The JBL Flip 6 is a portable Bluetooth speaker that delivers powerful sound in a compact and durable package. This speaker is perfect for on-the-go listening, with a waterproof and dustproof design that can withstand any adventure. Featuring a rechargeable battery that delivers up to 12 hours of playtime, the JBL Flip 6 allows you to enjoy your favorite music wherever you go. It also includes a built-in noise and echo-canceling speakerphone for hands-free calls. With its PartyBoost feature, you can easily pair two JBL PartyBoost-compatible speakers for an even more immersive sound experience. Plus, the JBL Flip 6 has…
Although the hype around vinyl records and turntables has died down a bit, they haven’t completely disappeared. Every now and then, we still see major brands putting out new models to cater to this niche but passionate market. There is definitely still room for plenty of improvement and creativity, as shown by countless design concepts on how to give the old music device a new face. With plenty of options, it might be overwhelming to pick one for your home. But if your home is already set up with a group of Sonos speakers spread throughout the house, turntable maker Victrola just made that choice a bit easier.
There have been many new spins on the turntable design, some completely ditching even the standard box shape. These can sometimes become more complex and even distracting, calling attention more to itself than to the music that it plays. The Victrola Stream Onyx, in contrast, is understated and almost invisible, especially if most of your decor is dark or black. At the same time, however, it still has a distinctive and polished character that adds a subtle beauty to any space it’s in.
The Stream Onyx is actually the brand’s second turntable with this exact same design, with the Stream Carbon being not only older but also more expensive. In other words, this is the cheaper version of that premium device in both senses of the word. It has some features that remain similar, like the illuminated volume knob, the belt-driven metal platter, and the overall minimalist aesthetic. In other aspects, however, the Stream Onyx cuts a few corners in materials and finishing to reach a $599.99 price point compared to the Stream Carbon’s whopping $799.99.
The Victrola Stream Onyx, just as its name suggests, is all black, removing the silver accents of its pricier sibling. There are parts where Victrola swaps metal with thick molded plastic, like the plastic cartridge replacing aluminum. The tonearm of the Stream Carbon is made from carbon fiber, while the Stream Onyx makes do with aluminum. The materials may differ, but for all intents and purposes, the Stream Onyx still exudes the same design language and, more importantly, is promised to deliver the same audio quality.
What makes both turntables notable, however, is that they are certified to be “Works with Sonos” compatible. That simply means they can easily stream wirelessly to any and all Sonos speakers you have in your house, making it trivial to flood your home with music that speaks to your soul. There is a traditional RCA jack for connecting a cable to a wired speaker if you don’t have a Sonos, but then again, you would probably opt for a more affordable turntable at that point.
TVs are getting incredibly thin to the point you’re likely to fear they’d snap in half at the slightest force. Of course, these thin and flat sets are designed to be able to blend more easily in their environment, like sticking to a wall as if it were built as part of your house. That illusion falls apart, however, when it’s time to connect an external source, like a hard drive, a cable, or even just a dongle, creating a disruption in your otherwise pristine room decor. To truly give you the freedom to design as you wish, LG is putting out what could be the most innovative wireless TV in the market, which completely cuts all the cord except for the one that gives power to your TV.
Designer: LG
There are plenty of wireless solutions for TVs these days, especially thanks to the proliferation of technologies like Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, Miracast, and similar. While convenient for “throwing” content from phones and mobile devices, these technologies choke when it comes to higher-quality videos. There’s also no escaping other sources of content, like cable TV or set-top boxes or even that Ethernet cable for high-speed Internet.
The new 97-inch LG SIGNATURE OLED M (model M3) solves this by separating the source from the destination, specifically by having a separate Zero Connect Box as the hub for all your content. This box is able to wirelessly transmit 4K 120Hz videos to the spacious screen, almost as if it were directly connected to the TV with a cable. Even better, Zero Connect technology can automatically adjust its path to get the best transmission even when people or pets move around the area, potentially getting in the way. The box is also voice-controlled, so you can conveniently hide it somewhere in the room and still have access to its features and content.
