Charging a phone and a pair of earbuds is easy enough, but sharing that same stand with another phone is a different matter. Peak Design’s new Charging Station addresses that problem with two equally capable magnetic pads and a hinged arm. Stand it up beside your laptop, or lay it flat so two phones can recharge without competing for the better spot.

The shape is straightforward, with a narrow metal arm linking two rounded-square charging surfaces. Die-cast aluminum and zinc form the chassis, while the machined aluminum stem provides the moving structure. Laminated Clarino covers the pads, and a non-slip TPU foot sits underneath. Black and Moon finishes keep the color choices restrained, rather than turning your nightstand into a brightly branded electronics display.

Designer: Peak Design

Two hinges let you adjust the arm and upper pad separately, positioning a phone for a video call or a glance at your calendar. Magnetic attachment supports portrait and landscape orientations, so changing what you’re doing doesn’t require another stand. An earbud case can sit on the lower pad while the phone stays raised, keeping both devices within the same small desktop footprint.

The lower pad gets more interesting when you fold the station flat. Peak Design rates both Qi2.2 pads for up to 25W simultaneously, allowing two compatible phones to recharge at once without assigning one a slower accessory spot. That doesn’t mean every magnetically attached phone will receive 25W, though. The device’s own charging support still determines how much power it can accept.

That folding movement also changes how the charger travels. Packed flat, it measures 6.3 by 2.7 by 0.6 inches, with the arm tucked alongside the body instead of projecting into your bag. At 9.7 ounces, it still adds weight to a travel kit, but you aren’t packing a rigid desktop stand just to keep a phone propped up in a hotel room.

A separate USB-C output makes room for a third device, although this connection is wired. Its 7.5W output is suited to smaller accessories rather than replacing a laptop charger. A watch still needs its own charging cable or puck, so this isn’t a dedicated three-device wireless dock. It simply gives that extra cable somewhere to connect without occupying another outlet on the wall.

The $99.95 price also leaves out the wall adapter. Peak Design includes a fabric-wrapped USB-C cable rated for 100W, but specifies at least a 45W power supply to operate the station and 75W or more for maximum dual charging speed. That makes the adapter part of the buying decision, particularly if your existing charger is already committed to powering something else at home.

The post Peak Design’s Charging Station Folds Flat to Charge Two Phones first appeared on Yanko Design.

Finding a place for a game console usually means clearing a shelf, not making room for a reptile. Microsoft’s Xbox Series X-BITE puts a working Series X inside an artificial alligator measuring more than five feet long. The one-off creation trades a discreet electronics box for something closer to a wildlife exhibit, complete with a controller between its teeth.

The alligator rests on slim posts above a rectangular, wood-grain base, with its legs hanging below and its tail curling toward the floor. Dark, ridged scales and a lighter belly give it the appearance of a mounted specimen. That familiar display format does much of the work, making the oversized enclosure feel deliberately theatrical rather than like an ordinary console wearing a novelty cover.

Designer: Microsoft (Xbox)

A raised section on its back interrupts those scales, with an illuminated Xbox Nexus symbol worked into the surface. It’s the clearest clue that the animal has supposedly swallowed something it shouldn’t. The branding stays small against the length of the body, allowing the fabrication to carry the joke before the glowing logo explains why there’s an alligator underneath your television in the first place.

The head gets a less subtle treatment. Xbox-green irises surround pupils shaped around the Nexus symbol, turning the creature’s stare into another brand reference. Between the open jaws sits a custom Xbox Wireless Controller with artificial bite marks. It gives the sculpture a little unfinished business, as though the console wasn’t quite enough of a meal and the accessories were next on the menu.

The commission went to creature-effects specialists, who used 3D modeling, sculpting, and fabrication to build the animal around the hardware. That process gives a promotional console the attention normally associated with a film prop. Florida supplied the inspiration, according to Xbox, although the animal itself is entirely artificial. No actual alligators were used or harmed in creating this unusually elaborate console enclosure.

For the person who eventually owns it, the obvious challenge is finding a suitable place to put it. More than five feet of reptile won’t disappear into the usual gap beside a television. Its long base asks for a substantial display surface, and the raised mounting makes the whole assembly something to plan a room around rather than tuck away.

There’s also a qualification behind the playable-console claim. Xbox says the Series X inside works, but its fine print recommends the finished creation for display. The announcement doesn’t explain ventilation, access to ports, or servicing inside the sculpted body. That leaves a distinction between functioning hardware and a practical replacement for the console you switch on every evening after work.

Only one Series X-BITE exists, and it’s being offered through a sweepstakes rather than a retail release. There isn’t a shelf price to weigh against a standard console or a choice of less toothy finishes. The appeal is owning the fabrication itself, with a working Xbox as its unlikely inhabitant. The controller has a home, provided you don’t mind the teeth.

The post Xbox Put a Working Series X Inside a Giant Fake Alligator first appeared on Yanko Design.

The Snapmaker U1 drops to $699 this Black Friday, down 30% from its $999 list price, and it might be the smartest buy on your holiday list, mostly because it can make plenty of the gifts on it. The U1 is a four-toolhead 3D printer that prints in up to four colors or materials in a single go. That covers personalized ornaments, figurines, and fidget toys, all printed in multicolor on your desk. It ships with four spools of PLA and 30 ready-to-print models, so after unboxing and automatic calibration, you can print your first model on day one. A good chunk of your Christmas list, sorted.

Four-head printers are rare at this price. Tool changers like the Prusa XL have historically cost well north of $2,000. Snapmaker’s SnapSwap system keeps four print heads loaded and swaps between them in about five seconds, while single-nozzle setups like Bambu’s AMS flush filament at every color change. Fewer purges mean faster prints and, by Snapmaker’s count, up to 85% less wasted plastic. More than 20,000 Kickstarter backers already bought in, making the U1 the most-funded 3D printer campaign in the platform’s history, with now more than 150,000 users worldwide.

Designer: Snapmaker

Click Here to Buy Now: Black Friday Sale. Hurry, deal ends soon!

