design
Latest
The next Xbox is called Series X and it looks like a PC tower
The Game Awards kicked off with a bang as Microsoft offered a first proper look at the next Xbox and revealed the console's name: Xbox Series X. Previously known as Project Scarlett, the next-generation Xbox resembles a PC tower and it arrives holiday 2020.
YouTube's AI docuseries with Robert Downey Jr arrives on December 18th
If you're going to throw megabucks at a show about AI, you'd better make sure you've got the right host for it -- and most would agree that YouTube's decision to get Robert Downey Jr, aka Iron Man, on board for their multimillion dollar The Age of AI endeavor was a pretty good shout. Announced last year, the eight-part show lands on YouTube on December 18th. Episodes will be released weekly, but if you're a YouTube Premium subscriber, you'll be able to binge the first four straight away.
Bose made a 360-degree audio AR experience for the new 'Star Wars'
Audio-based augmented reality has taken something of a backseat to the more visually-driven stuff, but that doesn't mean there's a shortage of cool things happening in the area. Today, Bose is launching a brand new audio AR experience through the official Star Wars app, to coincide with the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Adobe Lightroom's direct import feature comes to iPhone and iPad
iOS Lightroom users rejoice, the long-awaited direct import feature is finally available. As of today, you'll be able to import photos directly from an SD card or USB drive into Lightroom iOS and iPadOS, instead of using the previously time-consuming workaround of importing images to camera roll and then copying them over to Lightroom's library.
Louis Vuitton’s ‘League of Legends’ biker jacket can be yours for $5,650
Louis Vuitton's League of Legends apparel line is here, and as you'd expect, it is expensive. On the lower end, there's a $670 t-shirt with League of Legends champion Qiyana on the front and back. On the other end of the spectrum, you can nab a $5,650 leather biker jacket or a $2,420 hoodie.
AI-powered Lego sorter knows the shape of every brick
For some people, rummaging through a bunch of Lego bricks is part of the fun. But if you've got an enormous collection or take on complicated builds, you probably have a system for sorting your pieces. Your solution probably doesn't involve AI, though. YouTube user Daniel West combined his love for Lego with his engineering skills to build a universal Lego sorter that uses a neural network to identify, classify and organize the plastic pieces more efficiently than a human could.
Researchers create bone-inspired 3D-printed building materials
You may not think of your bones as buildings, but researchers do. A team from Cornell University, Purdue University and Case Western Reserve University believes that by studying the internal structure of bones, they may be able to 3D-print stronger construction materials for homes and buildings.
These Coca-Cola bottles use OLEDs to light up Rey and Kylo Ren’s lightsabers
With Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker coming out on December 20th, you're bound to see a lot of products that tie into the upcoming movie, but few will probably be as unique as these Coca-Cola bottles. They feature main characters Rey and Kylo Ren, with lightsabers that light up anytime you touch the labels.
Microsoft's redesigned Office mobile apps read text out loud
Microsoft just unveiled redesigned versions of its Outlook, OneDrive, Word, Excel and PowerPoint mobile apps. Designed with Microsoft's Fluent Design system, the changes are meant to "take mobile productivity to the next level," Microsoft wrote in a blog post.
Regulators are the only ones who can save us from distracted drivers
I ride my trusty Vespa scooter all around San Francisco. In the Bay Area, it's more convenient for getting around than a car, and I can park almost anywhere. Riding on two wheels places you above most drivers and makes you hyperaware of others on the road, and what I see more often than not terrifies me. Most of you are on your phones when you should be driving. It's time for automakers and the US regulatory agency, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), to do something about it.
Hyperdub will release new music exclusively on a Sega Genesis cartridge
Many artists and labels are constantly exploring different methods through which to release their music beyond streaming and CDs. Some have sold USB drives featuring their tunes over the last decade or so. However, there haven't been too many instances I can think of where a selection of tracks will only be available on a Sega Genesis cartridge.
The Mercedes GLS is an exciting SUV (but you wouldn't know by looking at it)
The old adage "jack of all trades, master of none" is generally considered a warning against trying to be or do many things. But that didn't dissuade Mercedes-Benz from giving the 2020 GLS SUV as many features as possible, including its amazing MBUX infotainment system and adaptive suspension system. While the majority of the time the vehicle will be cruising on the highway and dodging shopping carts in the parking lots of boutique shopping districts, it's also an SUV that's ready to traverse the mountains when society goes sideways.
The 2020 Volkswagen Passat is a basic car with basic tech
The 2020 Volkswagen Passat recently got a design upgrade. It also got an engine boost, giving it some extra torque. But overall, the new Passat is a lot like the old Passat. An inexpensive sedan that'll get you where you're going without much fuss or excitement.
The Sensel Morph creative touchpad is discounted for Black Friday
Sensel's Morph controller is a weird but effective device; it scored a solid 87 in our review and is recommended in our PC and mobile accessories gift guide. The base unit works like a tablet for digital illustration, but by sliding rubberized overlays over the gadget, you can change the Morph into a controller for video editing software like Premiere Pro or music production apps like Ableton Live. You can get even more specific with overlays that mimic a sequencer or drum kit. For Black Friday, Sensel has multiple sales running to help get your creative juices flowing, from discounts on the Morph and its overlays to third party software deals.
Pringles built a ridiculous gaming headset that feeds you chips
When one is deep in the throes of a game, human needs fade into the background until absolutely necessary. So how, then, does a person in that precise moment balance their dual priorities of making in-game progress and managing their hunger? Well, Pringles' answer was to 3D print a slew of components and rig them onto a Razer gaming headset so that a motorized arm swivels into position in front of a player's mouth with a delicate potato crisp perched enticingly upon it.
Microsoft updates developers on designing apps for dual-screens
As 2020 draws closer, we're also slowly nearing the debut of dual-screen devices from Microsoft and others. Now that the Surface Duo and Surface Neo have been revealed, the company's next step is to help developers get their software ready for the new devices. While deeper details will have to wait until early next year, the message sent to developers via a blog post is that current apps (on Android and Windows 10X) will work without needing new tools and redesigns. As far as making apps that can take advantage of new capabilities presented by these convertible devices, the idea is for a "common model" that overlays either Windows or Android. We'll have to wait and see what that looks like in practice, but with both the Duo and Neo scheduled to arrive in the holiday season next year, hopefully developers have enough time to figure out what works -- and what doesn't -- before they go on sale.
Orba is a tiny instrument that you shake, tap and twist
Artiphon first made a splash back in 2013 when it started showing off a rather rough prototype of a device that would eventually become the Instrument 1. By the time it hit Kickstarter in 2015 it had undergone a serious facelift. In its final version it was sleek and futuristic, with an almost minimal design. Now that company is back with it's second product, the Orba, and it takes many of the core concepts of the Instrument 1 to their logical extremes.
8BitDo's tiny keychain Switch controller is now available
It feels like 8BitDo can barely let a month slip by without offering a new Nintendo Switch controller. This time around, it's putting its keychain-sized Zero 2 up for pre-order.
Google’s latest AI experiment allows you to explore fashion through color
We've seen Google apply its expertise in artificial intelligence in a variety of different fields, including the science of scent. Now the company says it wants to see what AI and machine learning can do when turned to creative fields like fashion and dance. To that end, Google has created two new experimental web apps that you can try through the company's Arts and Culture app -- available on the web, as well as iOS and Android.
Tesla unveils its Cybertruck, with a price starting at $39,900
With an impressive financial quarter under its belt and new factories spinning up vehicle production, Tesla is riding high. So why not keep the good times rolling by once again opening up its design studio in Hawthorne, California to fans and journalists and show off its latest product, the Cybertruck.
