Here's what we looked at this week:Design needed: These Mad-Max-esque solar-powered bikes and trikes from YongLe Risheng.Stunning drone show by Studio Hock: King Kong climbing the Empire State Building.Hyundai's gaming-inspired Insteroid concept. The base model is popular worldwi … | Continue reading
While client work pays the bills, successful industrial design firms know that doing internal projects can keep the creative juices flowing. One such project is this Dovetail concept, by Atlanta-based Formation Design Group: Dovetail is a modernization of the mobile lounge concep … | Continue reading
Phaidon is releasing "Eventually Everything Connects: Mid-Century Modern Design in the US," a fresh look at the movement thanks to hundreds of images from the Cranbrook Art Museum. There's plenty of eye candy here: Charles and Ray Eames seated in their living room, Los Angeles, C … | Continue reading
For about a decade, Bose and JBL have dominated the portable Bluetooth speaker market, targeting slightly different submarkets. Bose is the go-to for indoor audiophiles, while JBL's rugged offerings are well-suited to beaches and barbecues.A Michigan-based startup called Lodge ha … | Continue reading
Those attending the Capsule Plaza space at Milan Design Week might've spied this pallet being unloaded: Those are nested units of this THING_01, a casual seating object designed by Konstantin Grcic for his 25kg label. "A stool without a seat. Is it? You sit on a piece of tube—r … | Continue reading
Bankston, an Australian architectural hardware company has collaborated with Civilian, a Brooklyn-based design studio, on these unusual doorknobs: "The collection title, Hemispheres, not only references a central dome motif within the range, but also symbolises the collaboration … | Continue reading
Magnetic hooks are supremely handy, but not all of them are created alike. Minnesota-based manufacturer Gator Magnetics, whose hooks can hold up to 45 pounds, points out why:Traditional magnets have North and South poles on opposite sides of the magnet, creating a large looping m … | Continue reading
In terms of branding and quality, Yeti remains the cooler company to beat. Rivals like Igloo will continue to woo consumers by focusing on design features, but the perception of Yeti as the market leader is a tough one to dent.For consumers put off by Yeti's high prices, there is … | Continue reading
It's lousy timing: You open a new design studio overseas to help expand into that market--just as a tariff war potentially kills access to that region. But that's the world we live in, and now GM, which has just opened its fifth design studio after what we assume were years of pl … | Continue reading
Dremels are great at what they do, but I've always found their carrying cases to be chintzy afterthoughts with poor interior organization. In contrast, with the competing SNAPBLOQ line of precision tools, by Chinese manufacturer Hoto, the way the tools are stored are a major poin … | Continue reading
KIIR is a modular, sculptural desk organizer designed to enhance mobile and creative workspaces. Built from irregular, interlocking metal triangles, it offers a flexible and elegant solution for organizing desk essentials. With a focus on portability, minimalism, and tactile expe … | Continue reading
As it stands, Kawasaki's off-road bikes can traverse challenging trails. But the company reckons that tackling truly gnarly terrain requires something beyond wheels. They're thus developing this CORLEO concept, which is essentially a headless, rideable robot horse that can carry … | Continue reading
From a designer's standpoint, it could be argued that the functionality of the humble drinks cooler was perfected decades ago. Insulated walls to keep ice cool, a drain for the melted ice water, handles to carry it, and a tightly-fitting lid did the job.But with competition high … | Continue reading
For publishers like Barnes & Noble and Italy's Feltrinelli, things looked horrible in the mid-2000s. The Kindle came out in 2007, making e-books available to the masses. For the next five years, print book sales took a nosedive. Publishers panicked. Independent bookstores went un … | Continue reading
Portugese furniture designer Victor Manuel picks up where Postmodernism left off. Manuel refers to his style as "Geometric Chimera—a bold fusion of furniture that challenges the norms of symmetry and conventional functionality." The designer takes the Midcentury Modern aesthetic … | Continue reading
While I typically dismiss what might be called "art furniture," this Anachron series, by Istanbul-based Studio Lugo, really caught my eye. It's as if they mashed up elements from Gerritt Rietveld, the Bauhaus, Memphis and 1980s Postmodernism, then ran it all through a 2025 color … | Continue reading
