Tag Archives: space

$120,000 Boba Fett Watch Costs One Serious Bounty

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Inspired by everyone’s first or second favorite bounty hunter in the Star Wars universe (depending on whether you prefer the Mandalorian or are a weirdo and favor Greedo), Kross Studio has created this $120,000 Boba Fett-themed watch. Boba’s Slave One starship is featured in the center of the tourbillon and slowly rotates, while the hour hand features a tiny replica of his Z-6 jetpack, and the minute hand is the jetpack’s rocket-firing missile.

The watch is a limited edition of only ten pieces, each of which took 220 parts and 90 hours to construct. For reference, that’s $545.45 per watch part or $1,333.33 per hour of construction. So it’s ridiculously expensive no matter how you look at it. But it does come with three interchangeable watch bands and a collector’s case made from the same mold as the model used in The Empire Strikes Back, which totally makes up for it.

Sure, there are a lot of different ways to spend $120,000. But is there any better way than on a luxury Boba Fett watch? I suppose that depends on who you ask. But if you ask me, there isn’t. Of course, I also spent last month’s rent on a LEGO Transformer, so I might not exactly be the voice of reason.

[via Nerdist]

5-Foot Tall Glow-in-the-Dark Alien Garden Statue: They Are Among Us

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Because no garden is complete without a life-size alien visitor creeping amongst the rose bushes, King’s Bay produces and sells this 5-foot tall Area 51 Glow In The Dark Alien Garden Statue (affiliate link). The out-of-this-world visitor is made from cast aluminum and painted with glow-in-the-dark paint to really stand out after the sun goes down. And, just like an alien once told me, “The nighttime is the right time.” That’s when I hit it in the back of the head with a shovel!

With its stand, the alien measures approximately 64″ tall, 22″ wide, and 15″ deep and is sure to have my neighbors calling the local news channel to report an alien sighting. They aren’t the brightest lights in the neighborhood, but they do love a good conspiracy theory.

Don’t have the $1500 to spend on this particular alien statue? No worries, just make your own papier-mâché version as I did and cover it with a can of glow-in-the-dark spray paint. Sure it pretty much melted after the first rain, but now I have an alien ZOMBIE garden statue, and can you really put a price on that? Because my homeowner’s association thought it was worthy of an $85 fine.

[via DudeIWantThat]

Borg Cube and Picard Plushies Must Be Assimilated

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Because Kidrobot refuses to stop taking my money, the toy company is releasing a $50 combo plushie pack featuring an LED-lit Borg Cube and Locutus of Borg (the Borg designation for Captain Jean-Luc Picard after his assimilation in 2366). Obviously, these will be perfect for cuddling during a weekend-long Star Trek: The Next Generation marathon.

The Borg Cube features LED lights that glow green when turned on to “create the perfect ambiance for assimilation.” I didn’t know there was a perfect ambiance for assimilation, but you learn something new every day. The top also opens to reveal a hidden compartment inside, large enough for storing Borg Picard. Like a genie in a bottle, except a Picard in a cube.

I’m surprised I even have to go through the motions of buying stuff like this; you’d think Kidrobot would just automatically deduct the cost from my bank account and ship them when they’re available. I guess they’re probably just unsure how many of a particular product I want. Which, in this case, is all of them.

World View balloon spacecraft wants to take space tourism to new heights

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Space is often said to be the next frontier, at least as far as discovering new places and information goes. Most of us, however, still have a lot to learn about our own planet, especially since we rarely see the Earth from a different point of view. Space, at least those few hundred kilometers beyond our atmosphere, offers that perfect vantage point that will hopefully give us a different and better perspective of our home, literally and figuratively. That’s the kind of life-changing experience that the budding space tourism is promising, and one company is trying to promote a different kind of experience that’s meant to be enjoyed in a relaxing manner rather than the thrilling adventure the likes that Blue Origin, SpaceX, or Virgin Galactic want to give.

