In the landscape of mobile phone space, making a significant impact can be challenging unless you belong to the elite trio of Apple, Google, and Samsung. The task becomes even more formidable for an underdog like Vivo. If you are not familiar with Vivo, the company was founded in 2009 and has since become a significant player in the mobile phone industry with a strong presence in Asia and the Middle East with its footprint extended to certain regions in Europe. The company is known for offering devices with innovative features, and its X-series flagship, in particular, has gained attention for its impressive mobile imaging performance, through continual collaboration with the renowned lens manufacturer Zeiss. Vivo’s new flagship X100 Pro, which was launched in China on December 19th last year, is yet another Vivo device with outstanding camera capabilities.

We’ll explore how Vivo continues to push boundaries in the realm of mobile photography and invocation. From its sleek aesthetics to the powerful internals, the X100 Pro promises an immersive user experience. Join us as we uncover the nuances of its design, performance, and unique features, providing you with a comprehensive insight into what makes this smartphone a noteworthy contender in the ever-evolving world of mobile phones.

Designer: Vivo

Aesthetics

A large, circular camera module proudly graces the top of the device and rightly commands attention. Aside from the massive camera module, Vivo does not shy away from splashing X100 Pro’s camera capabilities. At the center of the camera module, the Zeiss logo gleams, accompanied by the red letter T* beneath it to indicate the anti-reflective coating that significantly increases light transmittance and helps accurately reproduce colors, according to Vivo. Made of aerospace-grade stainless steel, the “Sun Halo” or “Moon Halo” Ring surrounds the camera module with lens specs on the ring. Underneath the camera module, you’ll find “Xtreme Imagination” Vivo Zeiss Co-engineering branding. On the bottom, you’ll find big, but subtle Vivo branding. If all these texts on the back of the device are not enough for you, look at the top of the phone, and you’ll find a “Professional photography” sign.

A bit cluttered with texts aside, the X100 Pro is a sleek-looking device. It is available in two color options: Asteroid Black and Startrail Blue. We received the Asteroid Black variant which has a glass back panel with a matte finish, resembling sandblasting. The Startrail Blue variant also boasts a glass back panel but distinguishes itself with patterns that emulate the streaks of light created in the night sky.

Ergonomics

Vivo X100 Pro measures 164.05 x 75.28 x 8.91 mm and weighs 225 g. The display features slightly curved side edges. The side edges of the back panel are also slightly curved. The device fits nicely in the hand and thanks to the curved edges, it does not bite into the palm. In the Asteroid Black variant, the glass back panel offers a velvety touch that is quite pleasing but tends to be a bit slippery. Luckily the textured gray case came with the phone to provide a nice grip, though it tends to show scratches easily.

Like numerous other smartphones with an in-display fingerprint scanner, the positioning of the scanner near the bottom edge of the display can present a challenge for swift unlocking and seamless navigation with one hand. Fortunately, the fingerprint proves to be fast and accurate. The arrangement of the physical buttons and SIM tray is also similar to other phones, with the volume control button situated on the right side, and below it, the power button. At the bottom, you’ll find a SIM tray, primary microphone, USB-C port, and speaker. Meanwhile, on the top, there is a secondary microphone and an IR emitter.

Performance

There is absolutely no doubt that the main attraction of the Vivo X100 Pro is its upgraded ZEISS co-engineered imaging system. Before delving into the details, I’ll spill the beans – it is phenomenal. X100 Pro boasts a triple camera setup. The main 50MP camera uses a Sony 1-inch IMX989 sensor with an aperture of f/1.75. However, the true standout in the triple camera setup is the Zeiss APO floating telephoto camera with an aperture of f/2.5. The telephoto camera features an innovative periscope group structure called the Floating Elements Design, enabling sharp focus both up close and at a distance, by allowing individual lens elements to move freely. Both the main and telephoto cameras support OIS. Rounding up the triple camera setting is a 50MP ultra-wide with an aperture of f/2.0.

The main camera produces excellent images with plenty of details and a wide dynamic range. The photos are sharp and color rendering is realistic. The 2x zoom photos, captured with the main camera, are great as well.

The ultra-wide does its job well, and the photos captured are equally impressive as those taken by the main camera. However, it’s not very wide (119-degree field-of-view) compared to some other phones.

Both the main and ultra-wide cameras are also very capable in low-light conditions, capturing images with the right level of exposure, excellent dynamic range, and substantial details even in dark areas.