After dark, crime scenes, accident sites, infrastructure repairs etc. require lighting be set up so workers can see what they're doing. By necessity, these portable light sources aren't much taller than the workers themselves, causing glare and work-obscuring shadows. On top of t … | Continue reading
The Sinking Chair—a striking fusion of modern design and haunting symbolism—appears to descend into a pool of vivid red, evoking both unease and introspection. Inspired by Stanley Kubrick's The Shining and crafted from 3D-printed concrete, it explores the lingering impact of trau … | Continue reading
As a staple of photography studios and production sets, appleboxes are a supremely useful piece of kit. Typically made of ½" plywood, they serve as both stools and stepstools. They're durable, long-lived and easy to make. Here's one I inherited from an NYC studio on the left—you … | Continue reading
Did you know: 85-90% of car journeys are made by only one person per vehicle. Big, heavy cars, taking up a lot of space on our roads, creating congestion and environmental issues. What if a car would fit you like a shoe? That is what YKS1 One offers: right-sized mobility for one. … | Continue reading
This unassuming-looking vehicle, which most Americans haven't seen… …is the Inster, a compact EV that Hyundai rolled out in their home market of South Korea last year. For an EV, it's not particularly quick—0-62 mph in 10.6 seconds—but it offers a decent 229-mile range and tops o … | Continue reading
Denver-based Studio Hock is a drone light show production company with two decades of experience. They recently pulled off this impressive display in New York, coordinating their drones to resemble King Kong climbing the Empire State Building: It can't be understated how technica … | Continue reading
Chinese mobility company YongLe Risheng makes these unlikely-looking solar- and wind-powered vehicles: The two-wheeler CG model is roofed with 250W solar panels and a wind turbine to generate juice. They supposedly provide up to 50km (31 miles) of range, and the bike tops out at … | Continue reading
LAYER, the London-based design studio led by Benjamin Hubert, will launch an immersive exhibition during Milan Design Week 2025 titled 101010. This landmark exhibition celebrates LAYER's 10-year anniversary with a curated retrospective of the studio's decade-long work, alongside … | Continue reading
"Water is one of our most precious resources," writes ID firm Bould, "and yet many people around the world do not have access to a reliable supply of clean, drinkable water."The firm designed an incredible device called Spout--an atmospheric water generator. "Spout offers relief. … | Continue reading
"The cannabis accessories industry has recently reached a record of breaking sales," writes San-Diego-based ID firm DIP Studio, "but staple products like smoking pipes have not adapted to the modern user's needs. Pipes are usually fragile, difficult to clean, and don't blend in w … | Continue reading
Industrial designer George Davies works primarily with 1/8"-thick sheet metal and a brake. Within these limitations, and inspired by 20th-century designers like Gerrit Reitveld, Charlotte Perriand, Le Corbusier and the Eameses, Davies creates furniture that celebrates his chosen … | Continue reading
Softech'ture: Rethinking Fabric Waste by NextOfKin Creatives and Mobella Galleria explores transforming discarded textiles into functional homeware. Addressing the 45% fabric waste from production, the project repurposes textile offcuts into modular Link Lamps and sculptural Flor … | Continue reading
This is my Stihl GTA 26, a battery-powered mini chainsaw with a 4" blade. While it can be used for spot pruning, I've found it extremely useful for trimming the dozens branches off of a fallen Cedar before bucking it into rounds with a proper chainsaw. The tool is reasonably erg … | Continue reading
This amusingly overbuilt Long Point Pencil Sharpener is by California-based stationery company Blackwing. Rather than sharpening your pencil point into a mere cone, it cuts a curved taper into it; this shape, the company claims, "resists breakage."The sharpener is made of machine … | Continue reading
You could be forgiven for thinking these Aircore OWH headphones were designed by Apple. In fact they're by Shenzhen-based audio technology company Movengine. The unusual donut-shaped cans provide, the company claims, a "soundstage"-like effect "as if you were surrounded by HiFi s … | Continue reading
This innovative little gadget makes product videography easier. The Trexo Wheels Go holds a smartphone or camera (up to 1,500g/3.3 lbs) and provides portable motion control. The device can execute smooth dolly shots, sliding shots and orbital shots. It can also be used as a rotat … | Continue reading