Designer: PriestmanGoode

When you hear the phrase “space tourism,” you will most likely imagine trips beyond our atmosphere aboard typical spacecraft like rockets. Indeed for companies like Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, that’s the most conventional way to reach the skies. Virgin Galactic, on the other hand, is taking the runway less traveled with a spaceship that takes off like an airplane, reducing the need for expensive and risky rocket launches.

These space travel experiences, however, offer just a brief glimpse of the world below them, lasting just a few minutes or an hour or two at most. They offer zero gravity, technically micro-gravity, experiences that often fill our imaginations and satisfy childhood dreams of becoming astronauts. These brief, exhilarating moments might be enough for an adventure of a lifetime, but it’s hardly the only way we can enjoy space or our planet from that altitude.

Just like a hot air balloon trip, World View is promising a more subdued experience but one that is just as enjoyable, especially since it stretches out to 6 to 12 hours. The balloon spacecraft “launches” just before dawn so that tourists get to see the sunrise from 30,000 meters above the Earth’s surface, just enough to see the planet’s curvature splitting Earth and space. After hovering for hours, the spacecraft slowly descends back to terra firma, gently and safely guided by parafoils.

The “tour” doesn’t include that period of weightlessness as the cabin is pressurized and climate-controlled, prioritizing comfort over thrills. The spacious area has room for eight passengers and two professional crew members and has amenities like in-flight dining, a bar, and reclining seats. Oversized windows give passengers a nearly unobstructed view, while cameras pointing back down to Earth let them zoom in on surface details.

Carried only by helium, World View’s balloons could offer a more sustainable alternative to rockets that still use precious fuel to launch. Intended to be part of more luxurious and relaxed activities like team-building exercises or retreats, this kind of spacecraft and launch technology really put a different perspective on space tourism, one that passengers will be able to savor for hours to get their money’s worth.

The post World View balloon spacecraft wants to take space tourism to new heights first appeared on Yanko Design.

LEGO Luke Skywalker and Yoda Dagobah Training Playset: Do or Do Not Buy

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Master Yoda training Luke on Dagobah: it’s an iconic movie scene. And what better way to immortalize Luke’s struggle to gain control over the Force than with an official LEGO set? I can’t think of any. Come on, Luke, lift that X-Wing out of the swamp – you can do it! No? Dammit, Luke, Darth Vader is your father!

The exactly 1,000-piece set will retail for $79.99, and you can pre-order it on the LEGO site now. It includes Yoda’s modest hut, a large Gnarltree, Luke’s X-Wing peeking one of its wings out of the swamp, as well as Luke, Yoda, and R2-D2 minifigs. Remember when Yoda made Luke carry him around like a backpack? That was my favorite part. My cousins make me do the same thing for them.

There’s no question this will make a lovely addition to all the other Star Wars LEGO sets I already own, which is all of them. Yep, all 700+ of them. Can you believe there are so many Star Wars LEGO sets? My wife sure can, especially when she’s trying to navigate absolutely anywhere in the house without stepping on any.

[via The Brick Fan]

This USB Hub concept brings a literal docking station to your desk

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A lot of products these days extol the virtues of minimalist design, but one computer accessory idea goes the opposite direction to turn your workstation into a miniature battle station.

The number of devices we’ve become dependent on has grown considerably in the past few years. Ironically, the number of ports we can use to connect these with our computers has actually gone down. Some laptops, for example, have reduced those connectivity options to two USB ports, one of which might even be the only way to charge the portable computer. This has given rise to an innumerable number of so-called USB hubs and docks, most of which try to blend into the background. One concept, however, throws that convention out the window and tries to give science and science-fiction fans something to drool over.

Designer: Junwan Woo

“Docking station” isn’t a new term, but its meaning really depends on the context. For computer users, this often refers to accessories that expand the number of ports you can use. For space enthusiasts and sci-fans, it’s often a place where spaceships find their temporary home. In both cases, the docking station is almost like a metaphor for new experiences, and this hub, simply called “Docking,” puts a literal spin on that.

Instead of the small and nondescript USB docks that litter stores these days, the Docking station is bigger than what its function requires. It only has three full-sized USB ports, for example. Smaller hubs and docks than these also have room for HDMI ports, Ethernet ports, and more. Then again, as a concept, the implementation can be expanded as long as they don’t detract from the main design.