Five-Second Swaps and a Lot Less Printer Poop

Each of the U1’s four print heads sits docked and preheated with its own filament. When a print calls for a new color, the printer parks the active head and grabs the next one. A steel-ball coupling and a mechanical lock seat each head in the exact same spot every time, and Snapmaker says the mechanism survived over a million continuous swaps with zero mechanical failures. The printer then auto-calibrates all four heads to within 0.04mm (about 0.0016 inches) of each other. That keeps the white trim on a Santa hat right where it belongs.

Single-nozzle printers handle color changes by shoving the old filament out until the new one runs clean. Snapmaker pegs that process at roughly two minutes per swap, and on a busy multicolor model the purged plastic can outweigh the model itself. The U1 only purges small amounts at the start of a job and during calibration. Print a tray of four-color ornaments and those savings stack up fast, in both hours and filament. Your filament budget ends up on the tree instead of in the trash.

A Personalized Ornament, From Download to Gift Box

Four heads can hold four different materials as easily as four colors, so flexible TPU or dissolvable supports can share a print with rigid plastic. For most holiday gifts, though, four colors of PLA do the heavy lifting. Snapmaker’s Full Spectrum feature stretches that palette by stacking thin alternating layers of your four filaments, which your eye reads as new in-between shades. Results depend on the filament, the model’s shape, and your settings, so a quick test print helps. Load red, green, white, and gold, and you’ve basically got Christmas in a box.

Personalizing a gift takes about as much skill as sending a text. Open an ornament model in Snapmaker Orca, add a name with the slicer’s text tool, and assign one of your four colors to each part. A palm-sized ornament uses only a few grams of filament, so each one costs pocket change in plastic. Hit print, and the U1 handles every color swap on its own while you get on with your evening. Repeat for each name on your list, and nobody else at the party will show up with those.

Smart Enough for First-Timers, Cheap Enough for Black Friday

Snapmaker Space, the company’s model library (currently in open beta), offers ready-to-print multicolor models, so beginners can skip 3D modeling entirely. Auto bed leveling helps your first layer stick, and input shaping reduces vibration for smoother walls, with speeds topping out at 500mm/s (about 20 inches per second). Filament loads itself, RFID tags on Snapmaker spools fill in settings for you, and Backup Mode switches to a matching spool when one runs dry. A built-in camera with AI monitoring can flag spaghetti failures and ping your phone. Tinkerers get Klipper firmware and OrcaSlicer support.

Click Here to Buy Now: Black Friday Sale. Hurry, deal ends soon!

The post Buy the printer, make the presents: Snapmaker’s U1 drops to $699 for Black Friday first appeared on Yanko Design.

Google's new school AI controls could affect student Search access. Here's what administrators need to know about Gemini, Guided Learning, and the 2027 rollout.

The post Google Changes AI Access Rules for Schools Ahead of 2027 appeared first on TechRepublic.

Suspected cyberattacks disrupted refrigeration across seven European countries. Learn how stores were affected and what EMEA retailers should do next.

The post European Supermarket Freezers Set to 122°F in Suspected Hacks appeared first on TechRepublic.

Samsung's Gemini-powered AI glasses could launch in the US and South Korea in December. Here's what reports reveal about features, pricing, and availability.

The post Samsung’s AI Glasses Could Reach US and South Korean Customers Before Christmas appeared first on TechRepublic.

Samsung is reportedly developing a 17-inch foldable tablet that could shrink to 8 inches. Here's what the leak suggests about its design and challenges.

The post Samsung’s Rumored 17-Inch Foldable Tablet: What We Know So Far appeared first on TechRepublic.

A phone with a screen beside its rear camera is a literal way to improve a selfie. A mouse that folds flat takes a direct approach to an overstuffed laptop bag. Our November gadget selection starts with those practical ideas, then moves through music players, a camera, a keyboard, and a handheld console that makes its electronics part of the view. Each earns its place through a specific design decision.

These are our editorial picks for November 2026, not eight November launches or winners from a comparative test. The selection includes products offered for purchase, announced hardware, and projects still working toward production, with those differences identified below. We’ve favored useful mechanisms, distinctive controls, and objects that offer something beyond another spec upgrade. Consider it a guide to what deserves attention, with availability treated as carefully as the industrial design itself.

1. Acer Sospiro A70 5G Phone

The Acer Sospiro A70 gives its rear camera a useful companion: a 1.88-inch display that doubles as a selfie viewfinder. Instead of guessing your framing when using the 64MP main camera, you can check it on the back of the phone. That small screen sits inside a broad, V-shaped camera module, giving the handset an identity beyond its logo. Senwa Global, which licenses the Acer name for phones in Latin America, is the company behind this particular Acer-branded 5G model.

The rest of the hardware preserves options many buyers still value: a 3.5mm headphone jack, 256GB of storage, and microSD expansion up to 1TB. A 5,000mAh battery accompanies the 6.67-inch main display, although its 120Hz refresh rate comes with a modest 720 × 1600 resolution. That’s the compromise behind the feature list. Pricing and the launch date remain unconfirmed in our sources, and a US release hasn’t been established, so this belongs on a watchlist rather than a shopping cart.

What we like

• The rear display provides framing when taking selfies with the main camera.
• A headphone jack and expandable storage preserve useful everyday options.

What we dislike

• The main screen pairs a large panel with relatively low resolution.
• Pricing, launch timing, and US availability remain unresolved.

2. OrigamiSwift Folding Mouse

A conventional mouse is awkward luggage because its useful shape becomes wasted volume when you close the laptop. Horace Lam’s OrigamiSwift addresses that with a folding, origami-inspired body that rises into a working mouse and flattens for storage. At 40 grams, it adds little weight to a mobile setup. The more interesting achievement is giving the mouse two distinct shapes for two different jobs, rather than asking you to work all afternoon with a permanently shrunken travel accessory in hand.