However, as stated before, 4.3x Telephoto is hands down the star of the triple camera setup, delivering superb photos in nearly every lighting scenario. Even in low-light settings, the handset takes photos with plenty of details, balanced exposure, and minimal noise. With the 100mm equivalent focal length, you can get close to your subject and snap the photos with a nice bokeh, and if you need to get even closer to the subject, the device is capable of digitally zooming up to 100x.

I took the Vivo X100 Pro to Ed Sheeran’s show in Osaka, Japan, and captured many photos and videos using mainly telephoto throughout the show. My seat was located on the first floor of the baseball stadium, which had been transformed into a concert venue with a capacity of 36,447. I was very impressed with the photos and videos I snapped at the show where lighting was constantly changing and tricky.

Given that this is an imaging-focused mobile handset, the device offers an array of shooting modes and styles to cater to your creative vision. There are Snapshot mode, Night mode, and Portrait to name a few. In Photo mode, the users can select from three distinct color treatments: Vivid, Natural, and Zeiss. The Portrait mode offers various styles to choose from, with my personal favorite being Vintage, delivering a film-like output.

With photos captured in Portrait mode, you have the flexibility to adjust the focus point and aperture after the fact, allowing you to customize the desired focal point and level of bokeh.

I usually don’t find much interest in Macro mode as the photos produced are subpar. However, the X100 Pro proves to be an exception. It produces sharp images with a pleasing bokeh effect, as you can see in the sample photo below.

Vivo X100 Pro’s excellent capability does not stop at taking photos. The device takes great videos as well. The phone is capable of taking up to 8K 30fps video with its main camera. The telephoto and ultra-wide cameras can record videos up to 4K at 60fps. Unfortunately, the front-facing camera is maxed out at 1080p at 30fps. Stabilization works very well in well-lit conditions but struggles a bit under low-light conditions.

There is a 4k Cinematic Portrait mode that offers automatic focus switching, similar to Apple’s Cinematic Mode. While its performance can be inconsistent, it takes artistic videos when it gets right.

Powered by MediaTek’s latest and most powerful Dimensity 9300, the device offers a seamless experience whether you are playing graphically demanding games or multi-tasking with numerous apps opened. Despite the phone’s responsiveness and speed, the battery performance can be somewhat underwhelming depending on what you do on the phone. Equipped with an enhanced 5,400mAh battery, the phone provides ample power for normal daily use. If you take tons of photos and videos(which with the phone this good, you will be inclined to do so), topping up during the day might be required. Fortunately, it supports 100W FlashCharge and 50W wireless FlashCharge.

Vivo X100 Pro sports a 6.78-inch AMOLED screen with 2,800 x 1,260 resolution, a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, and is equipped with LTPO technology for dynamically adjusting the refresh rate while saving the battery. With a local peak brightness of 3,000 nits, the screen is ample bright even under direct sunlight. It delivers smooth images with vibrant colors.

Running on Funtouch OS 14 on Android 14, the photo provides smooth performance. There are many customization options for things like lock screen styles and useful features like split-screen and small windows. Another welcoming change is having less bloatware.

Sustainability/Repairability

With its exceptional ability to capture high-quality photos in diverse situations, the likelihood of reaching for the Vivo X100 Pro to snap moments becomes a natural inclination. Considering the exposure to elements like water and dust, it’s comforting to know that the device has an IP68 rating, meaning it can endure submersion up to a depth of 1.5 meters for a duration of up to 30 minutes.

Vivo does not specify the use of sustainable materials for the phone. However, the material used for the ring around the camera module is crafted from aerospace-grade stainless steel, known for its resistance to wear, high temperature, and corrosion, ensuring durability.

Value

Vivo X100 Pro X was launched in China with a price tag of 5,499 CNY (about 770 USD)for the 16GB RAM/ 512GB storage variant. Since then the company has gradually rolled out the device into other Asian markets including India, Malaysia, and Thailand. It has finally reached some European markets. It’s worth noting that the price is higher than anticipated, at 1,199 Euros (about 1230 USD). However, given the phone’s quality, particularly its exceptional and versatile imaging capabilities, it is not excessively expensive.