That design is, of course, a miniature docking station for USB drives in the shape of miniature ships. Although the ships look generic, the weathered white exterior of the station and orange accents are almost reminiscent of Rebellion colors in Star Wars. And as with any other Star Wars technology, the design looks both futuristic and retro at the same time.

The USB thumb drives themselves don’t seem to have anything special about them. Each USB port, however, lights up when something is inserted inside, a redundant indicator that still fits perfectly with the theme. Unfortunately, putting any other USB with a different design breaks the illusion, but the dock itself is already something worth talking about on its own.

It’s also going to take up a lot of desk space, but you wouldn’t be buying something like this just to keep your workstation looking tidy and clean. It’s a rather ingenious idea that mashes together two different interpretations of the same term, and it’s one of those concepts we wished actually got turned into a product you can buy.

The post This USB Hub concept brings a literal docking station to your desk first appeared on Yanko Design.

Chewbacca ‘Pillow Pet’ Is The Stuff of Nightmares

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Created in the likeness of everyone’s favorite Wookiee, the Chewbacca Pillow Pet Jumboz Plush (affiliate link) is the perfect companion for a young child that you never want to sleep again. I think it’s the vacant, dead eyes that really do it for me. They should have at least put teddy bear eyes in those sockets. Shoot, anything but those pitch-black, soul-stealing caverns.

The pillow measures approximately 14″ x 14″ x 14″ and unfastens to reveal the 30″ x 30″ stuffed Chewbacca mat/rug you’ve always dreamed of. In pillow form, though he looks like a cross between a Shih Tzu and a Wookiee, with the face of a snub-nosed monkey. My goodness, that face. Did I mention the eyes? I’ll be sleeping with a night light on tonight for sure, I don’t care if my wife makes fun of me.

Admittedly, I just bought one. But I am going to hot glue googly eyes on Chewie the moment he arrives? Yes, and if those googly eyes ever happen to come off and I see him without them, well, let’s just say it won’t be the first time I’ve ever smelled burning Wookiee fur (campfire accident on Kashyyyk – should have listened to Smokey).

[via DudeIWantThat]

Top 10 product designs of 2021: Editor’s Choice

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Let’s just say that if 2021 has us feeling anything, it’s probably a feeling of hope that 2022 won’t be such a colossal shitstorm. We’ve seen a whole bunch this year, pandemics and a global vaccination effort, civil unrest, economic ruination, supply chain issues, new tech launches despite the former, billionaires in space, and probably the most hilarious of all, a ship getting stuck in a canal. For once, however, why don’t we put that rollercoaster recap aside and look at the stuff that got us truly excited – from creative concepts to actual design announcements. Here’s a healthy, hearty recap of the most interesting designs we saw in 2021, the year gone by.

01. Nike Go FlyEase




These are the Nike Go FlyEase hand-free shoes that bring the convenience of wearing and taking off your pair without even bending over or touching them ever. People who already do this with a pair of shoes with laces (when they are too tired or lazy) to take them off the conventional style (by untying the laces) will have their eyes set on the Nike Go FlyEase. The motion of using one foot to pull down on the heel of the other and vice versa when you have the crocs or loose sneakers is what most of us do. But doing the same to a pair of shoes can deform them over time – so Nike came up with a solution that lets you do kickstand heel motion to open them up in a jiffy without any damage to the shoe material.

02. DJI Action 2

Perhaps the DJI Action 2’s most defining feature (and you’ll see it practically all their images) is the snap-on touchscreen module. Traditionally, all action cameras have lenses on the front and displays on the rear… and that’s great for filming everything except yourself. DJI’s Front Touchscreen Module basically lets you turn the action camera into a wide-angle vlogging camera. The module snaps right on and lets you attach other accessories like the tripod, selfie stick, car-mount, etc. Moreover, snapping it on doesn’t just give you a front-facing extra screen… it gives you an extra battery pack too, doubling the Action 2’s recording time to 160 minutes, and also adds extra mics for crisper audio recording – a feature that vastly benefits vloggers and influencers who want to be in the spotlight.

