unique visual accent to your workspace by taking on the appearance of a miniature spacecraft with the blocky and rugged aesthetics of the past.

Designer: AYANEO

Although external graphics enclosures have existed for a while now, it was only with the advent of handheld PCs that they started to become smaller and slightly more portable. The purpose remains the same, providing significantly more powerful graphics capabilities than the portable computer can manage, but in a form factor that can also be carried around in a bag if desired. Many of these so-called graphics docks take on the form of uninspiring rectangular bricks, but the AYANEO AG01 bucks the trend with a design that is almost literally out of this world.

As part of its next batch of REMAKE products, AYANEO is including its very own graphics dock with a design that doesn’t really resemble any existing product from the past. The company describes it as a starship, though it might not immediately strike one as similar to those from hit sci-fi shows like Star Trek or even Star Wars. It has a more blocky shape, not unlike other graphics docks, but with an overabundance of panels and grilles. Its rough edges and dark color scheme contrast with the usual smooth curves and lighter motifs of futuristic spacecraft. This is a spaceship that humans would first produce for exploration and perhaps even militaristic action. Space-efficient, rugged, and a little menacing.

Underneath that retro-futuristic shell, however, is a very typical graphics dock, one that even houses a slightly dated AMD Radeon RX 7600M XT graphics from last year. There’s a plethora of connectivity options, including USB4 and the newer Oculink technology. It does also function as a typical data hub when connected to a computer, which means USB ports and even an Ethernet jack for faster network connectivity. Although technically compatible with any computer that supports external GPU via USB4, the AYANEO AG01 is specifically designed for the brand’s handheld gaming computers that have a significantly weaker GPU compared to laptops.

There’s also some RGB lighting, but that’s curiously limited to the ring around the dome on one end of the dock and three “vents” near it. It’s a purely aesthetic element, though one that admittedly looks too modest for what should be a space-faring vehicle. Availability details about the AYANEO AG01 are still unknown at this point, but the graphics dock’s unique design will surely catch the fancy of many collectors, whether they have an AYANEO handheld PC or not.

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Titan x Yanko Design “Retrofuturism Challenge” Announces Innovative Winning Designs

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The first Titan x Yanko Design “Retrofuturism Challenge” finally came to a close in April, with the companies revealing their grand winners. Three winners were chosen from hundreds of entries and were awarded cash prizes and KeyShot licenses.

Participants were required to design one of the following – a watch, eyewear, jewelry, or backpack – keeping in mind the ‘Retrofuturism’ brief. The brief invited designers to marry the golden yesteryears with the uncharted tomorrows, creating designs that resonate with the warmth of nostalgia yet pulse with the promise of the future. The Titan x YD Jury Panel awarded Tejas Sunil Suryawanshi as their grand winner, with Swetha Shanmuhavel getting the 1st Runner Up Prize, and Serhan Yenilmez getting the 2nd Runner Up Prize. Winners were selected across 3 of the 4 product categories, and the jury even gave participant Jack Wells an Honorable Mention for his entry.

Winner – Tejas Sunil Suryawanshi

Suryawanshi’s Aerion watch captivated the judges for its unconventional design that married new technology with unique form factors, and an eye-catching brutalist design language that still managed to be both exciting and practical. The timepiece boasts a captivating design with a semi-circular dial on the right marking the hours and a smaller counterpart on the left for minutes. Evocative of the Earth and Moon’s interplay, these dials charmingly illustrate the lunar orbit. Incorporating practicality, two buttons flank the watch for activating the chronograph function. This feature seamlessly transforms the minute hand into a seconds hand for precise timing, aided by a secondary dial measuring half-second intervals within the hour display. A top-right disc on the watch face elegantly presents a map with crucial longitudes, alongside a rotating hand pinpointing the sun’s position overhead, indicating local solar time. Notably, the outer bezel of the disc also includes a discreet arrow for user location reference.