Verdict

If mobile photography is your priority when choosing a phone, the Vivo X100 Pro currently stands as one of the best camera phones on the market. Whether capturing moments with friends and family, street scenes, or exploring the intricacies of subjects like flowers and bugs in macro mode, this device has the remarkable ability to transform even the most mundane scene into a form of artistic expression, thanks to its exceptional camera features. The images captured by the telephoto camera are just another level, setting the new standard for mobile photography. Beyond its impressive camera capabilities, the Vivo X100 Pro is a solid device with a vibrant and sharp display, responsive software, great build quality, and fast wired and wireless charge capabilities. The handset also offers a well-rounded and high-performing smartphone experience.

The post Vivo X100 Pro Review: A strong contender for the best camera phone of 2024 first appeared on Yanko Design.

Imagine a pen that solves your mathematical equations as you note them down, or converts all your handwritten meeting notes into a comprehensive list of bullet points, or even enriches your essays with tags and other relevant information for easier searching and even for a better output. Sure, ChatGPT can do all of that, but it’s limited to the fact that it exists in your phone. The XNote puts the powers of AI inside your ballpoint pen, allowing you to instantly digitize drawings, doodles, and notes, and even have the AI interpret, expand, and solve them for you. Notes get synced in real-time, and through the power of GPT, can also be summarized, bulleted, or even translated instantly. Never did I think that AI would revolutionize the world of stationery, but here we are!

Designer: XNote

Click Here to Buy Now: $179 $249 ($70 off). Hurry, exclusive secret perk for YD readers only! Raised over $275,000.

The XNote looks like an ordinary classy notebook and pen combo – the kind you’d carry to work and into meeting rooms… but let not its deceptive exterior fool you, because within that pen lies some of the most impressive tech ever invented since the gel pen that could write in space. The XNote pen comes with a built-in computer that instantly digitizes your notes, sketches, doodles, and technical drawings… but it doesn’t stop just there. It leverages the power of ChatGPT to interpret what you write, allowing you to simply have GPT summarize meeting notes, turn a set of instructions into a task list, solve equations in real-time, translate notes into different languages, and even expand on paragraphs you may have written with even more information. Your notes then exist in two forms – the one written on paper, and the other, in the XNote app, where you can save notes, search through them, and use them digitally however you see fit.

The borderline wizardry lies in the XNote pen’s engineering, and the way it communicates with the app to tap into its AI powers. The pen boasts a 300mAh battery that grants it an impressive standby duration of 60 days, along with 7-8 hours of actual usage. Transmitting data to XNote’s app via BLE, the pen also offers a noteworthy 100MB of storage capacity. While these specs may initially seem modest, it’s equivalent to a thousand A4 pages teeming with text and illustrations. The notebook pairs with the pen wonderfully too, with its Moleskine-like exterior and its luxurious appeal that just makes the XNote feel incredibly premium.

All your written matter – be it notes, scribbles, drawings, or even complex graphs – get digitized and synced with the XNote app, which leverages the full spectrum of ChatGPT’s capabilities. Operating on OpenAI’s API, it intelligently interprets text and drawings, deducing insights from them, comprehending inherent instructions, and conveniently categorizing them for effortless future retrieval. Write a paragraph, and the app can summarize it, or translate it into 53 different languages (as of January 2024). It gives you the ability to ‘chat’ with your notes, unleashing the kind of power that seemed absolutely impossible just 2 years ago. During a meeting, it transforms your notes into task lists, action plans, or ready-to-send Minutes-of-Meeting emails within seconds. You can even pose questions to your notebook, convert quick scribbles into reminders, or tackle complex equations and graphs with ChatGPT’s assistance. A simple paragraph could become a dissertation, a note could become a well-executed email, a quick list of ingredients could convert into a perfect recipe, or even the opposite – your recipe could get converted into a shopping list that you could then use to pick up the right groceries. The possibilities are quite literally endless, and the XNote’s ability to create meaningful tags for all your written matter means you can effectively search through your notes too.

The beauty of the XNote lies in the fact that it takes cutting-edge advanced technology, but packages it in a way that pretty much anyone can use. You don’t need to ‘learn’ how to use the XNote pen, simply because there’s nothing really to learn. The entire experience is automatic and intuitive, and the app helps you work with your data in a myriad of ways, saving time and effort without having you ‘adjust’ to a new technology or method of working.

