Hasta La Ideas

Although it’s definitely the latecomer, Apple is unsurprisingly stirring up a storm with the launch of the Vision Pro. Mixed reality, or spatial computing as Apple named it, is en vogue once again, and many companies are making a lot of noise to demonstrate how they’ve been playing the game long before the Vision Pro was even announced. That boast comes with the implication that they can offer a better experience and a more accessible product, like this visor-like Visor headset that’s trying to be a better Vision Pro than the Vision Pro with a more open platform, a more stylish design, and most importantly, a more affordable price tag.

Designer: Immersed

Although the Apple Vision Pro is definitely more stylish than other mixed reality headsets, it’s still a headset that leaves nothing to the imagination about what you’re wearing or doing. Visor, on the other hand, looks more like its namesake, at least outwardly. Despite the spectacle-like design, it actually bears 4K micro OLED displays per eye, a lot more than what the Visor Pro boasts. And yet the headset itself manages to weigh only 200g, more than half what the Meta Quest 3 weighs. And yes, it has an external battery to help keep the weight down.

Beyond just the design of the device itself, the Visor offers a completely different experience from the likes of the Vision Pro or even the new Xreal Air 2 Ultra that was announced at CES 2024 earlier this month. It neither runs its own operating system nor does it just mirror the screen of a computer. Instead, it harnesses Immersed’s mixed reality software that it has been developing for years that practically gives you virtual monitors spread across your vision, resulting in a wider field of view compared to the common smart glasses implementation.

What this means in practice is that you can keep on using the software and operating system you’re already familiar with without any limitations. In fact, Immersed says it won’t even block attempts to make SteamVR work with its device, even though its focus is more towards productivity and professional use. Visor doesn’t even have an app marketplace, but it will release development tools for sideloading apps later on.

If Visor’s $399.99 price tag sounds too good to be true, that’s because it somewhat is. That cheap figure actually requires you to also buy a “Membership Plus” subscription that will cost $59.99 a month for 12 months or $39.99 for 24 months. The good news is that you won’t lose access to the basic features of the device if you decide not to renew after that period. Alternatively, you can buy the device alone for a full $999.99, without any of the extras, which is still a lot cheaper than the Apple Vision Pro. Whether it can deliver all these promises, however, is something we’ll have to see in due time, no pun intended.

The post Visor mixed reality headset promises a more accessible Apple Vision Pro first appeared on Yanko Design.

Chess is a game that spans centuries and while the basic mechanics haven’t changed much, it has taken various forms over the course of its very long history. Chess sets today come in a variety of styles, from cheap plastic to fragile class, from classic designs to abstract geometric shapes. Some sets, usually the expensive ones, are kept safely at home, while others go wherever their owners go, ready to challenge a fellow enthusiast at a moment’s notice. Rimowa, best known for making premium luggage and bags, is trying its hand at striking a middle ground with a high-quality aluminum chess set housed in a signature Rimowa case, ready to travel and make you the envy of all your chess colleagues.

Designer: Rimowa

Portable chess sets do exist, but the most common design you might see is a thick wooden board that folds in the middle to transform into a miniature suitcase for the wooden pieces. It’s practical and, to be fair, a bit sustainable, but also terribly uninspiring. Nothing lights a chess enthusiast’s fire better than a captivating and elegant chess set, one that embodies the long-lasting legacy of a game that had enchanted and beguiled even monarchs.

The new Rimowa Chess Attache is both a homage to the classic chess design but also a rejuvenation with a more modern aesthetic. Each chess piece is crafted from black and silver (for white) anodized aluminum, emblazoned with a laser-engraved Rimowa monogram. The board, though made of wood, is wrapped in leather materials and has magnets that keep the pieces steadily in place until you or your opponent is ready to make the next move. That board’s aluminum frame also bares Rimowa’s logo, signifying its place in the brand’s selection of premium products.

Of course, this wouldn’t be a Rimowa product if there is no travel container involved, and indeed, a major part of the Chess Attache’s appeal is exactly that attache case. The small suitcase’s rounded edges and ribbed faces carry the hallmarks of Rimowa’s iconic design language. Inside, the chess pieces like in compartments cut out from foam and a suede-like microfiber, securing them in place until the time comes for them to be taken out and played. A delicate protective leather layer then sits in between the pieces and the magnetic wooden board that’s secured to the attache with premium leather straps.

Of course, there’s also plenty of Rimowa branding to be found inside, from the black leather lining down to the monogram-engraved snaps of the leather straps. Every inch of the design screams luxury product, and it’s probably good that a metallic lock system is integrated directly into the case’s shell. Whether it’s the chess set itself or the case that carries them, this Rimowa Chess Attache elevates not just your game but also your traveling experience.

The post Rimowa Chess Attache offers a luxurious way to carry your luxurious game pieces first appeared on Yanko Design.

When Pelican Products decided to get into the backpack game, they turned to Bay-Area-based ID consultancy studioFAR. Founded by industrial designer Fernando A. Robert, the firm specializes in softgoods, and produced Pelican’s U160:

Brief: Designed for Adventure and Nature photographers who require an 100% waterproof case for equipment. This half-size Pelican case is embedded inside a fully soft backpack construction. Positioning of the case was made for proper ergonomic weight distribution along with the front position of the case lid.

