The beauty of my job lies in not just discovering the new and innovative, it’s also in discovering the bizarrely futuristic… and the Bodyfriend Quantum robotic massage chair firmly fits the latter. Spotted at IFA 2024, the chair feels less like your average massage lounger and more like a Gundam suit with a touch of luxury. Nestled in its sleek, premium leather, with built-in Bang & Olufsen speakers, the Quantum manages to blur the line between high-tech gadgetry and a luxury spa. I didn’t think a chair could make me feel this pampered, but after spending some time in it, I’m convinced—this isn’t just a massage chair; it’s a full-fledged bodygasm.
Sinking into the Quantum was like stepping into a different world, where every detail is designed to make you feel like royalty. But what really sets it apart isn’t just the leather or the fancy tech specs—it’s the attention to detail in how it delivers its massages, all while serenading you with crystal-clear audio from none other than Bang & Olufsen. Let’s just say, it’s not your average chair.
Revolutionary Design Meets Functional Innovation
At the core of the Bodyfriend Quantum is its Robo Walking Technology—a first in the industry—that gives each leg its own independent movement. And trust me, it’s not a gimmick. Sitting in the chair, you immediately notice how much more natural and personalized the massage feels, especially around the lower body. My desk-hunched spine and worn-out calves felt like they were getting precisely the kind of treatment they needed. It’s as if the chair knew what my body was asking for before I did.
This independent leg movement is more than just for show—it makes a real difference in how effectively the chair targets specific muscles. Whether you’re using it for muscle recovery or just as a fancy way to unwind after a long day, the Quantum feels like it’s been engineered with a deeper understanding of how to work the human body. After just a few minutes in it, my lower back and legs were thanking me.
Immersive Sound Through Bang & Olufsen Partnership
The partnership with Bang & Olufsen might raise a few eyebrows. Do you really need top-tier audio in a massage chair? After my experience, the answer is a pretty confident yes. The moment I leaned back and let the chair do its thing, the speakers came to life, filling the space around me with rich, immersive sound. Whether you’re into lo-fi beats, classical symphonies, or nature sounds, the high-quality audio adds a layer of relaxation that most massage chairs simply don’t offer.
It doesn’t feel like a bolted-on extra. The audio blends seamlessly with the massage itself, so whether you’re zoning out to music or catching up on your favorite podcast, the chair’s sonic experience pulls you deeper into that calm state. Benny Kang of Bodyfriend mentioned that the speakers can be used to play binaural beats too, stimulating the mind along with your body.
Precision Massage and Intuitive Control
Bodyfriend has packed a lot of tech into this chair, but it’s the execution that stands out. The XD-PRO thermal module and Finger Moving Massage Module work together to give an eerily human-like touch. It doesn’t just knead your muscles in broad strokes; instead, the chair moves in subtle, calculated increments—80 movements in 1.25mm steps to be exact. For someone who carries a lot of tension in their shoulders and lower back, it’s like having a physical therapist who knows exactly where to focus.
Then there are the finer touches—literally. With 81 air pockets wrapping your body and heat therapy zones that bring the warmth up to a balmy 50°C, the Quantum creates an environment that’s both soothing and deeply therapeutic. The heat applied to the back, calves, and soles not only relaxes muscles but also feels fantastic on sore feet, thanks to its three-step foot roller system. It’s an experience that goes beyond simple pampering.
A Touch of Luxury (and Functionality)
The 10-inch Full HD tablet mounted on the chair is intuitive and easy to navigate. There’s no fumbling with a million buttons—you can switch modes, adjust settings, or dive into the chair’s “High-End Healthcare Massage Mode” with just a tap. If you’re someone who likes control over your relaxation routine, this tablet makes it easy to fine-tune everything from intensity to heat levels without pulling you out of the experience.
It’s also worth noting that the Quantum is clearly built for longevity. The leather is buttery-soft yet durable, and the entire build feels solid and well-constructed—something you’d expect for the price tag this chair is likely to carry. But for anyone serious about integrating relaxation or recovery into their daily routine, it’s hard to imagine anything better.
A Luxurious Experience for the Wellness-Focused
The Bodyfriend Quantum is positioned for those who are serious about wellness and ready to invest in high-end healthcare technology. Its meticulous design, advanced massage features, and thoughtful additions like Bang & Olufsen speakers make it a standout product in the luxury massage chair market. While it caters to those with specific muscle stimulation needs—such as the elderly or individuals recovering from injury—it also serves as an indulgent piece of tech for anyone looking to upgrade their relaxation routine.