03. Honda RidgeLine EV

The Ridgeline EV concept comes from the mind of California-based Rene Garcia, a concept designer at ILM who’s previously worked on The Mandalorian, Thor: Ragnarok, The Avengers, and the Transformers anthology. Garcia began designing the vehicle as a Dakar rally truck, but gradual iterations slowly turned it into a conceptual pickup truck for Honda. Designed to handle pretty much anything you can throw at it, the EV comes with its own winch-hook on the front, a frunk behind it, suicide-style rear doors that give you access to the car’s spacious interiors, and an expandable truck-bed on the back that even comes equipped with tools and emergency medical kits.

04. NASA Exoskeleton

NASA has put a lot of time and effort into developing new-age spacesuits to counter the effects of gravity in hostile environments. 14 years to be exact, and it has cost them a whopping $420 million already. This jaw-dropping concept spacesuit is the work of designer Riyahd Cassiem who fuses the cool element associated with exoskeleton suits to the inter-planetary dreams we humans have embarked on. The Exo Suit Concept has an unshakeable Halo game influence to it – one can instantly relate to the fearless KAT-B320, CARTER-A259, and ALICE-130 characters. The reinforced suit is built for the harshest of situations, and the mechanical character means it is going to provide the wearer assistance in performing arduous tasks, otherwise too tedious in alien environments. Of course, it is made from lightweight yet stellar material for ultra-flexibility which is crucial.

05. Sony Walkman Music Player

The Walkman SSS (Smart Sound System) by Ja Heon Lee mashes up the modern digital with the old classic to satiate the lust for music in a niche form factor. The Sony Walkman opens up like any analog cassette player and docks the smartphone with the screen facing outwards. The information screen of the compatible music player app displays the music information through the animation which resembles the look of a cassette tape. On top of the music player, there is the detachable multi-controller which acts as an interface to control the music, take important calls or view lyrics on the fly. All this while your smartphone sits snug inside the Walkman.

06. NightWatch Apple Watch Stand




The NightWatch is a pretty simple accessory that enhances your Apple Watch’s abilities. It doesn’t come with its own charger but will let you hook your watch’s charger into it. Once assembled, you can easily slide your Apple Watch into its unique design, and that calibrated glass lens on the front enlarges the screen like a magnifying glass would, making numbers much more visible when your watch is in Nightstand mode. It comes with a patented system that even lets you tap the glass surface to ‘wake’ up your Apple Watch’s display, so you can read the time clearly… and when your watch’s alarm begins ringing, special acoustic channels designed in the NightWatch dock’s base help amplify your watch’s audio, making that alarm much louder.

07. The Shape Superyacht

Lazzarini Design is known for its eccentric future-forward creations, superyachts in particular. Christened “The Shape” this superyacht breaks all the fundamental rules of sailing and yacht design that we’ve seen so far. It has a gaping hole right in the middle (just like the ones in modern skyscrapers) that serves as the sun deck and a never-before-seen unique visual attraction. How it will address the turbulent seas when the weather is hostile, is a question for another day! The beastly concept is 69 meters long and having a draft of 3.90 meters yacht offers a living area of 35 meters past the void. It has three decks hidden in the colossal structure – the first floor having the suites, the second one being the shared living space, and the command center on the third.

08. ForeverPen

Designed as the ultimate EDC by Raja Ahmad, ForeverPen comes in a ridiculously small avatar that can fit on your keychain or around your zip, it can be worn around your neck like a minimalist pendant, or even on your bracelet, giving you a writing instrument that’s always on you. Designed to be the most convenient piece of stationery every, ForeverPen is the one pen that’s always around and always ready to write and draw. Its nib comes crafted from a proprietary silver composite that can write smoothly like a pencil would, while never running out. The technology improves on a centuries-old drawing technique called silverpoint, a craft well renowned during the late Rennaisance and even used by Leonardo da Vinci himself. In its modern iteration, the material developed for the ForeverPen is much more hard-wearing – which means it can write anywhere and on anything.

