King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard: Magenta Mountain

Prolific Australian rock band King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard craft another immersive, expansive soundscape in their latest track and video “Magenta Mountain.” In the eight-minute video (taken from the band’s live performance in Melbourne), the neon-pop single starts off with an inviting melody before bursting with robust percussion and a mesmerizing guitar solo. The song appears on the band’s forthcoming album Omnium Gatherum (out 22 April), the band’s first album not centered on a specific theme.

This pico projector concept is made to look as dapper as your suit

Nothing says “professional” more than smoothly pulling out a tiny project from your suit’s front pocket and setting it up in a snap at the start of your business presentation.

Home projectors are en vogue these days, especially as more and more people cut the cord and rely on streaming services or their phones for content. Back in the days, however, projectors were more often used in the business side of the world for meetings, events, and presentations. Dealing with projectors has never been a pleasant task, and carrying one round is even less so. One tiny projector concept, however, wants to make those haunting memories a thing of the past and actually make you look savvy even before you start your presentation.

Designer: Maxime Jx

Conventional projectors, especially the large ones used in offices, are often too expensive for a single person to purchase. That’s why many businesses and organizations just purchase one or two that can be used by a group of people in turn. As anyone who has had experience using these image-throwing machines, sharing a projector in the same meeting isn’t just an exercise in frustration. It can sometimes downright be embarrassing, especially when, not if, things go horribly wrong.

You can bring your own projector, of course, but that doesn’t solve the hassle of setting it up, especially when it’s your turn to speak. Not to mention even the most portable projectors can be burdensome to carry around, making you look more awkward than professional. This PICO projector concept tries to envision what could be if you could have a projector that’s big enough to fit in your pocket, and it’s going the extra mile to make you look good even while carrying it.

In addition to its pocket-friendly size, PICO is designed to be simple to set up and use. You actually don’t need anything else because it has its own built-in memory as well as folding stands. You could still hook it up to a computer, USB thumb drive, or video source, but those are mostly for extraordinary circumstances. Most of the time, you’ll probably want to go wireless or device-free.

PICO is also designed to look at home in a professional setting or in your pocket. Its simple design doesn’t call too much attention to itself, and the felt-like cloth cover helps make it blend with your apparel. That cloth does have to be pulled back for ventilation and audio output. Having the power button hidden underneath it makes it impossible to forget anyway.

There have been smartphones that came with built-in short throw projectors, but those turned out to be novelties and disappointments in the long run. It might only be a matter of time, however, before decent projectors the size of PICO can actually become a reality. Unfortunately, it might already be too little too late for business-oriented projectors like PICO to be successful in the market, especially given the trend towards video conferencing and, soon, the metaverse.

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OLi Home proves again less is more even in speaker design

OLi Home Features

Speaker technology has not peaked yet as there is more room for improvement. We can probably say technology is at the point where we can just work on innovations, style, software, and design. Of course, customer demand must be met by brands. The prices of the speakers should be more affordable, but for those interested in design, there are still plenty of things to do and explore.

For OLi Home, it aims to improve the audio listening experience by coming up with a speaker that offers excellent sound quality. It is possible by directing and projecting sound from an optimal height and location. In addition, the brand’s designer believes furniture can be part of the home, so it conceptualized the OLi Speaker looking like a furniture item.

Designer: Joshua Han

OLi Home Concept

The OLi Speaker features different materials that can blend and match your home interiors. According to the designer, there’s a combination of wood, fabric, and matte color that can harmonize with other furniture and home surroundings. Joshua Han is the same guy who introduced to us the Solo Headset and the Teledining Table.

Judging from Han’s previous creations, he provides solutions to common problems that others think may seem trivial. The Solo Headset can make capturing videos easier by just wearing the video camera on your head. The Teledining Table is another practical innovation we never knew we’d be needing during the pandemic. As for the OLi Speaker, it solves the problem of trying to figure out where to position your speaker to match your home.

OLi Home

OLi Home Details

There are other beautifully-designed home speakers in the market today. This OLi Speaker is attractive but not in an overwhelming way. It has a clean design, making it minimalist even with colorful options. It looks retro-modern, looking like a lamp, especially with the nostalgic pull switch.

OLi Home Speaker

The OLi comes with a simple look—providing less interface and more experience. There are no buttons or displays here because you have to connect a smartphone for the controls. The pull switch is to be used only for power as with lamps or wall and ceiling fans.

OLi Home Design

The main speaker is oblong-shaped similar to Dyson electric fans. It appears the build is plastic while the speaker area is covered by fabric. The stand and the pull switch are made of wood. We don’t see any cable, but a hole in the rear could be a port for charging.

OLi Home Conceptual Speaker

OLi Home Speaker Concept

OLi Home Speaker System

The post OLi Home proves again less is more even in speaker design first appeared on Yanko Design.

In Russia, a "Social Media Network for the Sad" Instagram Replacement

With Instagram now banned in Russia, some 80 million users are unable to access the app. Thus Russian app developers Alexandr Tokarev and Ivan Semkin say they’re launching a sad (as in melancholy) alternative to the app this week, called Grustnogram.