There is, however, the concern of privacy… which XNote takes incredibly seriously. XNote relies on ChatGPT’s secure API, which is end-to-end encrypted to protect user data. Moreover, your data doesn’t ever get used to train OpenAI’s GPT models, so you can rest assured knowing that your information only belongs to you and nobody else. Your handwritten notes obviously exist in the notebook, but the digitized version of your notes exist on the cloud, and can be stored offline on your device so you don’t need an internet connection to access them. The app even supports adding voice memos to your text, a pretty useful feature that lets you add context to all your notes. Most of the app’s essential OCR and transcription features are free, like unlimited cloud storage, seamless syncing, and offline accessibility. However, the ChatGPT-powered features require a subscription to the XNote AI+ Membership plan, priced at $59 for an annual subscription.

The notebook and pen combo, typically priced at $199, is available for a special Yanko Design exclusive price of $179. This offer includes an 18-month warranty for the pen’s hardware, a charging cord, 5 complimentary ink refills, a 1-month trial of the AI+ subscription, and worldwide shipping options.

Click Here to Buy Now: $179 $249 ($70 off). Hurry, exclusive secret perk for YD readers only! Raised over $275,000.

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We’ve all been the victims of tangled cables, not just at our desks but especially in our bags. Not only does the mess of jumbled wires make us lose time when we need to quickly plug in our devices, we also lose items in our bags simply because this clutter gets in our way. Cable management solutions exist for many desks, but people on the go are often left at the mercy of hastily cobbled-up bands, ties, and whatnot, none of which are effective, let alone elegant products. You don’t need an elaborate and complicated mechanism to keep charging cables in check, as this innovative wrap for MacBook chargers proves, providing an easy and quick way to tame those unruly wires while looking good at the same time.

Designer: Blair Hasty (Founder and Industrial Designer, BAIR)

Click Here to Buy Now: $28. Hurry, offer ends soon!

Laptop charging cables are a necessary evil for us to be able to work these days. But even the minimalist designs of the MacBook power adapter still fall prey to the problem of getting tangled around not only itself, but everything else in your bag. This costs you time and peace of mind whenever you need to take it out, especially when in a hurry.

TAIM is a cable management solution that looks so simple that you might wonder why it didn’t already exist. It attaches snugly around a MacBook charger and provides a way to let you wrap the cable around the block, and then secure the cable so that it never gets loose until you actually need it. It’s efficient and fast, so you spend less time managing cables and more time actually getting stuff done. Whether you’re at the office about to head home, at home about to rush out the door, or enjoying a freshly brewed cup of coffee while hammering away at that report, TAIM is the perfect solution to save time and reduce frustration.

The ingenuity of TAIM comes from a robust hook and loop attachment that lets you quickly fasten or unfasten the wrap; no need to fiddle with buttons or complicated mechanisms. A machined metal “grab tab” with a beautiful satin bronze finish also makes it easy to see or even just feel the end of the wrap so that you can quickly release the elastic retention band in a flash. Simply pull the tab and let the cable drop free, ready to plug into your MacBook for a quick charge.

Best of all, TAIM is made with high-grade materials that not only look and feel good, it will last you a long time. Durable elastic is used to wrap around the charging block and the captured cables, while custom Merino wool felt adds a luxurious texture to the product, a fitting quality for a design made to match Apple’s high-quality products. Made specifically for single-port USB-C Apple MacBook power adapters, TAIM frees you from the stress of dealing with unruly cables and lost time, providing a design that not only works well but looks striking to boot. Stand out of the crowd, and start crafting your image today with TAIM by BAIR.

Click Here to Buy Now: $28. Hurry, offer ends soon!

The post Tame your MacBook charging cables with this ingenious and beautiful wrap first appeared on Yanko Design.

Realme is one of the fastest-growing smartphone brands in the world, having shipped over 200 million units globally. Realme launched the GT5 Pro on December 7th in China, positioning it as the flagship phone in the GT line. While the GT line has represented Realme’s premium segment, the brand has not, until now, offered a true flagship device. Although the term “flagship” lacks a formal definition, it is generally considered to pack the latest and most powerful chipset and excellent camera capabilities.

Realme is positioning the GT5 Pro as a dual-engine flagship, claiming it strikes a balance between performance and imaging without compromise. The phone boasts the newest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and triple camera setup with the industry’s largest IMX890 periscope telephoto lens. Of course, the device has a lot more going for it, including a bright display and 3VC Iceberg Cooling System.

Designer: Realme

Aesthetics

The design of the GT lineup has undergone significant transformations from one model to the next. The GT2 Pro, designed by a world-renowned industrial designer Naoto Fukusawa, featured paper-like a back panel made with pulp extract and other renewable materials. Its successor, the GT3, adopted a more futuristic design boasting a customizable RGB light on its upper back right next to the square camera island.

