Author Archives: Gaurav Sood

Zoey smart home assistant doubles as a portable speaker that sticks to any metal surface

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The Zoey smart home assistant concept represents a harmonious blend of aesthetics and elegant design. This smart speaker can be detached from the dock so that you can use it wirelessly. Moreover, you can stick it to any metal surface as it comes with high-grade magnets on the back. At its core, Zoey is designed to be user-friendly, featuring intuitive voice recognition capabilities that make interaction effortless.

The sleek form factor, with its smooth curves and premium materials, invites users to engage with it regularly. Unlike traditional speakers, which can often be bulky or unattractive, Zoey’s design philosophy emphasizes minimalism and sophistication, ensuring it complements rather than disrupts a desk’s visual harmony.

Designer: Siddharth Jindal

The smart home assistant connects effortlessly with various devices, allowing users to control lighting, temperature, and security systems with simple voice commands. The portable device also boasts high-fidelity audio performance, providing a rich listening experience whether users are streaming music, podcasts, or audiobooks. If you’ve got another speaker biting the dust you can pair it with Zoey to create a stereo surround environment.

Zoey’s versatility extends beyond mere home automation; it serves as a central hub for other smart gadgets as well. With built-in features such as reminders, calendar management, and news updates, it transforms mundane tasks into seamless interactions. The touch interface of the device also lets you seamlessly navigate through the menus and various compatible apps. The design incorporates subtle LED indicators that provide visual feedback, enhancing usability while maintaining the speaker’s sleek appearance. This attention to detail reflects a commitment to creating a product that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

The potential for personalization is another hallmark, as users can choose from a range of color options and finishes, allowing them to select a model that best fits their style. In a world where technology often feels impersonal, Zoey stands out by merging practicality with artistic design. Zoey is not just a portable home assistant speaker; it is a thoughtfully crafted home companion that embodies the future of smart living.

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Timex reimagines T80 model with MM6 Maison Margiela for wrist and ring watches

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Ring watches are all over the place these days. Traditional wristwatches are finding a new perspective of timekeeping in the rings that are allowing people to wear time in a unique manner – far from the pocket, not so distant from the wrist – yet, in an entirely new perception! While eminent names in Swiss haute horology are still distancing themselves from this new timekeeping fad, American watchmaker Timex is taking the leap of faith with a ring watch edition of its retro T80 model.

Timex is not doing this alone. The watch brand is teaming up with Maison Margiela, a French luxury fashion house. The outcome of Timex and Maison Margiela tie-up is the MM6 collection that features the reimagined T80 steel timepiece in form of a ring watch and retro-style T80 wristwatch with INDIGLO backlighting.

Designer: Timex x Maison Margiela

Timex x MM6 Maison Margiela collection, comprising Timex x MM6 20mm Stainless Steel Ring Watch ($180) and Timex x MM6 36mm Stainless Steel Bracelet Watch ($200), is available – starting October 24 – through Timex and MM6 Maison Margiela websites. The ring watch here is an endlessly adaptable accessory; even though it has a brushed stainless-steel case and strap, it hides beneath the strap an expanding band, which can stretch to accommodate different finger sizes.

The expansion band allows the wearer to shift the watch between fingers – or even switch between family members – with ease, fitting snuggly in most fingers. Sitting on the finger, the ring watch would scream dual branding and a district look (from the base model). Just below the main digital display is the mineral lens featuring a mask with a sequence of digits from zero to 23. In the sequence spread over three rows, the number six is encircled as a nod to the MM6 numerical signature.

While the T80 ring watch is versatile in functionality, the wristwatch in the collaborative collection is a traditional timepiece, so its stainless-steel bracelet will mostly fit the wrist it is tailored for. That said, the Timex x MM6 36mm watch carries all the functionalities of the T80 – time, month and date display, a chronograph, a daily alarm, and betters that with the contemporary INDIGO backlight technology and the mineral lens exhibiting the MM6 branding, like on the ring. The wristwatch is offered as a gift set along with a standalone brushed and polished stainless-steel strap.