“Grustno” in Russian translates to “sad,” so the app is essentially called Sadgram.

Color photos are not accommodated, only black and white images. “Post sad pictures of yourself, show this to your sad friends, be sad together,” reads the app’s website.

Look closely, and you’ll notice that the heart button has been replaced with—what else?—a broken heart.

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Wolverine Fish, Blind Eel and 210 More New Fish Species Found

Conservation organization Shoal announced that scientists have discovered 212 new freshwater fish species in the last year—a remarkable feat not only for the unprecedented number, but also for all the extraordinary creatures it represents. The New Species 2021 report includes the Hopliancistrus wolverine (aka the Wolverine fish), which surprised researchers with a hidden weapon system tucked underneath its gill covers. Other species—like the Mumbai blind eel (which has no fins or scales) and the male Danionella cerebrum (which can make drumming sounds)—were unusual finds. “It’s fascinating that over 200 new freshwater fish species can be described in just a single year,” says Shoal’s conservation program manager Harmony Patricio. “It means there are still hundreds and hundreds more freshwater fish out there in the world that scientists don’t know about yet.” With more than one third of freshwater species currently threatened with extinction, this discovery comes at a critical time to bring awareness. Learn more at The Guardian.

Image by Juan Marcos Mirande, Fundacion Miguel Lillo; courtesy of PLoS One

Swatch x Omega Bioceramic Moonswatch Collection ready for your mission to space

Swatch X Omega to the Planets

When two big brands team up and work on a collaboration, it usually means an exclusive release and a potential bestseller. We have lost count of such partnerships between two popular companies, but the recent we remember was between Jacob & Co and Bugatti, which delivered a mechanically impossible, million-dollar watch.

The Jacob & Co x Bugatti Chiron Blue Sapphire Crystal isn’t the first between the two companies, as there was the Jacob & Co Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon from before. Just recently, there was the Batman x Fossil collection that brought The Batman and The Riddler Watch. Today, two important names in the watch industry show us a new collection that we believe can sell fast.

Designers: Swatch and Omega

Swatch x Omega Bioceramic Speedmaster Moonswatch Mission to Pluto

The Swiss watchmaker of trendy timepieces, Swatch, and Swiss luxury watchmaker, Omega, have inked a deal as they want to “reach for the planets.” There is the Swatch x Omega Bioceramic Moonswatch Collection, which is a modern and simpler version of the iconic Speedmaster Moonwatch from the luxury watch brand.

The obvious inspiration is the outer space for the eleven-piece BIOCERAMIC watch collection. Each one is named after a planetary body, making every timepiece a must-have for watch collectors. The BIOCERAMIC Moon-Swatch collection has been available since March 26 in select Swatch stores worldwide.

Swatch x Omega Bioceramic Moonswatch Collection

Swatch x Omega Bioceramic Moonswatch Series

The Swatch X Omega BIOCERAMIC Moon-Swatch Collection includes the following versions: Mission to the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto. These watches are playful versions of the Sun, Moon, and the nine planets. All watches perfectly demonstrate what Swiss Watchmaking is all about. The collection combines the beauty of the legendary Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch and the Swatch BIOCERAMIC material.

Every element of the Speedmaster Moonwatch can be seen on the watches, including the subdials, the tachymeter scale, and the dot over ninety. The OMEGA X SWATCH co-branding is present in every dial. You can see the updated MoonSwatch and the Speedmaster logo. It may not be evident in the images, but there is a hidden ’S’ in the crystal glass center. The seconds hands, hours, minutes, and hour markers glow in the dark, thanks to the Super-LumiNova pigment used. In addition, the subdials and the outer ring feature a circular pattern, giving off a softer and refined touch that perfectly matches the smooth and sharp lugs.

Swatch x Omega Bioceramic Moonswatch Mission to the Sun

On the case back of each watch, you will see this message: DREAM BIG – FLY HIGH – EXPLORE THE UNIVERSE – REACH FOR THE PLANETS. That is the mission text which is meant to inspire people. Reaching for the planets is possible in the future as space tourism is being pushed these days. Of course, it’s not common, affordable, and accessible to anyone yet, but you and I can dream. Perhaps we can start by wearing on our wrist a Swatch x Omega Bioceramic Moonswatch since it is affordable at only $260.

Swatch x Omega Bioceramic Speedmaster Moonswatch Sun

The Swatch x Omega Bioceramic Moonswatch Collection is available in different colors depending on the planet or the celestial body. The Mission to the Sun is said to be the star of the show. There is no Star model in the collection because the sun is actually a star. The Sun version shines in sun yellow with its sun-brushed style dial. The white VELCRO strap makes the watch a clean version, while the orange color used in the hands and the tachymeter scale is a perfect contrast.