Bluetooth 5.2 handles the connection, while USB-C recharges a battery that rates for up to three months of use. The $85 asking price buys a more considered packing solution, not a promise that every hand will prefer its angular form. There’s also a dimensional catch worth understanding: the flattened body spreads to roughly 4.8 by 5 inches, and the sensor housing stays thicker than the panels. It’s better suited to a slim laptop sleeve than a tiny pocket.

Click Here to Buy Now: $85.00

What we like

• Folding construction reduces the thickness needed for storage.
• Its 40-gram weight makes it a modest addition to a laptop bag.

What we dislike

• The flattened shape still occupies an almost five-inch-square footprint.
• The thicker sensor housing prevents a uniformly flat profile.

3. OnePlus Ice Card Mini

OnePlus’s Ice Card Mini is a China-listed magnetic phone cooler with a refreshingly restrained shape. At about 50 grams and 70 by 53.4mm, it resembles a small card accessory more than the clip-on fans associated with gaming phones. Inside, thermoelectric cooling works alongside an air-cooling system. The appeal is straightforward: an external accessory intended to manage heat without turning the phone into something that needs its own carrying case. It’s a focused answer to an accessory category prone to bulk.

The Mini takes power over USB-C, drawing up to 3.5W according to the published specifications. You can power it from the phone, a power bank, or an adapter, but that means the magnetic attachment doesn’t make the setup wireless. An included magnetic plate extends compatibility to phones without built-in magnets. That flexibility is welcome, especially if you change handsets regularly. The remaining questions are practical ones: case compatibility, the effect on your games, and availability outside its initial Chinese market.

What we like

• The compact magnetic format avoids a bulky clamping mechanism.
• USB-C power allows several options beyond a wall outlet.

What we dislike

• It requires a power connection during use.
• Cooling performance and US availability need confirmation.

4. ClearFrame Speaker CD Player

The ClearFrame Speaker CD Player gives an album two jobs: something to play and something to display. Its transparent body reveals the spinning disc and circuitry, while an included tray lets you insert the album artwork instead. That makes its appearance change with your listening rather than stay fixed behind a manufacturer’s grille. This is the speaker-equipped version of ClearFrame, with a built-in 40mm driver and bass diaphragm, so it can play your CDs without an additional speaker beside it.

At 27mm thick, the $240 player has proportions closer to a book than a conventional stereo component. It features six to seven hours of speaker playback, with USB-C charging and a 3.5mm headphone output. Bluetooth 5.3 sends CD audio to compatible headphones or speakers; it doesn’t receive music from your phone. That distinction matters if you’re imagining a transparent Bluetooth speaker. A display stand and wall mount cost extra, so budget for the arrangement you want at home.

Click Here to Buy Now: $240.00

What we like

• Album artwork becomes part of the player’s appearance.
• The built-in speaker removes the need for a separate listening setup.

What we dislike

• Bluetooth transmits CD audio but cannot receive music from a phone.
• Display accessories and wall-mounting hardware aren’t included.

5. Sudo Music Player

New Matter’s Sudo revisits the dedicated music player with an interface built around a capacitive scroll wheel and haptic feedback, paired with a touchscreen. The appeal is choosing an album on a device whose main purpose is listening, rather than opening another destination on your phone. Planned hardware includes a Cirrus Logic DAC, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and USB-C digital audio output. This is upcoming hardware, though, with New Matter expecting the first batch to ship in early Q4 2027.

The specification gives that familiar format room to grow: 64GB of internal storage, microSD expansion up to 2TB, and support for formats including FLAC, MP3, and WAV. New Matter also lists Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, so the throwback controls don’t mean abandoning connectivity. A refundable $50 reservation goes toward an expected $249 purchase price, rather than buying a finished player today. For anyone rebuilding a local music library, it’s worth following, but the production schedule makes patience part of the proposition.

What we like

• A dedicated wheel gives music navigation its own control surface.
• Expandable storage accommodates a growing local library.

What we dislike

• Expected shipping is in Q4 2027, not this November.
• The $249 price remains an estimate, not a finalized retail figure.

6. AULA Neos 75 Keyboard

AULA’s Neos 75 puts a small control console beside an otherwise compact keyboard. Two metal knobs, round media buttons, and a 2.3-inch color display give the right edge the look of a miniature hi-fi component. The useful part is having volume and playback controls where your hand already works, without requiring another desk accessory. Designed by AULA.New Renaissance, the 84-key board also uses a CNC-machined aluminum chassis and aluminum keycaps, extending that hardware-focused approach across the surface you actually touch.

Custom low-profile Kailh switches sit in hot-swappable sockets, letting you change switches without soldering. A gasket mount supports the typing assembly, and wired, Bluetooth, and 2.4GHz connections offer different ways to connect your devices. China preorders opened in October, while wider regional availability needs checking before purchase. The physical compromise is right there in the layout: a compact 75% key arrangement doesn’t produce the smallest possible keyboard when a separate control console occupies the space along its entire right edge.

What we like

• Dedicated knobs and media buttons put frequent controls within reach.
• Hot-swappable switches leave room to change the typing setup.

What we dislike

• The side console expands the footprint of the compact key layout.
• A confirmed official US rollout remains unclear.

7. Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo 2

Fujifilm’s Instax Mini Evo 2 makes printing a choice rather than the unavoidable outcome of pressing the shutter. The hybrid camera lets you review and adjust a digital image before committing it to Instax Mini film. Its lens-effect dial, film-effect dial, and print lever preserve physical actions alongside a 4.5-inch touchscreen. For someone who likes the idea of instant photography but hates wasting film on an accidental exposure, that division of labor makes more sense than nostalgia on its own.

The camera offers 10 lens effects and 10 film effects, giving you 100 combinations before printing. Expanded View shows the area beyond the intended print frame, while the updated app supports printing smartphone photos and remote shooting. Fujifilm lists a US MSRP of $289.95, with availability expected toward the end of November. Film remains a separate purchase, and the new short-movie feature needs a microSD card. Those ongoing costs deserve just as much consideration as the camera’s appealing physical controls.

What we like

• Reviewing images before printing gives you control over film use.
• Physical effect dials complement the touchscreen rather than disappearing into it.