For the interested, the Timex x Maison Margiela ring watch runs on an SR521SW battery. The movement is digital and features an internal electrical circuit controlling the rate at which the watch ticks. Since you’re going to have the ring on for the most part of the day, involuntarily drenching it while washing hands cannot be overlooked. The ring watch is water resistant up to 30 meters and can be taken swimming, for a bath, or occasionally rinsing under the faucet without giving a second thought.

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Batmobile of the future readies for autonomous racing on the streets

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Having seen countless Batmobile designs all these years – whether concept or real ones – the buck stops at how intimidating the build is. The ride should have an Alpha presence when parked alongside other cars, no matter whether they are supercars, SUVs, or monster trucks.

If it’s a Batmobile it should be draped in dark hues of black, although matte is preferred to continue the dark theme. This car is designed for racing given its low riding position, almost glued to the tarmac just like a Formula racer.

Designer: Fabien Guilloux

RobotRacer BBA is a racing vehicle that has Brutal, Black and Autonomous in its DNA. Being a modern take on Batmobile this concept has raw mechanical appeal with the exposed components. Those big front and rear axles, suspension and air intakes take me back to the early 2000s when F1 racing cars had a similar exterior. The dark theme overpowers the sleek lines and curves of the car, however, it does give off a very cool racing vibe. Having a second look at the hover cam view, it looks like a love child of a stealth aircraft and an F1 racer.

The all-wheel drive vehicle has an electric powertrain ready to deliver all the torque to the front and rear wheels. Being completely autonomous gives the designer complete freedom to make it ultra-aerodynamic with the least possible drag coefficient. The side air intake pods are quite large but for electric transmission, they serve no purpose, just for aesthetics they are good. Those wheel rims are draped in matte black color to carry the theme. The only things that cannot have the dark hue are the movable metal components.

This concept design hit me as a futuristic Batmobile right from the time I first laid my eyes on it. However, being autonomous means Batman will never ride it given there’s no seating space on the inside. Crime fighting will be this car’s sole objective though on a lighter note.

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Combining light and scent the MoodMist lamp personalizes environment based on user’s emotions

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Light and scents have an undeniable influence on our emotions and affect productivity. When you are in the office, you have numerous variables working in your favor. The general environment is created to increase productivity, peers work as positive reinforcement, lunch breaks foster bonding, and meetings help with real-time solutions to problems. All of this is generally lost when the office is shifted into your home with no one else but the virtual world to rely upon.

With the little play of lights and olfactory, you can create an environment in your home office that instills a feeling of happiness and warmth, while impacting the mood to enhance focus and productivity. This is where MoodMist, scented desk lamp, steps in. The appearance is pretty ordinary, but the functioning of this lamp is where the difference lies.

Designer: Semin Park

Bright light promotes alertness, cool colors encourage peace, warm hues evoke happiness, good smell can help process emotions and memories, while unpleasant smell can leave you feeling stressed and unproductive. The MoodMist combines light, scents, and a central camera and sensors to help those in the vicinity to focus better and perform productively while studying or working.

The lamp with the synergy of all its parts creates an environment in the room that’s tailored to an individual’s emotional state of mind. It emits soft, warm light and scent that matches the mood. The scents reside in the base of the lamps, which has two red balls (comprising camera and sensors) running up and down the metal body that connects the base with the lampshade on the top.

The adjustable sensors and camera modules detect the user’s emotional state and adjust the light and emit the requisite scent to match the state of mind in real-time. If the user is found distracted or tired, it releases focus-enhancing scents or if the adjustable camera and sensors detect the user it emotionally charged, the lamp releases calming scents. This helps the user to involuntarily return to a focused and productive state of mind.

The lamps come with multiple scents and lighting options customizable to a range of moods and emotions. The combination of the right smell and lighting helps a user to focus for longer periods. In addition to automated settings, the MoodMist also permits customization. It gives one the option to toggle between scents and lighting to create a personalized experience, if and when required.