In contrast, the GT5 Pro showcases a clean and sleek design. A big, round camera island takes up much of the top half of the GT5 Pro’s back. The camera island houses an LED flash, a triple camera set-up (A main camera, a periscope telephoto, and an ultra-wide), and finally, a placeholder to form a perfect symmetry. The intricate radial engraving underneath the glass extends to the side of the camera island giving a tactile feature to the camera island. This design, which Realme calls the “Star Trail lens”, gives a luxurious touch to the device. The Realme logo shines below the camera island.

The GT5 Pro offers three color options: Red Rock (red), Bright Moon (white), and Starry Night (black). The Red Rock and Bright Moon variants feature textured vegan leather, while Starry Night shines a glass back panel. I was hoping to receive the Red Rock variant which reminds me of a certain luxury handbag brand and has more character, but I ended up with the Bright Moon for the review. Despite my initial letdown, I found myself appreciating the appeal of the Bright Moon’s soft eggshell-like color.

Realme includes a protective cover, opting for a gray cover instead of the typical transparent case. Although typical transparent cases are far from attractive, the gray cover that comes with GT5 Pro isn’t aesthetically pleasing either.

Ergonomics

The phone weighs approximately 218g (224g for the Starry Night variant) and measures about 161.72 x 75.06 x 9.23 mm. Thanks to the center-circle design, it feels balanced when you hold it in your hand. The volume rocker and power button are located on the right side of the device, while the SIM card slot and USB-C port are situated at the bottom.

The GT5 Pro has a slightly curved panel and round shiny aluminum copper frame, which is stronger than a titanium frame, according to Realme. It doesn’t dig into your palm without being slippery.

While the phone is comfortable to hold, there is a notable consideration regarding the placement of the fingerprint sensor. Positioned very close to the bottom edge of the screen, approximately 1 centimeter or 0.4 inches above the bottom edge, the fingerprint scanner requires a slight stretch of the thumb for unlocking. Luckily, the GT5 Pro can be unlocked with other methods including one of the main features – palm gesture. But there is more to discuss about this feature.

Performance

The Realme GT5 Pro has a triple camera setup. There is a 50MP main camera that uses a LYT-808 1/1.4-inch sensor with OIS stabilization and an f/1.69 aperture lens with OIS stabilization. The upgraded 50MP periscope telephoto camera uses an IMX890 1/1.56 sensor and f/2.6 aperture lens. The telephoto also comes with OIS stabilization. It can zoom 2.7x optically and supports macro mode at 3x. Finally, there is an 8MP ultra-wide IMX355 with f/2.2 aperture.

The main camera produces great daylight photos with nice vibrant yet natural colors. It captures plenty of details without being overly processed and has good dynamic range, though there is a tendency for bright spots to be slightly overexposed. Additionally, the main camera performs admirably in low-light conditions, exhibiting excellent dynamic range and adeptly handling mixed lighting situations.

The 3x photos captured with telephoto are impressive thanks to its big 1/1.56 inch sensor. While the phone lacks a dedicated macro camera, the macro mode is implemented on the 3x zoom. The resulting images are just fine; however, I believe only a niche group of users will find this feature particularly noteworthy.

Turning our attention to the ultra-wide camera, it doesn’t stand out as particularly exceptional spec-wise, and the images it produces. The images display a decent dynamic range, and the color rendition aligns with that of the main camera is, but details especially towards the not very wide with FOV of 112 degrees.

Flip the phone over, the front camera takes pleasant selfies in a wide variety of shooting situations. Images came out a bit on the softer and warmer side, but not overly done.

In terms of video, it can record video up to 8K at 24FPS with the main camera. The telephoto is capable of recording up to 4K at 60 FPS, 1080p at 30 FPS for the ultrawide, and 4K at 30 FPS for the front camera. Videos captured by the device are not going to wow you. One thing that bothered me was that the 0.6x ultrawide option is not visible on the main video interface unless you set the recording resolution to 1080p or lower. It would be more convenient to have a 0.6x ultrawide option accessible directly on the main video interface, with the resolution automatically adjusted to 1080p when the 0.6x is selected.