What we dislike

• Instax Mini film adds an ongoing expense.
• The short-movie feature requires a separately purchased microSD card.

8. Arduview Transparent Gaming Handheld

Arduview takes transparent electronics beyond a clear shell. Louis Huang’s handheld also uses a see-through circuit board and display, leaving the background visible around its illuminated cyan pixels. It’s an unusually direct way to turn the workings of a gadget into its visual identity. This isn’t only a rendering trick: VGC reports using a working unit and confirms that the transparent screen functions as shown. The project is now crowdfunding, rather than sitting on a shop shelf ready for delivery.

Built on the open Arduboy platform, the 50-gram device is pitched around 400 preloaded games and USB-C charging. That makes it a small, focused alternative to a phone full of gaming apps, with room for enthusiasts to explore the underlying platform. Arduview’s maker projects February 2027 shipping for early supporters, rather than November availability. Its appeal rests on a deliberately narrow gaming experience and a display construction; neither should be confused with the capabilities of a larger, mainstream handheld console.

What we like

• Transparency extends to the screen, not merely the enclosure.
• The open Arduboy platform offers scope for tinkering beyond preloaded games.

What we dislike

• February 2027 shipping is a projection, not immediate availability.
• Its niche Arduboy library won’t suit someone seeking mainstream console games.

Match the Gadget to the Habit

The most useful way to approach this list is to start with a recurring annoyance, not an empty spot on the desk. A mouse that packs differently has a clear job. So does a CD player that lets an existing collection leave the cupboard. More specialized hardware needs a closer match to your habits: a phone cooler only matters if heat is a problem you actually encounter while using it.

Timing deserves the same scrutiny as design. A reservation, a crowdfunding pledge, and a retail order are different commitments, even when the product photography makes them look equally finished. If you need something for this month, check the version, delivery estimate, and accessories before paying. If you’re following an upcoming design, keep the expected date in view. An interesting object can be worth watching without being the right purchase today.

The post The 8 Best Tech Gadgets of November 2026 first appeared on Yanko Design.

A mustard-yellow body, rosy arms, and bent legs make this household robot look like it might wander out of an animated movie and ask where you keep the mugs. Its illuminated eyes sit low on a boxy torso, leaving a lot of forehead, if that’s even the right word. I like the awkward proportions. They give it character without trying to pass for a person.

Called Voxel, the robot is being developed by New York company Tuesday Labs to tackle the little jobs that keep a home from staying tidy. Put the book away. Bring over a drink. Water the plants. Remember where the wallet went. Those are the four roles outlined for the robot: Home Reset, Fetch, Tend, and Find.

Designer: Tuesday Labs

For now, though, Voxel is a development prototype, not a household appliance you can order for next weekend. Tuesday Labs expects to substantially redesign its hardware before delivery, and its reservation agreement says appearance, capabilities, and specifications may change significantly. That distinction matters here because the version we’re admiring is also a design proposal, not a settled promise about what arrives at your door.

Still, I’m glad the proposal has a point of view. The warm colors and exposed joints make Voxel look approachable to me, while the unapologetically mechanical body avoids the strange social expectations of a realistic human face. Tuesday Labs works with illustrators, animators, and character designers on its robots. You can see why that matters: a machine sharing your kitchen has to be tolerable company, even when it isn’t doing anything.

The hardware description is more practical than the cartoon styling suggests. Each arm has seven degrees of freedom and an actuated wrist, intended to help it maneuver around counters, shelves, and doors. The grippers have just one degree of freedom. That’s a relatively simple hand for a complicated environment, and I’d judge it by how consistently it handles everyday objects rather than how convincingly it imitates fingers.

Find is the feature that makes the premise feel especially relatable. Tuesday Labs says Voxel would tell you where it last saw a misplaced object. That’s a modest but useful distinction: remembering the wallet on the counter is different from magically knowing where it is now. I’d take a dependable last sighting over a confident guess, particularly during the familiar scramble to get out the door.

The plant-watering brief also sets a sensible scale for the ambition. I don’t need a robot to perform an elaborate dinner routine to understand the appeal of getting small chores off my list. The harder question is how much setup and supervision those chores would require. A helper that needs constant rescuing would simply create another household responsibility.

That attentive presence raises a less photogenic design issue, too. Voxel’s listed vision system includes stereo RGB cameras and wide-field vision. Before putting one in my living room, I’d want clear answers about what gets recorded, what stays on the robot, and who can access it. The published privacy policy covers the website, purchases, and reservations; it doesn’t establish those operating details for a robot inside the home.

The financial commitment is equally worth slowing down for. Reservations cost $200 and are fully refundable before an order is placed. The estimated purchase price is $20,000, not a fixed final price, and deliveries are expected to begin in 2028, potentially later. A reservation buys an opportunity to purchase, not a finished machine or a guaranteed arrival date.

At that price, charm would get Voxel my attention, but it wouldn’t settle the decision. I’d want to watch it repeat the same ordinary tasks, unassisted, in a room that hadn’t been carefully arranged for it. Keep the odd proportions and the expressive eyes. Just make the useful behavior as convincing as the character. A robot earns its place beside the couch by giving you fewer reasons to get up.

The post Voxel the Robot Wants to Tidy Your Home Without Looking Human first appeared on Yanko Design.

Touchscreens have plenty of games, but tapping on glass doesn’t quite replace moving a piece across a board. The Board, a tabletop console from the company of the same name, makes that physical interaction central to its design. Its 24-inch screen responds to toy utensils, spaceships, and robots, giving players something to hold while keeping the action on the table between them.

The broad, wood-finished frame gives it more in common with a serving tray than a television console. Rounded corners and gently curved edges soften its rectangular outline, while the large screen lies flat so people can gather around it. At 25.7 inches wide and 1.5 inches thick, it’s a substantial tabletop object, not something you’ll casually hold in one hand between turns.