After my session with the Quantum, I can safely say it delivers on its promise of providing a unique massage experience. I hate to be the cliche, but I’m the millennial with lower back pain (I lugged a laptop bag around through IFA 2024), so even a 5-minute cycle with the Quantum felt like absolute bliss. Sure, it may come with a premium price, but for those looking to pamper themselves or take better care of their health, the Bodyfriend Quantum is like Chandler and Joey’s Barca-lounger on absolute steroids. You’ll probably spend hours in the chair without realizing it.
Now, if only it came with a built-in coffee machine.
When companies mention the term “backward compatibility”, it seldom means revamping their products from 30 years ago… but Bang & Olufsen’s managed to pull off the unthinkable. You see, people who own B&O sound-systems do so because they’re passionate about audio quality – and if there’s one thing all audiophiles will agree to, it’s that analog sound systems from the years gone by are still the gold-standard in sound quality. The only problem is that they aren’t designed to be wireless. Not that any audiophile would dream about listening to Spotify on their state-of-the-art sound system, but there’s admittedly a certain convenience to being able to play any song directly from your phone on wireless speakers. Announced just this month, Bang & Olufsen’s latest device lets you do just that. The Beoconnect Core, priced at £999 ($1150 USD), is an intermediary wireless hub that turns all of B&O’s older speakers wireless, connecting the rich, auditory legacy of Bang & Olufsen with the convenience of today’s streaming culture.
Designer: Bang & Olufsen
Not to be confused with the BeoSound Core from 5 years ago, the Beoconnect Core is B&O’s latest accessory designed to be infinitely backward compatible with the company’s entire speaker catalog. The Beoconnect Core transforms legacy speakers, some dating back more than 30 years, into modern wireless systems capable of streaming music from any app, connecting to turntables, or even enhancing TV audio for a cinematic experience. This device is a celebration of the brand’s heritage, ensuring that the beloved sound systems can continue to create memorable moments in the digital age.
“Our aim is to build product icons that can last a lifetime, and Beoconnect Core is an important addition to our product offering, that enables us to deliver on this longevity promise. Beoconnect Core connects our past with our future and comes with our replaceable Mozart streaming module that can easily be upgraded to the newest technology”, says Michael Henriksson, Vice President of Product Marketing at Bang & Olufsen. “This means that the products that our customers love can be used for years to come and continue to provide memorable moments”.
The Beoconnect Core’s understated design complements any room’s aesthetic. Its gently curved, pearl-blasted aluminum chassis is as stylish as it is functional, efficiently dissipating heat. The non-conductive cover ensures clear and uninterrupted antenna reception. For a truly integrated experience, the Core can be seamlessly docked into a BeoSound Shape tile using a custom-designed bracket. The Core’s design prioritizes easy upgradeability too. Its functionality is future-proofed by the replaceable Mozart streaming module, ensuring your system stays compatible with the latest streaming technologies. This commitment to longevity extends to the Cradle-to-Cradle design principles used in the Core’s construction, minimizing environmental impact and maximizing serviceability.
As far as compatibility goes, the Beoconnect Core offers a variety of options to integrate your B&O speakers seamlessly into your existing setup. Powerlink and USB connections ensure optimal performance with Beolab 50 and Beolab 90 speakers, while a line-in port allows for the connection of turntables and other audio sources. But the Core’s capabilities extend beyond pure audio. It features an HDMI eARC connection, enabling you to connect your B&O speakers to any TV and experience the immersive power of Bang & Olufsen sound with your favorite movies and shows. So if you’ve got yourself some B&O speakers from more than a decade ago (when wireless connectivity wasn’t really much of a priority for high-end audio companies), the $1150 Core is a worthwhile investment in future-proofing your sound system to be compatible with latest streaming apps while still retaining its ability to default back to the glorious analog playback whenever you want.
In case you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know that CDs have made a comeback the past years, thanks in part to the Japanese and Korean music industry. A lot of fans have been buying CDs (sometimes multiple copies) of their favorite artists and Gen Z in particular has a particular fondness for something they actually weren’t alive yet when it was popular. The older generations buy it for the nostalgia. Both are benefitting from the audio quality of uncompressed music. However, the quality of CD players are not on par with what we were used to back in the day.
Designer: Anthony Chupp
Most of the big name audio brands have not been producing CD players but what if someone like Bang & Olufsen comes up with one? A designer came up with a concept for the Beosound Compact after studying the design and quality principles of the brand. What he came up with is a sleek and minimalist portable CD player that seems worthy of the brand that he created this concept for. It also brings back nostalgia feels for those who brought their Sony Walkman CD player around, although this is much more classy and shiny.