As for the screen, the GT5 Pro boasts a 6.78-inch, 2,780 x 2,364 AMOLED screen with a 144 Hz refresh rate, 460 pixels per inch, and an impressive peak brightness of 4,500 nits. We have to take the very high peak brightness with a grain of salt as this measurement probably does not reflect real-life usage scenarios. Realme provides a more realistic figure of 1,600 nits of global peak brightness. Nevertheless, the screen remains impressively bright performing well even under harsh sunlight. The narrow bezel is an additional noteworthy feature.

Under the hood, the phone is powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and four memory versions are available starting with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB storage up to 16GB/1TB, which is the review unit that we received. There’s also the 3VC Iceberg Cooling System with a heat dissipation area of 12,000 mm² which Realme claims to be the largest in the market. So the device won’t get hot even when it’s handling heavy loads.

In terms of software, the GT5 Pro runs Realme UI 5.0 based on Android 14. One of the unique features of the Realme GT5 Pro is that you can unlock the phone with your palm using the front-facing camera and do all other sorts of stuff like opening apps, scrolling up and down, taking screenshots, and more. While I was initially excited to try these features, the experience turned out to be disappointing. To be fair, Realme mentioned the limitation of palm unlock, stating that for the feature to work, strong light, low light, or backlit conditions have to be avoided. The palm unlock functionality proved to be inconsistent. Even when I did manage to unlock the phone with my palm the 2-second duration required to hold my palm in front of the front camera felt a bit too long. The air gestures required some practice, and I struggled to smoothly navigate the device. I can envision the potential usefulness of palm unlock and air gestures in various situations, so let’s hope Realme improves its accuracy and usability in the future.

The phone is equipped with a massive 5,400 mAh battery, delivering excellent performance that easily sustains a day’s use without issues. When it’s time to charge, GT5 Pro charges remarkably fast at 100W via USB-C. Additionally, for the first time for Realme’s device, the phone supports wireless charging at 50W.

Sustainability

Apart from reduced plastic packaging which has become pretty much an industry standard nowadays, there isn’t much to mention about the sustainability aspects of the GT5 Pro. Considering Realme’s proactive approach in incorporating bio-polymer materials in the aforementioned GT2 Pro, which used bio-material for its back panel, the lack of use of renewable materials in the GT5 Pro is disappointing. Since its inception in 2018, Realme has always shown commitment to being an eco-friendly and sustainable tech player. Let’s hope they’ll strengthen the commitment as Realme steps forward into true flagship space.

Value

The Realme GT5 Pro offers incredible value starting at 3,499 CNY which translates to roughly US$490. Boasting capable cameras, a sleek design, a gorgeous screen, excellent battery life, and rapid wired and wireless charging capability, the GT5 Pro stands out in its price range. Unfortunately, it is currently exclusively available only in China, leaving us hoping that Realme will extend its market availability to other regions in the near future.

Verdict

Realme’s venture into the premium segment has left a positive impression. While it may not be flawless there’s no denying that the GT5 Pro offers a host of features. With its stylish design, good camera performance especially in low-light situations, bright display, outstanding battery performance, and fast charging, the Realme GT5 Pro is a compelling option for those who seek well-rounded, feature-rich devices without breaking the bank.

The post Realme GT5 Pro Review: Flagship dream for budget-conscious users first appeared on Yanko Design.

Fashion still remains perhaps the biggest offender when it comes to waste and emissions generated by any given industry. Every year, 40 million tonnes of clothes find their way into landfills and third-world countries that are less than equipped to deal with this onslaught of wasted fabric. The solutions haven’t really matched up to the scale of problems either – thrifting still hasn’t made the impact that it promised to make, and brands are doing what they always do – using greenwashing to make their products look less wasteful than they already are. However, one company seems to be sitting on a potentially game-changing idea – incentivize users to slow down fashion by using a Technology platform leveraging unique QR Codes. SIXR is that app-based fashion technology platform that’s partnering with garment companies to provide meaningful incentives to end users to use their clothes for longer and to recycle them right and doing all this by using unique QR codes that will track the entire lifecycle of the garment from design and production to end of life or start of a new life.

Designer: SIXR Team

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Consumers buy the clothes through the SIXR app, wear them for their estimated life, and when their life cycle reaches its end, they scan the QR code that helps them return the garment to SIXR. Once the garment is returned to one of SIXR’s recycling partners, consumers get actual monetary rewards in the form of discounts on their next purchase. Using financial incentives instead of the ‘feel good’ factor of buying sustainable clothing, SIXR hopes to create a fashion recycling movement and a circular economy that sticks. SIXR and their recycling partners will ensure that the garments are put through a rigorous paradigm of Reduce, Reuse, Recyle, Refuse, Rethink and Repair which are the 6R’s from where the company got their name SIXR.