Designer: Board

The clever part is underneath those playful pieces. Each has a distinct conductive pattern on its base that the screen can recognize through capacitive sensing, the same general touch technology used in phones and tablets. According to Board, the pieces contain no batteries, sensors, or electronics. There’s nothing to charge or pair before a plastic spaceship can become your controller for the evening.

That recognition happens through PieceSense, Board’s system for identifying pieces and following their position and rotation. Its machine learning runs on the device rather than sending those interactions to the cloud. It’s also designed to filter out accidental palm touches. That’s an important distinction when several people lean over the same screen, although Board’s developer guidance acknowledges that very fast movements can interrupt tracking.

Chop Chop puts that relationship between shape and action to work. You use a little knife to slice and a spoon to stir, rather than memorizing which button handles each task. The physical tools give the digital kitchen a familiar vocabulary. Passing a utensil across the table also puts some of the game’s coordination outside the screen, where everyone can see it.

Strata takes a different approach, using chunky blocks to build upward and claim territory. Here, the pieces contribute height instead of standing in for characters on a flat display. A new game can redraw the playing field, while different pieces give your hands another way to interact. Of course, those pieces will need a home when it’s time to put everything away.

Board currently lists the console at $339 in the US, reduced from $399, with seven games and their pieces included. There’s no required subscription, and additional individual titles range from free to $34.95. Software downloads directly to the console, while any corresponding pieces ship to your door. Expanding the collection can involve waiting for a package, rather than simply tapping another download button.

There is a power cord to consider, though. Board runs from a wall outlet, so its place on the coffee table depends on where you can plug it in. It’s still another screen in the living room, of course. The interesting design decision is giving everyone an object to move on that screen, with the players sitting close enough to steal your actual spoon.

The post Board’s Tabletop Console Uses Toy Spoons and Spaceships Instead of Gamepads first appeared on Yanko Design.

Carrying a tablet and a laptop means packing two screens when what you really need is another operating system. Hero Devices’ upcoming Hero Keyboard puts a Windows 11 PC inside a keyboard with its own trackpad and battery, leaving the display to a compatible tablet or monitor. The idea is to carry your computer without committing to the screen attached to it.

That makes Hero look rather like a laptop that’s misplaced its lid. Its Midnight Merlot enclosure has rounded corners, black keys, and a broad trackpad, with none of the hinge hardware anchoring a display behind it. The aluminum body measures about 10.04 by 7.48 inches and just 0.46 inches thick, although that compact footprint doesn’t leave room for a separate number pad.

Designer: Hero Devices

Inside, Hero specifies an Intel Core Ultra 5 125H processor, 16 GB of memory, and a 512 GB SSD. Windows runs on that hardware, not on the tablet, which simply supplies the display and supported touch inputs. That’s critical when you need a Windows application your tablet can’t run natively, without replacing the mobile software you already enjoy using on it.

Using a tablet as the display takes some software, though. Hero Port uses a standard USB-C data cable for wired video, while touch and stylus inputs travel separately over Bluetooth Low Energy. Hero’s companion app targets iPadOS 17 and later and Android 7 and later, but its product page still marks it as forthcoming. iPhone users are directed to third-party alternatives, such as Duet.

At a desk, a compatible USB-C monitor can provide both a display connection and power through one cable. Move elsewhere, and the same files and applications travel inside the keyboard, rather than needing another PC to pick up the work. The optional $50 Sidekick case gives those separate parts a home, carrying Hero and an 11-inch iPad while doubling as a tablet stand.

Hero has a role when you don’t need Windows. Switch off its PC, and the keyboard and trackpad can still serve a tablet over Bluetooth. You could answer messages in your tablet’s native apps, then switch back to Windows for work that needs it. There’s no need to pack a second keyboard just because you’ve changed operating systems rather than changing screens.

Of course, leaving out the screen doesn’t make the rest weightless. Hero alone weighs about 1.59 pounds, before adding a tablet, stand, or charger. The company promises up to nine hours of battery life and includes a 100-watt USB-C charger, but those figures don’t establish how long your workload will last. The tablet supplying your display also has its own battery to manage.

The Founders Edition is listed at $999 for preorder in the US and Canada, with initial shipments planned for the fourth quarter of 2026. That’s a substantial price for something that still needs a separate display. Its appeal depends on already owning the right screen and wanting Windows enough to accept a cable, an app, and a less self-contained setup than a laptop.

The post Hero Keyboard Packs a Windows 11 PC and Borrows Your Tablet’s Screen first appeared on Yanko Design.

For many travelers around the world, Bali stands out as the ultimate dream destination. Now, the island’s iconic Beachwalk Shopping Center is home to something entirely new: Infinix’s first global flagship concept store. If you have ever pictured tech retail as rows of cold gadgets under harsh lights, prepare to have that image turned upside down. This space is much more than just a place to shop for smartphones. Here, you can sip inventive coffee creations, try out the latest devices, explore art installations, and even enjoy a special scent experience that adds an unexpected twist.

If you are not familiar with Infinix, the brand is known across Asia and Africa for its innovative smartphones and growing ecosystem of smart devices. With this new flagship store in Bali, Infinix is introducing itself to a wider international audience by showing how technology can be part of an imaginative lifestyle, not just something you carry in your pocket.

Designer: Infinix

Infinix calls its guiding philosophy “Joy Tech.” Technology here is meant to spark happiness and curiosity rather than just show off its technical specifications. From the moment you spot the metallic exterior glinting in the Balinese sun, you know something different is waiting inside. Step into the store and visitors are greeted by a futuristic robotic arm installation that would not look out of place in a science fiction film.

The in-store café features n_x coffee, Infinix’s own creation. Guests can indulge in imaginative drinks like Moo Moo Land with real beef jerky or Angry Chilli with two chili peppers perched playfully like devil horns. These signature beverages add a sense of adventure to your visit and reflect Infinix’s playful approach to both technology and lifestyle.

In addition to creative coffee and interactive tech displays, visitors can also sample Infinix’s signature scent at a special station. This perfume experience adds a unique sensory layer to the visit, highlighting how the brand aims to engage more than just your eyes and hands.