To reduce the need for an LED display, the player uses turntable styles for its volume controls and actual touchable buttons for its play controls. It is also textured to highlight the touchpoints that you need to access various controls. But the player can also be connected to the Bang & Olufsen app on your smart device in case you’re away from the CD player. There is Bluetooth connection as well to your headphones or wireless earbuds of choice as well as analog and optical output.
As someone who owns several CDs but still don’t have a CD player, I wouldn’t mind having something like this if Bang & Olufsen eventually decides to produce one. Having a quality CD player is just as important as having quality music from these CDs. Hopefully brands will catch on to this “trend” as it may be here to stay, for at least a few more years.
With a brain-melting $2,749 price tag, you’d expect the Beolab 8 to be MUCH more than your average wireless speaker. Spoiler alert, it kind of is…
Once the mind moves past the Bang & Olufsen Beolab 8’s bonkers price tag, it begins to focus on the speaker itself. Ensconced in a combination of wood, metal, and fabric, the Beolab 8 draws from its parent company’s design ethos… but it does more than just that — it dares to innovate. Its design is a harmonious blend of the past and future, with a nod to the classics while pushing boundaries in the world of modern audio tech. Oh, and it also has Ultra-Wide-Band tracking abilities to ensure that you’re always in its acoustic sweet spot… but more on that later.
Designer: Bang & Olufsen
The speaker itself looks less like an audio gadget and more like an otherworldly sculpture with sonic capabilities. Available in multiple variants, users have a choice between going for a fabric clad on the front or having a slatted oakwood grill. Choose wisely because this does affect the overall price. On the inside, it features a 5.25-inch woofer, a 3-inch mid-range speaker driver, and a 0.63-inch tweeter, all meticulously fine-tuned by the acoustic engineers at Bang & Olufsen. The sleek glass interface on the speaker’s top boasts a flawlessly curved design, ensuring that the user’s finger glides effortlessly across its surface.
Equipped with advanced tuning technology, the speaker offers users the ultimate sound experience. With B&O’s narrow and wide beam width control, users can effortlessly switch between two listening modes, ensuring they are always in the sweet spot for an impeccable soundstage. The speaker maps your room’s acoustics to compensate for its sound, but where things get scary impressive is in the Beolab’s UWB technology that can track the listener by figuring out their phone’s location via the Bang & Olufsen app. In short, you’ll have to keep your phone with you to experience the perfect acoustic capabilities of the Beolab 8, but from what B&O says, it’s apparently worth the effort.
Michael Henriksson, Vice President of Product Marketing at Bang & Olufsen, shares, “Our ambition has always been to craft immersive listening experiences. With Beolab 8, we’ve achieved just that. It’s not just a speaker; it’s a testament to flexibility, performance, and innovation.”
The Bang & Olufsen Beolab 8 is expected to go on sale starting October 2023. Prospective buyers will have the choice of four color options: silver, natural aluminum, gold-tone, or black anthracite. Prices for this premium speaker start at $2,749 / £2,199 for the fabric speaker grille cloth version. For those looking for a touch of elegance, the wood grille option is available at a slightly higher price of $3,299 / £2,699.
It’s worth noting that the prices mentioned above are for the table stand option. However, there are additional stand options available, including a wall/ceiling mount option and a highly polished aluminum floor stand option. These alternative stands come at an extra cost of $100 and $200 respectively, although if you’re spending upwards of $2k on a wireless speaker, chances are an extra hundred wouldn’t really pinch.
Renowned Danish luxury audio brand Bang & Olufsen has another captivating offering for enthusiasts and collectors that’ll be truly an object of desire. This is the Beosystem 72-23 Nordic Dawn edition – a meticulously crafted music system boasting cutting-edge technology with timeless design, showcasing the luxury brand’s long-standing commitment to delivering extraordinary audio experiences.
The Beosystem 72-23 Nordic Dawn is a tribute to the heritage and Scandinavian roots, drawing inspiration from the breathtaking Nordic landscapes. This is done with the use of a color palette reminiscent of the serene dawn skies and tranquil ocean waves. The design showcases a seamless fusion of sleek minimalism and elegant craftsmanship, making it a stunning addition to any modern interior.
At the heart of it is the revamped turntable, which serves as the centerpiece of the system. This iconic vinyl player is an embodiment of Bang & Olufsen’s dedication to delivering exceptional sound quality, with a precision-engineered aluminum platter and an advanced tonearm, ensuring optimal playback performance and audio fidelity.