09. Hide And Seek Chair

What’s brilliant about the Hide And Seek chair by Yanagisawa Sera is its sheer absurdity… along with the fact that it actually works! Sera went straight from the drawing board to the metal workshop to test his idea out and from the looks of it, the umbrella-shaped chair works – at least on a prototype level! The frame of the umbrella was fabricated from stainless steel rods and is designed to fold right into the umbrella shape when closed. A stretched fabric mounted on the frame helps distribute the weight when you sit, allowing the chair to actually take the weight of an adult human. It does look a tad fragile if I’m being candid, but that’s something that can easily be fixed by using materials like titanium or even carbon fiber. The best part about the entire product is that it folds right back into the shape of a standard umbrella, which means you can place it in backpacks, handbags, or even carry it to the grocery store or a concert… blending right into the crowd right before you open the Hide And Seek and take a seat on the world’s only umbrella-shaped chair!

10. Xiaomi CyberDog

Quadruped technology is the talk of the robotics world. Four-legged robots are relied on by industries across the world for tasks that require a stable walking gait and agile mobility. Xiaomi, a Chinese tech company, recently unveiled more 3D renders of their own Quadruped robotic creation, CyberDog. Currently, the bio-inspired, four-legged robot has been engineered as a robotic companion whose future technical capabilities are still in development. In a recent press release from Xiaomi, it’s said that CyberDog comes complete with “AI interactive cameras [and sensors], binocular ultra-wide-angle fisheye cameras, and Intel ® RealSense™ D450 Depth module, and can be trained with its computer vision algorithm.” CyberDog’s external interface features an array of camera sensors. CyberDog’s involved vision sensor system allows the robot to carve out its own navigational map and analyze its surrounding environment in real-time, allowing it to look toward a destination and avoid physical barriers on the way.

The post Top 10 product designs of 2021: Editor’s Choice first appeared on Yanko Design.

Mars Rover Curiosity Keyboard Wrist Rest Is Out of This World

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Space: according to Star Trek, is the final frontier. And I learned everything I know from watching Star Trek, most importantly of which is always keep someone in a red shirt between you and an enemy’s phaser. But how can we pay homage to our current space exploration? Enter this Curiosity Rover wrist rest available from Vietnam-based Moon Key. Wait – where are all the aliens?

Available for $99, the wrist rest comes in five different widths to accommodate any keyboard and features a hand-painted Curiosity Rover cruising along the rocky surface of the red planet. I’m tempted to buy one, knowing full well it’s going to be hard to get any work done while constantly getting lost daydreaming about space exploration and making rocket ship noises at my desk.

As far as preventing wrist strain, there’s no question it beats my current wrist rest, which is none at all. Unfortunately, the strain causes my hands to cramp and requires me to take regular breaks from typing. Plus, my keyboard is missing keys, and I have to copy and paste certain characters from a notepad document I keep open on my desktop. Honestly, I should probably buy a book on productivity. You know, something to rest my coffee on.

Solid Gold Death Star Coins: That’s No Beskar

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Released by the New Zealand Mint, these 1-ounce Death Star Coins are engraved with an image of the Empire’s moon-sized superweapon on one side and Queen Elizabeth on the opposite. A nice combo. Personally, I would have gone with an Ewok on the other side to commemorate the Battle of Endor, but I wasn’t asked. I’m never asked.

Limited to an edition of 500, the 0.9999% gold coins are available for $2,900 apiece. And, with the current price of gold hovering around $1,900, you’re paying roughly a thousand extra bucks for that Death Star engraving. Should you just buy an ounce of gold, mint a coin shape, and engrave your own? I’m not here to tell you what to do, but you absolutely should, and make me one while you’re at it.

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If I had the money, I would buy all five hundred of them, then slowly release them on eBay for an even steeper profit. Or end up selling them for less than I paid for them – it’s happened before. I’m not really a great investor. Take, for instance, the time I invested in a complete set of original mint-in-package Kenner Star Wars action figures from 1977, then tore them all out of their packaging and played with them in the bathtub. I… have regrets.

[via DudeIWantThat]