For those who love gadgets and smart technology, there are plenty of opportunities to dive in. Visitors can get hands-on with Infinix’s newest smartphones, laptop, and tablet and explore accessories like wireless headphones and portable power stations. Everything is set up so you can actually try before you buy instead of just peering at products behind glass.

What truly sets this concept apart is its ambition to become more than just a retail space. Infinix plans to welcome artists, musicians, and other creative talents into the mix so each visit could feature anything from an art showcase to live music or gaming competitions. Feedback from visitors will help shape future events and activities so this store could quickly become one of Bali’s most interesting destinations for both locals and international travelers.

The opening of this flagship marks only the beginning for Infinix’s new approach. The company plans to open five more stores across Indonesia within the year, each reflecting local culture and consumer preferences rather than simply copying what works in Bali. This concept will grow and evolve based on community input wherever it appears next.

Whether you come for the latest smartphone or because you are curious about adventurous coffee or simply want to soak up an atmosphere designed for all five senses, Infinix invites everyone—including those lucky enough to be visiting Bali—to discover technology in a whole new way inside one vibrant destination at Beachwalk Shopping Center.

The post Infinix Debuts First Global Flagship Store in Bali, Blending Tech, Coffee, and Creativity first appeared on Yanko Design.

The PlayStation 2 was never something you could casually slip into a bag, unless you planned to bring a screen and controller along for the ride. The PlayStation 2 DUO brings those pieces together in an unofficial DIY handheld with an unusual trick. Its screen actually bends in the middle, letting you fold the console when it’s time to put the game away.

There’s plenty of familiar territory around that unfamiliar fold. A purple shell surrounds the display, with a D-pad and the four recognizable PlayStation symbols sitting above two analog sticks. Start and Select occupy the upper corners, while speaker grilles sit below the controls. The arrangement looks reassuringly conventional, which is probably helpful when the screen between your hands is doing something rather unconventional.

Designer: LCLDIY

That screen is a single flexible panel, rather than two separate displays interrupted by a hinge. The project’s earlier development notes describe a 7.8-inch screen salvaged from a foldable phone. It gives the DUO a generous central canvas when opened, without committing the handheld to that same width inside a bag. Of course, making a screen bend doesn’t make its limitations magically disappear.

The panel needs room to curve, and forcing it into a sharp fold would damage it. That requirement shaped the casing and its hinge, leaving a broad bend instead of squeezing the halves completely flat together. It’s a less tidy package than a closed clamshell might suggest, but the extra space has a practical purpose: keeping that delicate display in one piece.

There’s genuine PlayStation 2 hardware inside as well, rather than a newer computer pretending to be Sony’s console. Getting it to fit required cutting down the original motherboard and rearranging its supporting electronics. A 3D-printed enclosure brings everything together, turning equipment once tethered to a television into something you can hold between both hands. The nostalgia extends beyond the buttons, in other words.

The folding body makes the electronics more complicated, of course. Separate control boards occupy the two sides, with a ribbon cable linking them across the center. The trimmed motherboard also carries a small cooling fan and heatsink. There’s quite a bit happening underneath that playful exterior, particularly for a device whose moving parts include the surface you’re supposed to be staring at.

Folding it up reduces the footprint, but doesn’t automatically make this a pocket console. The published project information doesn’t establish its weight, closed dimensions, or battery runtime, so there’s little reason to start planning an entire flight around it. More importantly, this is a completed hobby build, not an upcoming Sony handheld with a price tag and a place on store shelves.

Enclosure printing files and a PCB archive are available on the project page, although they don’t amount to a complete assembly guide. Recreating the DUO still involves board modification and careful work around a flexible display. That might temper the urge to make one immediately, especially if your experience with PlayStation hardware mostly involves inserting discs rather than cutting up circuit boards.

The post This DIY PlayStation 2 Handheld Gives a Foldable Phone Screen a New Job first appeared on Yanko Design.

Apple spends plenty of effort making the iPad thin and light, but that doesn’t mean holding one for an entire chapter feels effortless. A protective case can give it more bulk without giving your fingers much help. Strapsicle’s iPad cases take a different approach, adding a silicone strap that lets your hand support the tablet from behind instead of constantly squeezing its edges.

The most conspicuous part of the design is also its most useful idea. Strapsicle calls it the XO strap, a circular center with four diagonal arms attached to the case. Slide your fingers underneath, and the flexible silicone sits across the back of your hand. That gives the iPad another point of support without turning it into something with a bulky carrying handle.

Designer: Strapsicle

That arrangement also leaves room to change how you hold the tablet. Your fingers can slip under different parts of the strap for portrait reading or landscape browsing, with either hand taking a turn. Of course, the case doesn’t make an iPad weightless. It’s intended to reduce reliance on pinching the edges, not remove the need to support the device at all.

Eventually, though, even the most interesting book has to make way for something else. The front cover folds along its geometric creases to become a stand, offering portrait support for reading and a steeper 75° landscape position for watching videos. There’s also an 8° setup for typing and drawing, bringing the screen closer to the tabletop rather than holding it almost upright.

The cover doesn’t have to follow you through every activity, thankfully. It detaches completely, leaving the rear strap accessible without a folded flap competing for space behind your hand. Small pins connect it to the shell rather than magnets, so removing it is a deliberate step. Put it back on when you’re finished, and the screen has a cover for the trip home.

There’s a smaller silicone loop along the edge for an Apple Pencil, keeping the stylus with the tablet instead of loose in a bag. The main straps are interchangeable, too, so changing colors doesn’t require replacing the whole case. Pink, dark teal, and black give that unusual rear shape a little personality, while the transparent back leaves the iPad’s own finish visible.

Strapsicle lists two sizes, fitting the sixth- and seventh-generation iPad mini or the 10th-generation iPad and iPad (A16). Its announced US launch prices are $69.99 for the mini case and $79.99 for the larger version. The company says they’re shipping now, with the October 26, 2026, announcement marking their B&H retail debut. DataVision sales are scheduled to follow in November.