The music system at its core designed for seamless connectivity and versatility. Offering various options for audio playback, including streaming services, vinyl records, and even analog radio. The Beosystem 72-23 Nordic Dawn version incorporates state-of-the-art technology, enabling wireless connectivity with other Bang & Olufsen products, allowing users to create a multi-room audio experience throughout their homes.
Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, the elusive music system boasts premium materials and finishes. The polished aluminum accents and oak woodwork add a touch of sophistication to the system, elevating its visual appeal. Bang & Olufsen’s commitment to sustainability is also evident in this limited edition release, as the company has made efforts to ensure eco-friendly manufacturing practices.
Furthermore, this Beosystem offers intuitive and effortless control. Users can navigate through their music library and adjust settings with ease using the Bang & Olufsen app or the touch-sensitive control panel. The system also includes a dedicated remote control for a traditional and tactile user experience.
As with all Bang & Olufsen products, the Beosystem 72-23 Nordic Dawn Limited Edition delivers an unparalleled listening experience. Whether it’s the rich and warm tones of vinyl records or the immersive sound of streaming services, this music system delivers crystal-clear, detailed sound that envelops the listener. The integrated speakers are well-tuned to ensure a well-balanced audio delivery.
Limited to a select number of 100 units worldwide, the Beosystem 72-23 Nordic Dawn edition is a collector’s dream. Compared to the regular Beolab 28, this one costs almost four times with a price tag of EUR 60,000 (approximately $64,700).
Acoustics, aesthetics and technology are the proven mantra for Danish home electronics company Bang & Olufsen, whose latest Beosound A5 portable speaker has left audiophiles hankering. What looks like an upscale picnic basket from the outside, packs a punch when it comes to features on the inside. B&O renowned for making high-end audio equipment that lurks on being functional art pieces too, does not disappoint with their most powerful compact speaker to date.
Available in two finishes – natural silver aluminum with a Nordic weave cover, and black anthracite aluminum with a dark oak cover – the speaker boasts a modular design while maintaining elegant and graceful looks. Beosound A5 adds a visually stunning aesthetic to your interiors, offering uniqueness with the ability to change looks via swappable grilles, handles and other modules. You can even upgrade the hardware components when things get obsolete, making it 100 percent future-proof.
Coming on to the design, the speaker meant for outdoor escapades combines oak wood, aluminum and paper weave, exhibiting a sleek and stylish body. Designed in collaboration with Danish-Italian design duo GamFratesi, Beosound A5 offers a Scandinavian-styled touch to the accessory. “Beosound A5 epitomizes the best of Scandinavian design and materials,” states Bang & Olufsen while GamFratesi calls the iconic Beolit series to be their inspiration behind the product design.
But to lure buyers, especially when you have a starting price tag of $1,099 design is not the sole bait. You must back the visual appeal with thumping acoustics, and that’s what the company does with Beosound A5 offering premium sound quality, courtesy of a four-way driver. These speaker drivers power four digital amplifiers blasting 280 watts for powerful 360-degree sound post-processed by the software for a wide soundstage. A5 also has the most refined 5.25-inch woofer compared to any other portable speaker on offer. It houses a couple of 2-inch midrange units, including a 0.7 inches tweeter, to beam all the audible frequencies with maximum clarity.
Moving on to the other specifications of the speaker, the B&O claims the Beosound A5 to have IP65 construction making it “dustproof, water resistant and durable.” It boasts an impressive battery that lasts twelve hours and the top panel also doubles as a wireless charging pad for phones. The luxury accessory comes with AirPlay 2, Chromecast, and Spotify Connect built-in, so you can always be hooked to your favorite tunes via preferred streaming services.
While some may argue that one variant of the speaker looks like a woman’s purse, if you do want to spend a grand on a portable speaker, you could not care less about its design. In that case, dudes should go for the oak finish one for a sophisticated persona!
Perhaps it was thanks to Mark Zuckerberg’s and Meta’s recent event that the Metaverse and its related but dissimilar buzzword Web 3.0 came back under the spotlight. After a long stretch of near silence, companies and brands are once again showing interest in this still ambiguous market, especially when it comes to controversial non-fungible tokens or NFTs. After all, NFTs that can sell for thousands of dollars apiece are perfect for limited edition collectibles that put the brand’s stake in future virtual worlds. Granted, most people still can’t make heads or tails of all these concepts, but there’s already a good number of collectors and believers that are willing to show their support with their money and other resources. It’s for this group of fans that Bang & Olufsen had decided to take the plunge into the world of Web 3 and the metaverse with an NFT collection designed to show off its creative chops more than its audio expertise.