 

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Revolutionary Transparent Jacket Uses Infrared to Keep You Warm

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Down jackets are fantastic insulators. They trap the warmth and retain heat, keeping us warm even in extreme weather conditions. But downs have adverse effects on wildlife and are not manufactured in the most environmentally friendly manner. In fact, most of the textile industry is ridden with a high environmental footprint. It is waiting for material innovation to decrease the footprints and herald a viable new beginning.

It would be far-stretched to say, but Japanese manufacturer Sumitomo Metal Mining could have a transparent way forward in this possible future. The company has manufactured Solament – a material innovation that produces heat using infrared light conversion. The Down-Less Down Jacket by designer Kosuke Tsumura is the first project that brings the material’s translucent nature and functionality to the fore.

Designer: Kosuke Tsumura

Aptly named Solament, a combination word comprising “solar” and “element,” this is made of near-infrared ray absorbing nanoparticles. The material absorbs the rays present in sunlight and utilizes them to generate heat. Tsumura has used the material properties to create the down jacket silhouette that absorbs infrared light from sunlight and then generates heat through light conversion technology to keep the wearer warm.

Down-Less Down Jacket, as it is called, is like a puffer down jacket made from the translucent innovative material. According to the designer, the jacket provides warmth, comparable (if not better) to a traditional down jacket without using feathers. No animals hurt, no production footprints; such as apparel as this transparent down jacket can be the future of clean, conscious clothing.

Winner of the Red Dot Award: Design Concept for the year 2024, the Down-Less Down Jacket depicts well the material’s potential. Given its transparent nature, it can have many applications and industries it can influence. Sticking with the jacket at hand, the interesting wearable may for now appear directly out of a fashion show, but its benefits can certainly have a transforming effect on the apparel industry.

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Porsche-edition La Marzocco Linea Micra espresso machine exhibits 911 Carrera graphics and specifics

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Not all coffee machines look the same. Certainly not the ones that have Porsche’s name on them. Arguably, any espresso maker would pass as a hot seller with Porsche branding, but if it’s a La Marzocco – the biggest name in premium Italian coffee makers – you’ve got yourself a dream machine to shell that cash for.

The Linea Micra espresso machine, in this case, is made in collaboration by La Marzocco and Porsche. It exudes Italian craftsmanship from the ground up, and is embellished with automaker’s design aesthetics that most fans would recognize from the 911 Carrera’s details. No wonder then, a limited-edition color variant of this machine sold out in less than a day of its announcement.

Designer: Porsche

Owing to its design influence from the Porsche 911 Carrera RSR, Linea Micra Italian coffee machine has been crafted in two exclusive color options. Both are special-edition and are limited to the magical 911 number. The machine in both original Porsche color Slate Grey Neo or – now sold out – Martini Racing design (a tribute to Porsche and Martini Racing’s partnership), features the noticeable iconic blue and red livery from the inspiration sports car.

Besides the iconic Porsche stripes and the subtle dos of the automaker’s ingenuity, the coffee machine thrives with La Marzocco’s unwavering quality. The Linea Micra is based between the company’s Linea Classic – a barista-level brewer – and the Linea Mini – a countertop genius. It is the same dual-boiler version of the Classic, in a smaller size, emitting luxury and elegance with the dual branding. The use of two stainless steel boilers means brewing temperature and steam pressure can be controlled separately.

The machine touts quick heat-up time and easy operation to provide automotive coffee enthusiasts with perfect espresso every time in only a few steps. The Linea Micra is paired with a multi-purpose portafilter that allows switching between single-spout, double-spout, and bottomless spout setups at will. The easy-to-fill two-litre water tank and integrated steam wand for frothing the milk have a single-point Porsche touch. The handles for hot water and steam are inspired by Porsche drive mode, while the pressure gauge on the coffee maker reminds of the racecar’s speedometer.

A fan collectible, this Porsche-edition La Marzocco Linea Micra espresso machine is available through Porsche online shop and in Porsche Design stores now. Priced either $6,555 or $6,949, based on the color option (the latter unavailable), the coffee maker also has a magnetic drip tray and cup warmer that take design cues from the Porsche 911 GT3.