There is a tradeoff to all that extra support, however. Strapsicle lists the complete mini case at about six ounces and the larger version at 9.8 ounces, including their covers and straps. You’re adding weight to something you’ll still have to hold. Taking the cover off for a chapter on the couch makes sense, then, provided you remember to put it back before heading out.

The post Strapsicle’s iPad Cases Trade Gripping the Edges for a Silicone Hand Strap first appeared on Yanko Design.

Senseonics has begun testing Freedom, an implanted glucose monitor that could track blood sugar for a year without wearable hardware. Here's how it would work.

The post New Glucose Monitor Enters Human Testing: No Skin-Worn Device Needed appeared first on TechRepublic.

One of the things that I’d like to explore more in 2027 is taking more photos of the things around me and the things I’ll be experiencing in the new year. I’m still not good enough to warrant getting a DSLR camera, but I would be willing to try out digital cameras where I can experiment and play around with filters and textures while also being able to make the photos live outside of my camera roll.

Fujifilm’s Instax Mini Evo 2 is one such camera, with tactile controls, a large touchscreen, 10 lens effects and 10 film effects to create 100 combinations, and, of course, the ability to print photos. This second generation of the hybrid instant camera and photo printer keeps its predecessor’s retro feel and range of creative combinations while adding some modern conveniences.

Designer: Fujifilm

The camera’s tactile controls add a tangible interface to this digital camera, giving it an analog-inspired way of operating. You have a lens dial to change from one lens effect to another, while the film-effect dial lets you go through the 10 different film effects. There’s also a lever that you pull to print out the photo, making printing a separate, deliberate action.

The 4.5-inch touchscreen is larger than the original Mini Evo’s display. Its Expanded View mode displays the area outside your intended print frame. You get a framing guide to show you what the photo will actually include, giving you an added layer of compositional awareness. This could be useful when you’re waiting for a moving subject to enter the frame. The touchscreen complements the dials by handling settings, image browsing, and editing, including cropping and adjustments to brightness, contrast, and saturation. You can make those changes on the camera before deciding which pictures deserve a print.

The Mini Evo 2 also now has an Immersive Movie feature that captures the four seconds leading up to your photo, producing a five-second silent clip that includes the shutter moment. It requires a separately sold microSD card. Rather than reducing the still photo to a smaller size, Fujifilm lists separate recording resolutions: 2144 × 2860 pixels for normal still images and 560 × 992 pixels for video. The short clip gives you a little more of what happened around the photograph, although it isn’t a replacement for recording longer videos.

For still photos, the camera can also record at approximately 13 megapixels when a microSD card is inserted and Expanded View is turned off. That gives you a higher-resolution option, but it isn’t the default for every shot. It’s worth knowing the conditions rather than assuming that every image you take will have the same resolution.

What appeals to me most is having a dedicated digital camera that encourages a little more playing around. I’d like to spend more time choosing how a photo looks before taking it, rather than scrolling through editing options afterward. The combination of physical dials and a touchscreen feels like an interesting way to approach that, with familiar digital controls alongside something you can actually turn.

The built-in printer adds to the appeal of having two devices in one. It works with photos taken on the camera and pictures from your smartphone through the Instax Mini Evo app. The app also supports remote shooting, so you can join a group photo instead of always being the person behind the camera. Your phone still has a role, but it doesn’t have to handle every part of taking the picture. Combining a digital camera and printer isn’t new for Fujifilm, so the novelty here is more about how the pieces work together. The larger touchscreen and new shooting modes give me more reasons to be interested in the camera itself, beyond the photographs it can print.

For my 2027 photography plans, I’d like a camera that makes me curious enough to keep picking it up. Trying a different effect or paying closer attention to what enters the frame seems like a manageable place to start. I don’t need every picture to become a keepsake; I’d be happy to develop a habit of noticing more. Fujifilm announced the Mini Evo 2 on October 27, 2026, with availability scheduled to begin November 27, 2026.

The post Instax Mini Evo 2 Brings Retro Fun Without Giving Up Digital first appeared on Yanko Design.

The clip-on buds form factor is here to stay and not merely a fad. Samsung has joined the bandwagon with its first-ever clip-ons that compete in the flagship segment. The South Korean giant’s Buds4 Pro earbuds have already impressed us with their excellent call quality, ANC, and comfort. So we expect the same from the new Galaxy Buds On.

With Bose Ultra Open, Sony LinkBuds, Huawei FreeBuds 6, Nothing Ear (open), and CMF Clip Pro giving outdoor audio lovers plenty of options, the Samsung clip-ons have a strong case with the features on offer. Their first-ever clip-on wireless buds sit inside the ear, while the ergonomic shape comfortably hugs the ear for a snug fit even while working out. According to Samsung, the buds were developed after analyzing different ear shapes to optimize speaker placement and the built-in battery.

Designer: Samsung

Galaxy Buds On are focused on spatial awareness without losing out on the music quality, thanks to the TwinBoost speakers that deliver low-frequency performance. The automatic volume control toggles the audio level depending on the outside ambient noise, so that you don’t miss out on any of the important audio streams or call conversations. The introductory video clearly highlights the fact that the buds seamlessly integrate into daily life and personal listening space. Unlike some buds that have left and right distinction, these don’t have one, which is both a downside and an advantage when it comes to freedom of use.

The IP54 buds are powered by the Snapdragon S7 Gen 1 Sound platform paired with the high-efficiency Class-D amplifier, which optimizes things at the hardware level for final performance. This ensures a nonstop 9.5 hours of continuous music playback after a single charge. The buds come with a bone conduction vibration sensor that helps detect if the wearer is speaking to someone, so that the transparency mode can be enhanced and background noise reduced. As seen in the launch video, the buds can be triggered hands-free with the “Hey Google, let’s talk live” command for natural AI conversations.