Although the technologies and details swarming around NFTs are indeed complicated, the basic idea behind its pull is understandable from a human perspective. In essence, it is related to owning a unique and singular digital artifact, similar to the idea of physical property that can’t be cloned perfectly. In a digital world where it’s trivial to copy files and images, such a kind of ownership sounds radical and revolutionary. Of course, implementation has been far from perfect, leading to the rather contentious position of NFTs, especially among artists, designers, and other creatives.
That hasn’t stopped big brands from proving they can go with the flow and the times, and Bang & Olufsen’s “DNA Collection” NFTs are in the same vein. The company best known for its exquisite audio equipment has announced an upcoming collection of 1925 NFTs, a nod to the year the company was founded. Rather than just a simple NFT drop, as these events are usually called, B&O is putting a rather unique and fun twist that tries to share the spirit of creativity with its music-loving community.
The DNA collection revolves around some of its most elegant products, including the Beogram 4000 as well as the Beoplay A9 and Beolab 90 speakers. These have been distilled down to key parts like legs, frame, front cover, and back cover, which are then combined with a custom-made range of digital product materials. During the minting process, buyers will be able to get a random selection of products and product materials that will allow them to mix and match designs for a truly unique B&O product that they’ll be able to display in their future virtual home in the metaverse.
The DNA Collection is meant to showcase Bang & Olufsen’s design heritage over the decades, which is an admittedly surprising venture for the company. While the brand is definitely praised for its design chops, it is, at its heart, an audio company, something that won’t translate so smoothly to Web 3.0. NFTs are also still a divisive topic within the design community, especially because of their environmental repercussions. In that regard, B&O promises that it has chosen a blockchain that reduces its climate impact, even if that impact can still be quite significant.
It’s that time of year again when big brands try to make a big splash in upgrading your home with the latest and greatest in consumer electronics and home appliances. The past two years were filled with devices that tried to fill the needs of the times, offering different ways to sanitize and protect your home against harmful microorganisms. Things have fortunately settled down, and industries have started to recover, putting their attention and resources into products that help make life less stressful and more enjoyable. There are plenty of such products up for show at IFA 2022 in Berlin, and so we distilled the lineup into our top picks for products to keep an eye on this year.
Zendure Superbase V Portable Home Battery
Thanks to natural calamities and resource shortages, power blackouts have become more common these past few years than ever before. Power banks might be enough for phones and even some laptops, but they are useless to power anything else, especially for extended periods of time. Gasoline-chugging generators do exist, of course, but the dangers they pose both to people and the environment make them inefficient and costly in the long run. Clean Energy Tech startup Zendure is putting its best foot forward this year with a new energy system that can power your house or even your car in a sustainable way.
With a capacity that can reach up to 64kWh thanks to its expandable design, the Zendure Superbase V Portable Energy System has enough juice to give power to a house in an emergency. It even has a power outlet for charging EVs. Despite its large capacity and size, it can still be moved around like a cart on wheels. More importantly, the semi-solid state battery inside can be charged using solar power, offering a more sustainable solution to electricity problems. It’s a win-win solution for both humans and the planet.
Leica Cine 1 Projector
Along with cutting cables, some homeowners have also started getting rid of TVs that take up space even when not in use. While still waiting for the perfect rollable TV, home projectors have become more attractive and more practical solutions, especially when you want a bigger screen without losing wall space. Famed camera maker Leica is jumping into this market, and its first attempt is as classy as anything that bears its signature “Coke” logo.
The Leica Cine 1 short-throw projector utilizes triple RGB lasers to deliver picture-quality 4K images and videos on an area equivalent to a 100-inch TV. Despite all that power, the projector manages to keep a compact size that will fit in any room arrangement. Even better, it also bears Leica’s design language, with a sleek aluminum body with an automatic dust cover to protect the lens. Stylish and functional, this home projector promises to add life to a space, both through its design and through the videos it will play.
LG OLED Flex Bendable TV
TV innovation hasn’t been standing still, especially if you’ve been keeping track of recent buzzwords. While curved TVs haven’t exactly become the norm, they’ve become a force to reckon with in the market. Not everyone is convinced that they need a curved TV, though, or at least not all the time. LG’s latest trick is to give people the ability to choose between the two whenever they want.