The SIGNATURE OLED M model M3 itself is both a thing of beauty and a marvel of technology. Thin, stylish, and almost bezel-free, the TV easily blends with whatever theme or design you have going for your living room. It is equipped with all the goodness of LG’s SIGNATURE line of OLED TVs, delivering not only vibrant images but also clear and crisp sound, all sent through the air at ultra-fast speeds.
Of course, the TV isn’t completely wireless since you’ll still have to make provisions for the power cable. You’ll still need to connect some sources with wires to the Zero Connect box and then hide that box from view if you wish. But being able to get rid of almost all cords and cables is already a very liberating proposition, and this 4K OLED TV is likely to find fans among those eager to design the perfect living room with an “invisible” TV. The 97-inch LG SIGNATURE OLED M (model M3) will arrive in the second half of the year and will also be available in 77-inch and 83-inch sizes.
By putting the most common tools and functions right under your fingertips, the PenPad hopes to make using the iPad’s most famous sketching/painting app much easier by eliminating the hassle of navigating the Procreate interface. Instead, almost like the way a Numpad makes accessing numbers easy, the PenPad gives you access to 22 different functions that you’re most likely to use while sketching on Procreate, from increasing and decreasing brush size, accessing the color wheel, switching between brush and eraser, or just bringing up the color wheel or eyedropper tool. The fact that it’s a compact hardware accessory means you can paint with one hand while intuitively pressing buttons with the other to make your workflow tonnes faster.
Available in Black and White variants, the PenPad connects via Bluetooth to your iPad and automatically begins working with the Procreate app right out of the box. The 22 concave buttons on the PenPad are laid out in a way that makes them easy to use, and pressing buttons allows you to actively perform tasks like see your layers, toggle the selection tool, cut, copy, paste tools, etc. The buttons work rather seamlessly, almost like a wireless keyboard would, resulting in faster workflows because your mind is focused on creating rather than navigating the UI anymore.
What PenPad really does is reduce the time it takes for your eyes to wander and your hand to follow it around Procreate’s UI. More than 90% of the Procreate screen is the drawing canvas, which means the other elements (the buttons, menus, etc.) are laid out in a way that gives the canvas the main importance. Drawing on the canvas is easy, but using other features involves shifting your focus from the canvas to locate the appropriate toolbar, drop-down menu, etc. It takes a mere second, sometimes up to 10 seconds, but all this adds up rather quickly when you’re working with large files and multiple layers. To avoid this, the PenPad just puts common functions under your fingertips. This way, your dominant hand can sketch on the screen, while your non-dominant hand rests on the PenPad, away from the touchscreen display. Once your fingers get a hang of the PenPad’s layout, it becomes even more intuitive and rapid!
The tiny wireless device comes with a format that seems rather calculator-ish. It’s relatively flat, barring a bump at the top that makes the PenPad rest on surfaces at an angle – a feature that actually helps make it more ergonomic. The accessory is still rather flat, and slides right into your backpack, tablet/laptop sleeve when you’re not using it.
The PenPad works seamlessly with iPads running iPadOS 14.4 and above, although there are a few shortcomings. For starters, it doesn’t work with any other sketching app – so you’re really limited to Procreate. It doesn’t work with Android tablets either, given that Procreate isn’t available for the OS. The buttons aren’t reprogrammable either, so you can’t quite map them to work on other software for the iPad or even the laptop. It’s strictly bound to one app for one device category. Another user also pointed out that the PenPad lacks the three most popular actions performed while digital sketching – pan, rotate, and zoom. To be able to perform them, you need to take your hand off the PenPad and pinch, tap, swipe on the iPad’s touchscreen.
That doesn’t take away from the fact that the PenPad still DOES speed up your workflow. It’s quite a must-have for most digital artists who use the software for work (or even for recreation). The PenPad comes with a 100 mAh battery built-in that gives it a 5-day battery life, but unfortunately, it charges via MicroUSB (unlike the USB-C charging on the iPad Pro), so you’ll sadly need to carry an extra cable with you wherever you go.