1st Runner Up – Swetha Shanmuhavel

Swetha Shanmuhavel, who goes by ‘_.enigmiala._’ on Instagram secured second place for her jewelry design – Collar Pins. The unique interpretation of creating jewelry that affixes to the corner of a collar or a chest pocket really resonated with the judges as unique and interpreting the brief perfectly. The art deco styling of the pin was a perfect pick for the retrofuturistic theme, given its distinctly luxurious yet geometric patterns. “In the hopes of a utopian retro-futuristic world that will be culturally sensitive and celebrate inclusivity and self-expression, I aim, as a designer, to break down societal expectations and exercise creative freedom to explore innovative and unique designs that transcend traditional gender boundaries,” said Shanmuhavel. Striking an 83-degree angle, these pins are a statement piece crafted in 18k gold, black enamel, and diamonds. Their bold geometric lines and rich embellishments showcase both individuality and imagination. Secured by a screw at the back, these versatile pieces can be worn on a crisp shirt collar or a jacket lapel, adding a touch of retro charm with a futuristic twist. They are a nod to the past, reimagined for the modern era.

2nd Runner Up – Serhan Yenilmez

Serhan Yenilmez’s “Cat Eye” glasses won the final prize for its call-back to the cat-shaped quintessential ‘librarian’ glasses of the 50s and 60s. Unlike those, however, these glasses come with layers that add volume and chunk to the glasses, giving them a distinct appearance that’s sure to have you look twice. “Main target was to keep the classic unique form and make it look more sophisticated and up-to-date by some ideas such as leather pads and mix & match material options,” described Serhan, adding that “All the parts are detachable and mixes with each other as the user sees fit…”

Honorable Mention – Jack Wells

Finally, the judges awarded Jack Wells an honorable mention for his watch entry ‘Rotograde’. Although the watch’s design lacked feasibility in its current stage, it reinterpreted timetelling by relying on something as rudimentary as a belt and gear. This, coupled with the unique aesthetic of the watch made it a retrofuturistic dream come true. “This retrofuturistic watch utilizes a belt-driven analog handset to convey the time. The dial’s linear display enables the time to be read like lines of text, making it more efficient as a time-telling process than the traditional three-hand set-up,” Jack said, referencing Gerald Genta and Sir Jony Ive as his inspirations.

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Retrofuturistic streaming audio player recreates the simplicity of a radio

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There is no shortage of powerful and sophisticated media players these days that have almost every and all features you can possibly cram inside. Some of these designs are more upfront with the complexity of options and controls, while others hide behind a deceptively minimalist facade that relegates the knobs and sliders to a mobile app instead. While there is always a place for such advanced devices, there is sometimes also a need for simpler and more focused features. An old-school radio, for example, simply plays music it receives from certain frequencies, and that’s the kind of distilled listening experience that this DIY streaming audio player tries to offer in a retrofuturistic design that looks like a cross between that analog radio, a small TV, and, oddly enough, a miniature microwave.

Designer: Nik Reitmann

Streaming devices are so common these days that it almost makes no sense to make one yourself. After all, our smartphones themselves are capable of these and more, and you can easily pair them with a wireless speaker at home for louder output. Of course, if you value the journey and the process of making such a functional design more than the final product, then you’ll probably want something that at least stands out in more than just appearance alone.

This DIY streaming audio player stands somewhere in between a smart speaker and a smart display, focusing on the streaming audio activity but with a touchscreen display that adds a bit of flavor to the experience. It’s not a touch-only device, however, as its creator preferred to embrace some analog controls, especially a volume dial that seems to be a rare sight on many smart speakers these days. There are also a few LED-lit buttons, though, and the whole setup can be controlled remotely from your phone or even a computer.

The design chosen for the player is admittedly distinctive, embracing an aesthetic that seems to mix different eras. The arrangement of a large display or rectangular element opposite a set of buttons and a knob is reminiscent of analog radios and even some TVs from decades past. The smooth surfaces and curves, however, give it a more modern look that is amusingly close to the appearance of a microwave with a physical knob instead of just buttons. Either way, it’s an interesting design for a dedicated streaming audio player that distills the listening experience to its very basics rather than getting lost in a multitude of features.

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