Utilizing its expertise in flexible OLED panels, the brand’s new 42-inch TV can lay flat or bend to a curve with a push of a button. Designed primarily with gaming in mind, the LG OLED Flex LX3 has plenty of features that benefit even non-interactive content like movies and TV shows. Now you no longer have to make an upfront decision to go flat or curved, freeing you to enjoy content in the best way possible.
LG MoodUp Color-Changing Fridge
Once upon a time, appliances were simply functional pieces of equipment and nothing more. These days, they have not only become smarter but have also become an expression of the owner’s personality and interests. Bespoke home appliances are becoming a little bit more common, but they can also be a little bit too specific to a certain style or theme. LG’s new fridge, however, tries to shake things up a bit by letting people choose the doors’ colors on a whim.
The LG MoodUp refrigerator’s doors are covered with LED panels that can change their color depending on your, well, mood. You can select different colors for each door or you can set it to follow a motif based on seasons, locations, and moods. These panels can also serve as visual notifications, like when you left a door open. The refrigerator also has a built-in speaker that you can use to play music from your smartphone via Bluetooth. Of course, the colors of the doors can sync to that music as well, truly pushing the mood up on any occasion.
JBL Tour Pro 2 Earbuds
Truly Wireless Stereo or TWS earbuds have come a long way over the past years. Spurred by the retirement of the headphone jack on smartphones, these tiny audio devices have seen plenty of innovation in terms of features and designs. In contrast, the cases that hold these earbuds have remained practically the same, mostly changing only in shape. The JBL Tour Pro 2 tries to change that and make the earbuds case as smart as what it holds inside.
Portrait Of Young Caucasian Stylish Man On Sunny Day In The City.
The earbuds themselves are what you would expect from the brand, featuring features like adaptive noise canceling and spatial sound. What truly sets it apart is its smart charging case, which has its own 1.45-inch touch screen that lets you control the earbuds without having to take out your phone. It’s not an earth-shattering new feature, but it does level up the experience for the first time.
Philips Hue Lightguide Bulbs
Lighting can make or break the mood in a room, not to mention affect people’s productivity in that space. Since the smart home explosion a few years back, lighting was the first to be connected to the Internet, giving people better control over the hues in their homes or offices. As one of the pioneers of that smart lighting market, Philips Hue has to constantly innovate and mix things up to fend off the competition, and its new statement lighting collection tries to step up to that challenge.
The new Philips Hue Lightguide Bulbs mix the old and the new with large glass bulbs in modern shapes like ellipses and triangles. Diffused light comes from an inner tube that you can, of course, control with your smartphone. Whether hanging from pendants or sticking up on stands, these bulbs give some character to a space, even when they’re turned off.
Electrolux AEG Kitchen Innovations
Electrolux is one of the most trusted names in the home appliance market, and it continues to push the envelope to meet the changing needs and trends of the times. Sometimes that means jumping on the smart home appliance bandwagon. Other times, it means making a commitment to sustainability and resource efficiency.
Designer: Electrolux
The AEG 7000 GreenZone refrigerator, for example, boasts using 70% recycled plastic for its inner liner walls, while the AEG 8000 series has new cooling technology that tries to preserve food longer so that they don’t go to waste. For those who love cooking at home, the AEG 800 Bridge/FlexiBridge with eXTractor sucks up vapor and recycles the air back into the kitchen, removing the stress of lingering odors while preparing your favorite meals.
Tineco Toasty One smart toaster
Everything’s becoming smarter these days, from the lights to washing machines to even toothbrushes. There’s always room to add a little intelligence to consumer electronics, especially when it means relieving our brains from having to fret over mundane stuff. It might sound excessive at first, but a smart bread toaster with a touch screen can be pretty convenient.
The Tineco Toasty One can toast two slices of bread like other toasters, but it can have different settings for each of them. It can even detect the condition of the bread to automatically set the right heat for the desired crispiness. Of course, you can input your own preference, and it can remember different settings for up to eight people. OK, it might be overboard for some, but the toaster’s somewhat cute design definitely fits the kitchen of the future.
Bluetti Green Power Generators
Portable power generators that replace fuel generators are becoming more popular these days. Having emergency power that is clean, green, and safe is almost critical in this day and age, whether it’s for spending the weekend outdoors or living through a power outage. Bluetti is one of the most trusted brands in that growing market, and it’s showing off its latest solution to keep the lights on in the darkness.