Process: Sketch, CAD, Prototype, Refine. Working very closely with Pelican’s engineering team, a half-size Pelican case was designed to create a seamless connection from soft bag to hard case.

Result: The U160 is a ballistic nylon soft bag integrated with a crushproof Pelican case that features the same military-grade attributes as Pelican’s classic case products (including a watertight o-ring seal with automatic pressure equalization valve). The case also features a removable padded divider set to protect a camera body, extra lenses and flash equipment inside. Remove the padded dividers and the compartment becomes a travel pack large enough to fit a few days’ worth of personal gear.

Additional storage comes in the form of a padded upper compartment for all manner of accessories (portable hard drives, data cables and cords, etc.) with a pocket to store a tablet. Items perfect to store in the upper compartment: Transformers and cords, lens cleaner kit, glare hood, light meter, camera battery and charger. Both storage compartments feature a contrasted yellow interior which helps for easy interior visibility.

It also includes a host of field photo-shoot-friendly features such as tripod carrier straps and multiple side pockets to organize smaller objects. For easy transport, the pack’s aluminum S-curve spine and vented padding offers ergonomic comfort. A nylon chest clip and removable waist belt help to balance the load.

Following the project Kevin Murphy, Pelican’s VP of Marketing, gave studioFAR a rave review:

“I threw every monkey wrench I could find at [Robert] and it never slowed him down. Fernando pioneered with Pelican a patented integration of plastics and fabrics. He sweated every bar stitch, zipper pull and material choice. His rendering skills gave our execs the confidence to green-light the product line, and he nursed the tech packs through our QC and Engineering for process control.

“Most importantly Fernando was the voice of the product, working diligently over a year with our foreign vendor to bring a series of 11 innovative backpacks to market. He also has the patience of a saint, and attention to detail that supports the work.”

Bell & Ross is a watchmaker that draws attention time and again by exploring beyond traditional watchmaking. Through the years it has been the skulls and open-worked dials that have paved the way and now adding another innovative watch to the sprawling cyber epoch, the French watchmaker, with roots in Switzerland, has launched the all-new BR 03 Cyber Ceramic.

For the BR 03 Cyber watch in matt black ceramic, Bell & Ross has challenged itself and transformed the OG BR 03 in a high-tech, lightweight material. No wonder then the intricate timepiece is made in a strictly limited edition of only 500 examples with the interesting in-house movement within a reworked skeletonized dial.

Designer: Bell & Ross

According to the watchmaker, the BR 03 Cyber Ceramic features a dial inspired by the stealth aircraft design, taking the invisible in the skeletonized dial to the next level. The black 43mm case reveals all but still hides the calibre BR-CAL.383 behind the skeletonized dial with faceted bridges in the same theme and balance at 6 o’clock.

Within the dial, under the sapphire crystal, you have the microblasted minute and hour hands filled with grey Super-LumiNova for better visibility in the dark. The black ceramic watch with a crown has a see-through sapphire caseback providing a gaping view of the black oscillating weight.

As informed, the BR 03 Cyber is powered by the BR-CAL.383 self-winding automatic movement which offers a power reserve of two full days. The design aesthetic of the watch is maintained by the interesting lug-less concept which aligns with the BR 03 Cyber’s stealth theme. The rubber strap is meant to disappear in the case ensuring that there are no spaces in the snug outlook.

The limited-edition Bell & Ross BR 03 Cyber watch made in striking matt black ceramic is priced at $ 13,400 each. It is water resistant to 50M and is now available for the taking. If you have a liking for sharp-edged cased watches that shout opulence all the way to the matte black PVD steel buckle, this is the one to go for.

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What did you do during the pandemic? New-Jersey-based artist and freelance writer Lauren Puchowski invented this:

That’s the boomloom, a portable loom. Puchowski invented it “as a way to make weaving more intuitive and expressive, and to close the gap between the craft and the art,” she writes. “Probably I also wanted to hijack our smartphone compulsions by putting something tactile and analog in our hands.”

“The patent-pending boomloom is an adaptation of an old technology, the rotating heddle bar, fixing it into a little one-piece frame. The heddle bar forms the shed — the space between the warp threads — so you don’t have to pass the yarn in and out, just back and forth through the shed. Keeper slots capture the beginning and end of the warp thread to make stringing easy. EPI (ends per inch) is about 6.”

“The loom is made simply from six parts in aluminum, beech and maple, no screws or fasteners. I assemble and finish the looms in my workspace behind the home I share with my husband and kids in Jersey City, NJ (that’s it in the pic below). We’ve sold looms to customers all over the world including France, Japan, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Alaska, Los Angeles, Guam, London, Colorado, New Zealand, Brooklyn, Switzerland, and Salt Lake City.”

Puchowski got the boomloom, which comes in two sizes, into production. She sells them on her website, and they’re also retailed by the Cooper Hewitt Museum Shop.

You can see what folks have made with the boomloom on Puchowski’s Instagram.