Bypassing the amplifier, effect pedal, and pretty much any other conceivable gear associated with electric guitars, the Jack is a tiny device that allows you to connect your electric guitar to other devices via Bluetooth. Touted as a ‘wireless guitar headphone amplifier’, all you have to do is plug Jack into your guitar and it suddenly interfaces with your phone as well as your TWS earbuds, allowing you to play directly into your own ear as you would with a pair of studio monitor headphones… except this hardware is entirely wireless, and compact enough to fit in the palm of your hand.
The Jack managed to secure a Red Dot Design Concept Award in 2020 for its clever and compact design. Most smartphones have the ability to process signals from an electric guitar, and the Jack relies on this to bypass the traditional massive amplifier that you see most electric guitars connected to. The Jack’s main piece of hardware is this unit that plugs into the 3/4th-inch audio socket of an electric guitar, basically powering it and sending the electrical signals to the smartphone to interpret.
The smartphone app is where all the magic happens, essentially. Signals from the Jack are sent to the phone, where an app decodes them, turning them into music. You can edit the signal by adding virtual amps and filters to modulate the sound, doing basically what actual gear would do, but instead through software. Finally, the end product plays either on your phone or through TWS earbuds that you place in your ear. This way, you can jam in your own head without having everyone around you listening in on your music (or your neighbors getting perturbed). The Jack’s entirely wireless design means you can just about jam anywhere you want, at home, in a cafe, on the subway, heck… even in an airplane. Your co-passengers may not appreciate having the guitar invading their personal space, though!
The Apple AirPods ushered in a new age of wireless audio gear littered by dozens of truly wireless or TWS earbuds, some of which unsurprisingly looks a lot like Apple’s design. It’s hard to ignore the convenience these small pieces of plastic bring, but they are also not a good fit for all kinds of wearers and uses. When safety, stability, and comfort are the most critical concerns, you’ll want something more than just two buds to stick inside your ear. That’s the promise that the LIVALL makes with its Open Ear Headphones, providing an audio experience that still leaves your ears open to the world around you and stays safely on your head or even on your helmet.
Designers: Bryan Zheng & Mingqiang Xu
Click Here to Buy the Sport: $79$135 ($56 off). Hurry, only limited to 20. Includes free remote controller, portable bag, and 50% off shipping.
Click Here to Buy the Pro: $89$149 ($60 off). Hurry, only limited to 20. Includes free remote controller, portable bag, and 50% off shipping.
To be clear, the LIVALL doesn’t use bone conduction to deliver its open ear audio experience. That technology became a bit of a fad, partly because of the wonders of its novelty and its ability to let the world’s sounds in, especially the ones that would warn you of incoming danger. Bone conduction headphones, however, are also notorious for the uncomfortable tingling sensation that the vibrations cause, as well as discomfort after wearing them for long periods of time. The LIVALL has none of those, thanks to more intelligent use of technology and physics.
16.2mm Speakers – Has a sensitivity rating of 106, ‡3dB that has received calibrations in layering, space, bass tone and clarity for a more immersive listening experience.
Working together with 16.2mm premium diaphragm speakers, the LIVALL LTS21 utilizes directional acoustics to bring that same open ear experience without having to send vibrations through your skull. At the same time, it makes sure that sound waves really go to your ear alone, preventing them from leaking out, which is one of the problems with other open-ear headphones. At the same time, four mics power an Environmental Noise Cancellation or ENC that does block external noise so you can have crystal clear calls in any environment.
Bluetooth 5.2 – The technology supports connection and reconnection in less than a second.
Environmental Noise Cancellation – Features four high-quality silicon microphones to form a powerful noise re-duction array.
Long Battery Life – Supports up to 12 hours of continuous play and has an 800mAh charging case/power bank with the capacity to fully recharge for up to 60 hours of playtime.
What all these technologies mean is that the LIVALL makes for the perfect companion in outdoor activities. The open ear design not only lets you stay aware of your surroundings, but you also don’t have to worry about bacterial infections and hearing damage that are commonly associated with buds that go into your ear canal. You will still be able to hear your favorite tunes or podcasts with clarity, and you can enjoy hours of use on end, thanks to the headphones’ 12-hour battery life and the charging case’s additional 48 hours.
For multi-scenario.
IP64 protected against dust and water.