The new Bluetti AC500 modular portable power generator steps up the game with a larger inverter that can dish out 5000W. When paired with B300 or B300S battery modules, it can provide an astounding 18,432Wh of power for the whole house. What makes it different from most battery-powred generators is that you can decide just how many modules you want to bring along, simplifying its portability. Plus, you can also charge it using solar power, creating a more sustainable solution to your electricity problems.
ASUS ZenBook 17 Fold OLED
Smartphones aren’t the only ones that are getting a foldable treatment. Although it’s happening more slowly, even tablets and laptops are getting foldable screens as well. There might still be some hesitation and doubt on whether it’s a fad or the next wave in computing, but devices that can change their forms will definitely become more common in the near future.
The ASUS ZenBook 17 Fold OLED is one of the pioneers of this still nascent market. A 17.3-inch 2.5K screen that can fold into two 12.5-inch Full HD screens gives a whole new meaning to multitasking. Whether it will survive the test of time and hard work remains to be seen, but its launch marks the start of something new.
Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Fold (16-inch)
Credit where credit is due, Lenovo is actually one of the first to demonstrate that it really believed in the foldable laptop hype. The first Thinkpad X1 Fold, while functional, didn’t exactly meet the hype and imagination of the PC market. Its next-gen iteration, however, inches closer to that ideal.
The new 16-inch Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold refines the design of its predecessor, making the body thinner while also increasing the screen size. It also comes with a new cover stand and an improved Bluetooth keyboard that should make the device more usable. No longer will you feel like you’re carrying around a prototype device and are instead using the computer of the future.
Bang & Olufsen Beosound Theater Soundbar
As TVs become thinner, the need to relocate speakers has also become greater. You can, of course, cram smaller speakers inside those thin frames, but that often comes at the expense of sound quality. Soundbars have become one of the solutions to this problem, offering a way to have an elegant speaker near an equally elegant TV. And when it comes to elegance, there are few names you can trust more than Bang & Olufsen.
The marque’s new Beosound Theater is unsurprisingly another proof of its expertise in blending audio quality and aesthetics. Whether standing alone or paired with a TV, the soundbar looks stylish and attractive, unlike common boxy soundbars. Inspired by sailboats, the Beosund Theather’s curved body looks like it’s floating on air, giving it a sense of grandeur and adventure that matches the heart-racing sounds that come from it.
Yaber Pico T1 portable projector
While short-throw home projectors are gaining popularity as alternatives to traditional TVs, another kind of projector is making its way into people’s travel bags or even pockets. Pico projectors offer the opportunity to enjoy videos or make presentations anywhere, as long as you have the right light conditions. Given how projectors work, it’s hard to find the right balance between portability and performance, something that Yaber gets mostly correct.
The Yaber Pico T1 itself is like a shorter but thicker smartphone, and it can easily fit into your jeans’ pocket. It does output at a resolution of 960×540, but it can do so at a screen size of up to 100 inches. The downside is that it doesn’t have an internal battery, so you’ll have to connect it to a compatible power bank. That said, all its accessories still fit nicely in a pouch that you can conveniently carry around if you want a cinema on the go.
Huawei
In spite of and despite all odds, Huawei continues to bring quality products to meet the needs and demands of today’s consumers. From powerful smartphones to professional laptops, Huawei brings a plethora of choices across different markets and tiers. The Huawei nova 10 and nova 10 Pro, for example, bring a 60MP front-facing camera that’s sure to excite selfie lovers with limited budgets.
For those more focused on productivity, the Huawei MatePad Pro brings a tablet to rival the iPad Pro with a 120Hz OLED screen and a Huawei M Pencil stylus. The new MateBook X Pro, on the other hand, packs a 3.1K 14.2-inch screen into a Windows-powered laptop powered by the latest 12th-gen Intel Core processors. Whether it’s for lifestyle, entertainment, or productivity, Huawei has a product that has one of the best bang-for-buck offers in designs that make you feel you’re really getting more for less.
A few decades ago, bringing your music along with you meant hauling a large cassette tape player over your shoulders or shoving a large Walkman inside an equally large pocket. These days, “portable music” often translates to smartphones and, occasionally, Bluetooth speakers, too. Of course, that’s not the only way to carry music everywhere you go, especially if you’re into something more stylish and fashionable. You might have to settle for something eccentric as well if you’re looking for something carrying a heavyweight marque’s name. The Speaker Bag is an example of such an oddity, but in case you think it’s a sort of hoax, it’s really a serious item that comes from the house of Balenciaga as well as Bang & Olufsen.