Head gestures are also a part of the mix and more reliable given the bone conduction tech is at the helm. You can take or reject calls, read message notifications, dismiss alarms, or even adjust volume or equalizer on Galaxy devices. Samsung has also addressed the audio leakage issue, which is common to most clip-ons, with the Audio Leakage Reduction tech. The accompanying case brings the total battery life to an impressive 38 hours. With each of the buds weighing 6.65g and the case at 41g, the Buds On have a strong case for people in the Galaxy ecosystem. For a price of $229, they are flush in the flagship dominance race, and it will ultimately boil down to the real-world performance of the buds.

The post $229 Galaxy Buds On arrive with hands-free AI operation and smooth gestures first appeared on Yanko Design.

There’s something satisfying about choosing a CD, even if most of us have become accustomed to tapping a screen instead. The trouble is finding audio equipment you’d actually want to leave on display. km5’s newly announced Sp1 speaker and Mp1 mixer give its Cp1 CD player some equally minimalist company, letting you listen to favorite albums or try your hand at mixing them.

Both borrow the Cp1’s flat, frame-like format, with black or white finishes that let the pieces sit together without looking like an assortment of unrelated electronics. The Sp1 puts a perforated grille where the player displays its disc, while the Mp1 fills that space with knobs and sliders. They share the same size, but each makes its purpose clear through its front surface.

Designer: km5

The speaker has a few surprises behind that otherwise quiet appearance. A dot-matrix display sits beneath the grille, showing the time and playback information without carving out a separate screen on the front. Physical buttons occupy the top edge alongside a retractable metal antenna. That last detail gives away the Sp1’s other role as an FM radio that doesn’t need to borrow your phone.

Inside are two 1.77-inch full-range drivers and two passive radiators, though their presence alone doesn’t tell us how convincing the bass will be. Bluetooth and microSD playback offer other ways to listen, and you can record radio programs, too. Pairing two Sp1 units provides stereo playback, letting a single speaker become part of a larger arrangement rather than something you’ve outgrown.

The Mp1, meanwhile, invites you to do something with the music beyond pressing play. Its two channels have separate level sliders, with a crossfader below for blending between sources. Three-band EQ controls adjust the bass, midrange, and treble, while filters change the sound further. Loop buttons repeat sections of a track, giving a favorite passage permission to stick around a little longer.

Two Bluetooth inputs let the mixer receive music from sources such as a Cp1 and a smartphone, then send the combined sound wirelessly to a compatible speaker. You aren’t required to own an entire matching set, thankfully. Line inputs and outputs also accommodate wired connections, though the published information doesn’t establish how much delay the completely wireless arrangement introduces when you’re trying to mix.

Built-in batteries make it easier to move the arrangement away from a desk, with km5 quoting approximately 12 hours for the speaker and six for the mixer. Optional wall-mount accessories offer another way to free up a surface. The mixer can even be operated on the wall, an unusual invitation to get up from the sofa and fiddle with the music yourself.

Preorders are scheduled to open on November 16, 2026, with km5 expecting shipments in February 2027 or later, though pricing remains unconfirmed. There’s also a practical limit to that portable party setup. The speaker’s quoted battery life is twice the mixer’s, so it might be ready for another album when your DJ booth is looking for a charger.

The post km5’s Sp1 Speaker and Mp1 Mixer Give CD Listening a DJ-Style Twist first appeared on Yanko Design.

Productivity mice aren’t usually the most expressive things on a desk. Their unusual curves and extra buttons often say more about work than the person doing it. Logitech’s MX Master 4 Developer Edition takes a slightly different approach, covering its familiar shape in programming references. The limited-edition mouse keeps the standard model’s features, but gives developers something a little more personal to reach for.

Rather than stick to a single muted color, the mouse pairs light gray buttons with a dark palm rest and bright yellow-green accents. Fine circuit-like lines spread across the front, while coding symbols sit beside the controls. It’s a busier treatment than the regular version, of course, but the graphics follow the mouse’s existing divisions instead of covering everything in one continuous pattern.

Designer: Logitech

Some references are easier to recognize than others. A Hello, World greeting runs along the thumb rest, while smaller markings include 0xFF + 1 and 09.17. Logitech links those last two to Programmers’ Day and the Linux kernel’s release date. You don’t have to understand them to use the mouse, thankfully, although knowing the references does make its decoration feel rather less random.

Underneath that artwork, the familiar sculpted body remains, including a raised back and a broad platform for your right thumb. That thumb gets quite a few responsibilities, with a horizontal scroll wheel, side buttons, and the Haptic Sense Panel within reach. The asymmetric shape hasn’t become ambidextrous for this edition, so left-handed programmers are still left admiring the graphics from the wrong side.

The MagSpeed wheel handles the more familiar business of moving through long documents and code. It switches between stepped scrolling and free-spinning movement, letting you work line by line or move farther through a page. The thumb wheel provides horizontal navigation, which is useful when the thing you’re working on refuses to fit neatly inside a window, as spreadsheets have a habit of doing.

The ripples on the thumb panel hint at another kind of feedback. Rather than relying entirely on what happens onscreen, the mouse can deliver vibrations for supported actions and notifications. Logitech lets users adjust their intensity and customize app-specific feedback through Logi Options+. That doesn’t mean every application suddenly gains a sense of touch, but compatible interactions can have a physical cue.

Pressing the panel also opens Actions Ring, an onscreen collection of shortcuts arranged around the cursor. You can assign tools and macros through Options+, putting frequently used commands near where you’re already working. There is a small irony here, however. Despite the Linux reference on the shell, Logitech doesn’t provide a Linux version of Options+ for configuring that particular shortcut system.

The Developer Edition is listed for US preorder at $119.99, with shipping scheduled to start October 31, 2026. Since its functions match the standard MX Master 4, the choice comes down to how much personality you’d like under your hand. Existing owners won’t find new capabilities here, though the temptation to coordinate a keyboard, desk mat, and everything else remains.

The post Logitech’s MX Master 4 Developer Edition Is a Mouse Full of Coding Easter Eggs first appeared on Yanko Design.

Block previews Dessa, a voice AI model trained without text. Explore its local hardware claims, safety risks, and what businesses should assess next.

The post Block Previews Dessa, an AI Voice Model Trained Without Text appeared first on TechRepublic.