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Nike earbuds concept is an active lifestyle accessory oriented towards minimalist lifestyle

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Weak sales forecasts and the relentless innovation by Adidas have forced Nike on the back foot. They’ve banked too much on the success of the Air Force 1, while the low-rise multi-colored Samba and Gazelle sneakers by Adidas are the current rage. Does that signal a bleak future for Nike footwear? We hope not and expect Nike to bounce back with a successful pair similar to the Air Jordan.

Foraying into the highly competitive yet lucrative audio accessories market could be on the cards. If Nike does decide to extend its influence beyond the athletic apparel and footwear line this could be it. This concept design for a pair of earbuds with the Nike branding gives active individuals a fair idea of what they’ll be like if they ever exist.

Designer: Jinkyo Han

Crafted for Nike, these concept earbuds are sporty and have a comfortable fit with a secure design that should stay in even during intense physical activity. The design is minimal making them lightweight and easy to use. This means people with active lifestyles will love them. Due to the small size don’t expect drivers comparable to the flagship earbuds like B&W Pi8, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4, Technics AZ 80, or Denon Pearl Pro.

They have a very recessed form that flows to the case that has a unique top in a sporty finish. In a way they emulate the soles of a shoe and that goes well with the theme. Just like the Nothing Ear (2) buds they have a horizontal positioning of the buds in the case, but in the face first position which can make them harder to take out.

The Nike branding is embellished on the sides very aggressively and I hope there are touch controls in there since they are the norm these days even with budget options out there. Jinkyo doesn’t enlist any specifications or features on this one, but I assume there should be ANC and transparency options too. Overall, this concept is heavily weighed in towards the design and look, but a little more imagination in the features and functionality of the buds would have spiced up things.

 

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Based on Logitech EDU research, this interactive AAC device can be a learner’s best friend

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Technology is today bridging gaps between thought and expression in more ways than previously possible. This is especially true in the case of people facing limitations with verbal speech and expression thereof. Many who resonate with the thought that every person – irrespective of their limitation – deserves a voice or perhaps a way to communicate have been working with neurodiverse learners facing communication challenges to facilitate their lifestyle with AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) devices.

Whether it’s due to developmental, neurological, or physical conditions, the struggle to communicate verbally no longer has to limit someone’s ability to connect with the world around them. Modern ACC communication devices – like this Logitech EDU multifunctional device – have stepped up to make it easier for those struggling with verbal communication to connect with the world around them not through words, but through the use of symbols and pictures.

Designer: Monica Bhyrappa and Fan Fang

More than 2 million children and adults use AAC to communicate on a daily basis. Such tools support those with difficulties communicating using speech to communicate their requirements, attend classes and participate in them, and also socialize with peers and society easily without words. The project by Monica and Fang is based on the preliminary research within the Logitech EDU team catering to the adaptive needs of students, especially those on the autism spectrum.

This computer mouse-like pocket-sized AAC device that measures 4-inches tall is based on a picture symbol system and wears the Logi branding. It is created and tested for the K-12 age group. The autistic learners in this age segment are trained to use symbols instead of words to communicate and this device intends to make that more interactive and convenient, overcoming the limitations of other AAC devices. For just convenience and interactivity, the accessory is made of interchangeable pieces rendering it an adaptable device in a student’s daily life. For instance, it has loops to wear as a lanyard, swap in the clip and fasten it to a book or folder, or strap it around the wrist to be worn as a watch.

The device features different modes comprising a set of words or phrases displayed on its interactive screen. The learner can access and click on their choice of interaction at any point of the day. These symbols are imported from the learner’s primary AAC device so that at no point there is a chance of an unfamiliar message that they do not associate with. The parents and educators can have control over this device and customize the interaction models at any time. To make it easy to be accepted as a device the learners would like with them, Monica has designed these in muted colors and minimal textural inundations.