If those features still aren’t enough to make the LIVALL LTS21 special, then its detachable design definitely takes the cake. The head bracket is already comfortable and stable enough to sit on your head, but if you need to wear a bike helmet as well, the buds can easily be detached from the head bracket and then attached to helmet brackets. The buds can be easily controlled with just a few taps, but there’s also a LIVALL remote for those times when you need to keep both hands on the bike’s handlebar. It’s the perfect partner for the highly successful LIVALL EVO21 smart helmet that revolutionized bike safety. And being IP64 dust and water-resistant, the headphones can join you on any run or trek, no matter the weather.
Enjoy a hands-free walkie-talkie with your teammates while riding.
With the LIVALL LTS21 open ear headphones, you don’t have to decide between comfort, quality, performance, and versatility, especially when you can have it all at a great value. ts intelligent use of directional acoustics gives rise to a new breed of “Nearbuds” that will make earbuds a thing of the past. You can choose between the regular $85 Sport model, which covers most needs, or the $95 Pro set, which includes brackets for helmets. Yanko Design readers get a special discount treat, so make sure you use the links provided.
Click Here to Buy the Sport: $79$135 ($56 off). Hurry, only limited to 20. Includes free remote controller, portable bag, and 50% off shipping.
Click Here to Buy the Pro: $89$149 ($60 off). Hurry, only limited to 20. Includes free remote controller, portable bag, and 50% off shipping.
Because Pokémon fans really like to immerse themselves in the franchise in every way possible (nothing wrong with that), Brando is selling an officially licensed wireless Pikachu mouse with a scroll wheel and ears that double as the mouse’s buttons. How about that! Obviously, whenever I’m using the scroll wheel, I’m going to pretend I’m petting sweet little Pikachu to sleep.
The $51 mouse is powered by a single AA battery and operates via an 800dpi optical sensor, with a wireless range of around 26 feet. You know, in case you like to stand REALLY far away from your computer screen to challenge your vision. Me? I can’t even read the top of my optometrist’s eye chart. I think it’s a smiley emoji?
Now all you need is a keyboard with Pokémon-themed keycaps to complete your Pokémon computer, or Poképuter as you should call it. You should probably also add a pair of googly eyes and a tail to your computer case while you’re at it.
Depending on how you consume music, your speaker defines the listening experience. The speaker you bring to the beach will change in sound and appearance from the speaker you use for at-home listening. While durability is the main focus of the former, quality acoustics make the most of home speaker systems.
Designer: Zhipeng Huang
Designing a wireless speaker for the home environment, Zhipeng Huang conceptualized Incloud. Defined by its cylindrical shape and open center, Incloud is a smart speaker that doubles as a lamp, which users can program to coincide with their nightly routines and sleep schedules.
Inspired by the shape that a sheet of dough makes when draped around a rolling pin, Incloud keeps a cylindrical silhouette while maintaining an open center. Located in the center cavity, Huang equipped Incloud with an acousto-optics modulator that syncs the speaker’s soundwaves with its integrated light fixture. This intersection is what puts Incloud’s speaker design above current models.
The round shape of Incloud lends to an easily portable device that can cling onto any edge with its open center. While the overall structure of Incloud maintains a minimalist appeal, the speaker’s simplistic build gives way to intuitive usability.
The device’s central light piece immediately suggests its proper configuration, signaling to users that the speaker is located on the device’s outer shell. On one end of Incloud, users can find a simple control interface that hosts the volume and light dials.
Huang also developed an app to pair with Incloud for users to control the light’s strength as well as its projected color. From the same app, users can even program their sleep schedules so that Incloud will incrementally dim every hour, on the hour as bedtime grows closer.
Punk is a speaker design that incorporates a removable fingerboard that functions as the device’s remote control.
Home speaker systems are meant to deliver quality sound and blend in with the rest of our home furniture. While two things can be true, too often do designers favor one over the other, leading to really either dope speaker designs that don’t deliver on audio or underwhelming designs that do.
Since it comes down to personal taste, designers are left to their own to produce quality, niche speakers that even audiophiles will enjoy. Designer Dot, a studio known for its extensive catalog of household appliances, finished work on a speaker design called Punk that was inspired by fingerboards that audiophiles and skaters alike can enjoy.