Swatch x Omega Bioceramic Speedmaster Moonswatch Mission to the Moon

The Mission to the Moon version is perhaps the most minimalist with its black, white, and silver elements. It is the closest to the original Speedmaster Moonwatch. It comes in steel gray with a black velcro strap, white hands, and tachymeter scale. The Mission to Mercury is minimalist with the colorway: metallic grey velcro strap, intense deep grey dial, white hands and tachymeter scale, and black bezel background and subdials.

Swatch x Omega Bioceramic Speedmaster Moonswatch Mission to Mercury

Swatch x Omega Bioceramic Speedmaster Moonswatch Mission to Venus

The Swatch x Omega Mission to Venus looks pretty in powdery pastel pink and white strap. The subdials are oval with details like diamonds on the edges. This version offers feminine elegance, perfect for ladies who are not exactly fans of big watches.

Swatch x Omega Bioceramic Speedmaster Moonswatch Mission on Earth

The Mission on Earth watch version is a celebration of our planet in blue and green. It is perfect for the eco-astronaut with its earthy green case and navy blue strap. The brown counter and chronograph hands are set in brown, while the subdials and tachymeter scale are white. The bezel background is blue, so it will really remind you of a little globe.

Swatch x Omega Bioceramic Speedmaster Moonswatch Mission to Mars

The Mars model of the Swatch x Omega Bioceramic Moonswatch appears to be the fiercest among the collection in red tones. The white dial and velcro strap balance the look, while the red hands and subdial add a playful punch. The hours and minutes subdials are shaped like a spacecraft.

Swatch x Omega Bioceramic Speedmaster Moonswatch Mission to Jupiter

Swatch x Omega Bioceramic Speedmaster Moonswatch Mission to Saturn

Mission to Jupiter can be considered a classic with its beige tones, complemented by a black strap. The orange contrast on the hands and subdials is just perfect. The Mission to Saturn version is a close sibling with sandy and cool beige tones and a brown strap and dial. The seconds subdial is a tiny planet with Saturn’s rings.

Swatch x Omega Bioceramic Speedmaster Moonswatch Mission to Uranus

The Mission to Uranus is a pale blue tribute to the Greek god of the sky. The Neptune model reminds us of an ice giant in a freezing deep blue. Last but not least is the Mission to Pluto version, which is dedicated to the dwarf planet in burgundy and gray.

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Could You Do Monochrome Renderings with Multiple Textures?

Most of you who do hand renderings have a rack or drawer filled with markers/pencils of different colors. But what if you had to render using just a single color, where the only variation was the texture laid down by the drawing implement?

That’s the concept behind “Texture Sketchers,” by Japanese design firm 21B STUDIO, though it’s aimed at kids rather than industrial designers.

“This proposal is for an art supply set that lets you draw various textures. This product expands the world of texture that you wouldn’t usually notice–like materials and artistic effects–through working with supplies of the same color that have different properties.”

“Like some artists are skilled in color usage, others may discover they are skilled in texture usage. Some children may play with texture differences as if they were color differences. You may find that you think and choose an item by texture rather than color.”

“I hope this product brings about a future where it’s normal to draw in multiple textures, just as it’s now normal to draw in multiple colors.”

Texture Sketchers” was a winner in this month’s Kokuyo Design Awards, a Japan-only stationery design competition.

An Attractive, Folding Wireless Charger, Designed for Disassembly

In an effort to make them look “magical,” designers of your average wireless charging pad give them a monolithic look. Which typically means, good luck taking it apart if it ever needs to be fixed.

London-based design studio Blond decries this. “Last year, research by the European Commission found that 11,000 tonnes of electronic waste is caused by disposed and unused chargers,” the company writes. Thus they designed Fold, a concept for a striking-looking folding charger with visible innards, designed for disassembly. It can charge multiple objects at once.

“With product longevity in mind, Fold has been stripped back to its most fundamental necessities, creating an almost skeletal aesthetic – unlike the majority of chargers which are typically constructed from many different materials that are sandwiched between layers of glue – making them virtually impossible to repair, reuse or recycle.”

“Fold’s skeletal form [gives] consumers access to the fastening methods so the product can be taken apart to be upgraded or maintained, especially as charging technology relentlessly moves on.”

Alas, at this point it’s just a concept. Should it prove viable, I’m guessing this would absolutely kill it on Kickstarter.

Beautiful Paintings Reinterpreted

Bénédicte Picollilo est l’artiste inspirante qui se cache derrière Voglio Bene. Avec un style facilement identifiable de par son originalité, elle réinterprète des tableaux anciens mettant régulièrement en scène des femmes. Sa dernière collection Printemps-Été 2022 « Rhapsodie Bohémienne », a pour icône Sainte Rita, originellement peinte par Carlo Dolci. En plus de ses œuvres picturales, cette dernière propose également plusieurs objets qui arborent ses illustrations avec beauté. L’un d’entre eux est pour le moins original puisqu’il s’agit de la suite qu’elle a décidé d’offrir à sa série de bougie représentant les sept péchés capitaux : une huitième, qui sort tout droit de son esprit et qui représente l’immortalité.

Pour en découvrir plus sur l’artiste, son univers et ses œuvres, rendez-vous sur son site internet ou son compte instagram.