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HMD Fusion gets Venom-themed Smart Outfits that transform the phone and change its functionality

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HMD Fusion is a new kid on the block but already with so many differences for the user to toil with. Embracing the idea of repairability and taking that notch further with support for ‘Smart Outfits,’ it allows you to clip an outfit – basically a smartphone case – to a pogo pin connector on the back of the phone and change its functionality.

The Finish company is taking advantage of this functionality and is teaming up with Marvel’s Venom: The Last Dance movie and give users an antihero experience to integrate on their phones: An experience not limited to hardware! Meant to transform the HMD Fusion’s functionality and appearance in real-time, the Venom-themed Smart Outfits bring iconic elements from the Venom franchise to the phone.

Designer: HMD

HMD has been away from the top celebrated phone-makers for a while. It has not been a very active player at that, but it’s trying to make some dishevel nonetheless, by giving users the choice of how they wish to use their phones. Customizing the experience with Smart Outfits, such as the three Venom exclusives showcased at the Venom: The Last Dance pop-up event on October 20 and the film’s premier the following day.

Clipping to the back of the Fusion, these Smart Outfits render custom theme, wallpapers, and some famous lines from Venom to put it in the intriguing sphere of the fans and the Marvel franchise to adore. Each of these custom outfits integrates “160 electromagnetic arrays controlling ferrofluid in a glass chamber” to create a venom-like effect on the Fusion’s physical appearance and software; a cool customization!

The customizations include phrases inspired by the movie that go up for instance in the boot up or when a notification sounds. When the device is booted it sounds the phrase “We are Venom,” followed by an animation from the new flick. The phone alerts on an alarm with “Eddie, the time has come,” or “Who sent that thing?” upon receiving a new notification. Interestingly, the Venom-themed HMD Fusion outfit also includes a “We are screwed” ringtone in Venom’s voice.

No matter how fascinating this may all seem, these outfits are only to showcase the unique possibilities of the Fusion and may not see the light of day. However, HMD allows interested ones with some technical skills and access to a 3D printer to create their own outfits or download wallpapers. The latest HMD smartphone is already available in Europe and pre-orders have started in the US.

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Nike Kobe 5 Protro ‘X-Ray’ with a glow-in-the-dark sole, skeletal graphic upper lands in time for Halloween

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One of the greatest basket players of his time, Kobe Brayant left us untimely, but Vanessa Bryant has since ensured her late husband’s legacy is continuously honored. Ever since the launch of Mamba Fury, the first shoe Nike rolled out after Kobe, to the latest “X-Ray” Kobe sneakers, the athlete’s collaboration with Nike is growing leaps and bounds with Vanessa’s proactive promotion.

Vanessa had first teased the Nike Kobe 5 Protro X-Ray Kobe sneakers, with glow-in-the-dark outsoles and toe box featuring skeleton foot graphic, in the beginning of the year. Come Halloween and the sneakers are likely to see the light of day. The silhouette is “inspired by haunted houses the family would visit on Halloween, Venessa informed.

Designer: Nike

The intriguing pair of Nike Kobe 5 Protro with X-Ray moniker could, at the first glimpse, remind fans of the Kobe’s infamous X-ray T-shirt he wore in 2010 promo trip to Paris. It featured the x-ray of Kobe’s hand injuries and showed each finger topped with a championship rings suggesting, “beaten not broken.”

Besides the abovementioned two, the imagery on the toe box of this new release is also speculated to be inspired by Kobe’s own feet, which would be drawn from the attention Nike had dedicated to creating the Black Mamba signature footwear line dedicated to the late legend. Whatever may be the inspiration, the skeletal graphics in white on the deep royal blue upper make a spooky effect.

The performance-driven Nike Kobe 5 with glow in the dark sole, X-ray graphics and skeletal foot comes imprinted with Kobe’s sheath logo on the tongue and the shoe’s bottom, and the heels are graced with his signatures. Featuring responsive Zoom Air cushioning and enhanced traction patterns, the sneaker has gone up for purchase starting October 17. It will be released alongside X-Ray T-Shirts making a comeback.

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