Balenciaga has made a few big waves in the fashion and product design space recently, particularly with the Crocs tote bag that wasn’t a bunch of crock. The accessory definitely had some shock factor, though camps are naturally split on whether it looks ridiculous or glorious. This Speaker Bag is less playful and less disruptive, but it’s still an eye-catching fashion piece that actually has functionality you can use beyond just looking sophisticated.
The Speaker Bag is milled from a single block of aluminum which is then pearl-blasted, anodized, and hand-polished to a stunning perfection at B&O’s Denmark Factory 5. This isn’t an instant process, as some mass-produced speakers might be, and it takes a few days before the structure takes on a satin finish. The bag’s shape is inspired by Balenciaga’s iconic handbags, resulting in a trapezoidal silhouette with smooth curves on all sides and a large gap on top for the handle.
The speaker grille in front makes it obvious that it’s not your run-of-the-mill handbag, though. It is, of course, a speaker that passes Bang and Olufsen’s standards for audio quality. The audio brand’s mark underneath the handle, together with Balenciaga’s name, is a clear testament to the promise of quality that this unconventional speaker carries. Beneath the branding are the controls for music playback and Bluetooth connection. The speaker can run up to 18 hours before its battery requires topping up, according to B&O.
The Speaker Bag isn’t just a speaker in the form of a bag. It’s also an actual handbag that is as unconventional as the speaker. Instead of opening it from the top like all handbags, you have to open it from the rear to reveal a compartment wrapped in Italian lambskin leather. Given the electronics that have to be housed inside, it’s expected that space would be rather cramped inside.
This Haute Couture Hi-Fi fashion and tech accessory in one isn’t going to be widely available. Only twenty of its kind will be sold, and only from select Balenciaga stores and its Couture in Paris. If you ever get your hands on one, it will immediately make you part of an elite few that are witnesses to this matrimony of fashion and technology. For the brands, the Speaker Bag is proof that you don’t need to sacrifice sound quality to have something aesthetically pleasing and customized to your personal tastes.
As more and more content becomes digital today, most of our consumption happens through our smartphones. We listen to music being streamed from the cloud and even force ourselves to enjoy videos with subtitles on screens not much larger than our hands. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this lifestyle, especially for people on the go, it takes away some of the elements that make those activities special on their own. For example, you will sometimes miss out on the visual and tangible aspects of owning products designed specifically to make those activities enjoyable and memorable, making listening to music almost mechanical and rote. This concept design for a beautiful Hi-Fi system tries to bring back some of that joy, and it takes inspiration from some of the best creative minds in the industry.
Bang & Olufsen isn’t just famous for its audio expertise that now permeates many sound systems, including those in cars and phones. The marque has been known for decades for its design acumen, skillfully integrating audio systems into beautiful forms that stood the test of time and fads. The Beogram 4000 turntable and Beomaster 6000 4ch receiver, for example, carry a classic design that embodies minimalist aesthetics and principles that have become en vogue today. Unsurprisingly, these two have served as the foundations for a reimagining of that product line, aptly called the Beogram Remaster.
Rather than just a single piece of equipment, the Beogram Remaster is actually a set that completes a whole audio system designed to bring back the pleasure of listening to music that isn’t beholden to a small pocket computer. More than just distinct pieces of hardware, however, the B&O-inspired “Remaster” has a harmonious visual identity that builds upon the B&O DNA but also tweaks it a bit for more modern tastes.
The turntable, for example, sports the same distinctive slits that radiate from the middle as the original Beogram 4000. This time, however, the plate is more subdued and blends almost seamlessly with the rest of the turntable’s surface. The tonearm is a simpler but larger rectangular block that belies its special talent. It is driven by a linear motor, allowing the turntable to be mounted vertically on a wall. In fact, almost every piece of the Beogram Remaster collection could be mounted in the same way, creating wall art that is also functional at the same time.
The receiver also hides its modern nature beneath its classic appearance. Unlike the original, it can integrate more than just radio stations and DAB. It can also receive streams and podcasts from the Internet and most likely from your phone as well. It is an all-around receiver that handles anything and everything available today, all wrapped in a design that similarly blends the past and the present.
More than just a nod to past designs, the Beogram Remaster is a call to enjoy the act of listening in its pure form. One that doesn’t involve a smartphone or at least doesn’t put the smartphone in charge. The Remaster stays faithful to the design language that brought Bang & Olufsen to fame while also delivering the amenities of modern life. It is, in essence, a testament to the timelessness of good design, whether it’s playing traditional radio music or a Spotify playlist.