This tiny piece of acrylic, just 34mm (1.3") square… …is essentially an IRL pixelator:The curious object was developed by Hakusi Katei, a Japanese materials engineer, and has a 16x16 pixel resolution. "From the initial concept through countless experiments, securing rights, mass … | Continue reading
This peculiar tool may not make sense to a tradesperson who always has a cordless tool on their hip. The Trio, by Japanese hand tool manufacturer Star-M, is an unpowered object with three functions: It can pre-drill holes, drive a screw, and install hooks. The tool caught my eye … | Continue reading
Fun fact: In the early- to mid-20th century, American drug stores and pharmacies used to have counters with soda fountains where they sold both fizzy drinks and freshly-scooped ice cream. What do those things have to do with medicine? There are two conventional explanations: One … | Continue reading
As a product of the 20th century, I prefer physical buttons to touch-capacitive surfaces. But I appear to be in the minority; gadget manufacturers today love fitting their objects out with the latter. This CLVX 1 keyboard, by Belarusian manufacturer Clevetura, is a strange hybrid … | Continue reading
If you've got your smartphone in a protective case, chances are it's plastic. For those that prefer a more natural material—and are willing to leave your phone naked while in use—leather goods company Hard Graft offers this $126 Masterpiece iPhone Case, which is about as minimali … | Continue reading
SNRGY Studios, a Swedish product development firm of designers and engineers, looked into hobbyist soldering stations. Their research indicated that many peoples' soldering set-ups look like this: SNRGY founder Alexander Osika could relate. "As a maker for many years," he writes, … | Continue reading
We all know that military technology eventually trickles down to the consumer sector. GPS, microwaves, the internet, digital photography, and even duct tape all began with defense applications.One of these that's often overlooked is cargo pants. A British invention from 1938, the … | Continue reading
Wearable tech is now common, arguably thanks to the Apple Watch. That product struggled upon its 2015 launch, but the eventual additions of features people wanted—health and fitness monitoring, ecosystem integration—pushed it into the mainstream within a few years.Competitiors ha … | Continue reading
These days, even an economy car can reach 100 mph. Sports cars can double that. Despite having the power to do so, few drivers zoom around at such speeds, understanding that the potential consequences—a speeding ticket, license revocation or a deadly accident—can be bad.However, … | Continue reading
Here's what we looked at this week:The Light Phone III: Is excessive smartphone use a design problem, or a human nature problem? Seventh time's the charm? The Ring Mouse offers finger-borne gesture control.A brief history of cargo pants, and an extreme 18-pocket modern versio … | Continue reading
Customers in today's markets have high expectations in terms of functionality, performance and usability. Successful products and services must be innovative and connect with their audience to encourage adoption and embrace new ideas. That's where Psycho-Aesthetics (P/A) comes in … | Continue reading
Here's what we looked at this week:The Columbus, Italdesign's wild 1990s minivan concept.Form follows bizarre: Maybe the strangest EDC object we've seen. Product Designer Vicki Tan's "Ask This Book a Question" is a book on improving the decision-making process.A fantastic pie … | Continue reading
When you think of technology that connects your brain to a computer, you probably picture something like this: A startup called Neurable had the technology, but wanted better design for their first product, called Enten. They turned to industrial design consultancy Fresco for hel … | Continue reading
For manufactured objects, the cylinder is a powerful shape. They distribute pressure evenly, which is why airplane fuselages, soda cans, oxygen canisters and disposable batteries are cylindrical.The shape of a disposable battery has long dictated the shape of another object: Flas … | Continue reading
This Multi Auto Spray product is by Japanese industrial design consultancy Lont. The product consists of just the gun. Because all Japanese 500mL bottles (roughly equivalent to our 16-oz bottles in the 'States) have standardized cap threading, the Multi Auto Spray can use any 50 … | Continue reading
If you hear the term "Reefer Truck," you might think it has something to do with weed. But that's the colloquial term used in Japan for refrigerated ("reefer") cargo trucks.Vehicle manufacturer Nippon Trex Co. learned of a problem faced by their clients in the cold-chain cargo bu … | Continue reading