Designer Dot conceptualized Punk to incorporate the addictive nature of fingerboards into the very build of the speaker. Punk keeps a concave surface that creates a gradual ramp for the volume control fingerboard to glide back and forth.
Outfitted with intuitive control buttons, the fingerboard allows users to connect an external device via Bluetooth, skip or return to songs, and, of course, the play and pause button. Detachable by design, the fingerboard isn’t the only way to control the speaker.
Protecting the speaker’s main body and internal machinery, a weighted base draped in speaker fabric is positioned just below the device’s top surface. Integrated control buttons allow users to operate Punk however they’d like.
Separated by a slight opening, the top, concave surface provides the area for the detachable fingerboard to control the speaker. When users aren’t listening to music, they can play with the removable fingerboard like it’s a fidget toy, helping the workday go by a bit faster.
Designer Dot conceptualized Punk in both green and red tones.
Even the speaker’s fuller body resembles the build of a skateboard.
Embossed tracks line internal magnetic strips that keep the fingerboard in place.
The remote control comes with all of the necessary power buttons for intuitive operation.
The packaging maintains a subtle, yet maximalist aesthetic.
Portable monitors have popped up left and right in the past years, but InnLead’s latest innovation brings the same convenience without the hassles of cables. And, no, that doesn’t involve using flaky Bluetooth.
In the future, all communication between devices will be wireless. In addition to saving humans (and animals) from getting tangled up in wires and cables, it would also reduce the need to make and waste copper wires, plastics, rubbers, and other materials. We’re still far from that ideal future, though, and the wireless technologies we currently use aren’t always that reliable. InnLead’s newest portable touch monitor tries to give us a sneak peek at that future of ultimate wireless bliss.
Imagine having a second monitor for your laptop or an external display for your phone at any time or place you need it. Existing portable screens already deliver that but require you to mess around with one or two cables. There are wireless options available, but almost all of those rely on Bluetooth, one of the most unstable and unreliable wireless connections in use today. In contrast, the AVA 4K wirelessHD portable monitor brings the best of all worlds with only a few caveats, and it comes with lag-free touchback to boot!
The secret sauce to this seemingly magical capability is the AVA 4K monitor’s built-in 5G mmWave technology, allowing the high-speed transmission of data from device to monitor, including touch input. Unlike Bluetooth, which has traditionally been used for this use, there is zero lag that’s equivalent to having a wired connection. Even better, this mmWave signal doesn’t conflict with any carrier’s 5G bandwidth, so you can safely use the 4K wirelessHD monitor without worries about losing your signal.
In the spirit of full disclosure, there is one minor catch to this seamless setup. You will need to connect the wirelessHD Zero Lag Transmitter to your phone, computer, or Nintendo Switch to “throw” the device’s display to the monitor. That connection does happen via a USB-C cable, but it’s so convenient and near-instantaneous that it’s a small cost worth paying. Plus, you’re still free to move your phone or laptop anywhere up to 20 meters (66 feet) without breaking the connection.
The portable monitor itself is designed to be thin and light that you might even be perplexed how it could pack so many features in that package. It even has a built-in 8,000 mAh battery, so you won’t have to worry about placing an additional burden on your laptop or phone. The display comes with a kickstand that can fold 180 degrees and works both in portrait and landscape positions. And if you ever find yourself in a situation where the device doesn’t have a USB-C port for the wirelessHD transmitter, the portable monitor is also equipped with HDMI and USB ports for wired connections. It brings ZERO latency lossless video and image quality via wirelessHD connection, and 4K UHD via cable connection, which is fantastic in a portable size monitor
The AVA 4K wireless HD Portable Touch Monitor is undoubtedly one of the most advanced in its class. Featuring a light and minimal design that lets you easily take it anywhere, the portable touch screen offers the conveniences of a second (or first) screen without the hassles of cables or the unreliability of Bluetooth. It frees you not only from wires but also from your desk, allowing you to do what you need anywhere you go, whether it’s to work on your latest project or to enjoy a bit of downtime with your Nintendo Switch.