“We’re stuck in a linear apparel economy. Take->Make->Waste,” says Gagan Singh, CEO and Co-founder of SIXR going into details on how SIXR will solve the Trillion-Dollar fashion crisis. The problem with the linear flow of garments is that there’s a defined entry and exit, causing new raw materials to end up in landfills instead of being recycled. SIXR proposes a circular economy where material keeps traveling within the same loop multiple times instead of becoming waste. This reduces the waste problem, but it also reduces the creation problem that requires fresh resources and materials every single time.

The problem has a simple solution according to SIXR. Luigi Ferrara, Chair, Brookfield Sustainability Institute, George Brown College says “There’s truly no incentive for recycling clothes, which is why most people don’t do it. Moreover, even for the people who want to, there’s no fixed system for doing so. There’s no ‘waste bin’ for recycling fashion, and sure, some of us could go to the Salvation Army, but then again, there’s a lack of a financial incentive to just give away your clothes. SIXR’s business model has an effective fix for all those issues.”

Receive up to 12% of the garment’s cost as incentives, because good choices should be rewarded.

“Financial incentives work,” Gagan says, pointing out how the alcohol and soft drinks bottle industry sees a whopping 96% return rate. Copper, tin, and cast iron all see returns too, because of the financial incentive attached to them. SIXR brings that same incentive to clothes too, by allowing people to scan QR codes on their clothes to help activate a return process. Once the clothes are returned, people are given a financial reward in the form of discounts on their next purchase. This incentive drives the spirit of returning clothes after years of wearing them instead of simply discarding them or turning them into washcloths and rags.

Secure Pocket

Vijay Thomas, early investor and Chair of the board of SIXR says” The ‘QR Code’ driven incentive model oversimplifies the genius of SIXR’s solution. SIXR will curate sustainable brands and sustainable product lines from mainstream brands and will work with them right from the design stage to help with making the garments as sustainable as possible with principles like multi use of garments, sustainable materials, ethical labor practices, transparent supply chain, reduce returns through digital try on and timeless fashion. This helps SIXR with not just getting the sustainable brands and products on their platform but since all the information will be encapsulated inside the QR code on each garment, it will help with sorting the apparel based on the fabric type, color and accessories, which is arguably the biggest problem with recycling garments. The QR codes help SIXR create a more organized inventory of returned clothes, which can then either be fixed and resold, or recycled much more efficiently into yarn for the next set of garments, helping plug both the creation and the waste segments of the linear economy, turning it into a circular one.”

The uniqueness of the SIXR solution lies in the fact that it’s managed to build out an entire fashion ecosystem around the problem. Thrifting is easy but it doesn’t take care of torn or old garments. Recycling is hard because consumers don’t know how to. Moreover, neither has the solid financial incentive that SIXR is promising. The company’s launching its app alongside its first garment, the SIXR ‘For Tomorrow’ hoodie. Buying the hoodie will set you on SIXR’s recycling journey as its platform expands to include other brands and garment styles in the future.

Click Here to Buy Now: $69. Hurry, only 217/250 SIXR Hoodies left!

The post Can QR Code-driven Incentives Solve Fashion’s Trillion-Dollar Waste Problem? This Company Thinks So… first appeared on Yanko Design.

Personal mobility devices such as e-scooters, hoverboards, and the like have risen in popularity in recent years. This new breed of transportation is empowering commuters, adventurers, and all sorts of travelers to go the distance with more flexibility, versatility, and style. Electric scooters, in particular, combine the best traits of personal mobility when it comes to freedom of movement and reliability, but it feels that they still fall short of that last leg of the journey that you need to take on foot and force you to leave your precious metal steed behind. Whether it’s for security or convenience, you no longer have to chain down your e-scooter in some exposed parking space, thanks to an ingenious design that lets you fold the vehicle into something you can actually store in your bag.

Designer: SMZ, inc.

Click Here to Buy Now: $1,050 $1,500 ($450 off). Hurry, only 61/100 left! Raised over $111,000.

If you presumed this would be similar to the folding non-electric bikes already in the market, not only are you way off base, you aren’t giving enough room for your imagination to breathe either. After all, most e-scooters already fold their stems down to their decks to save space, but that doesn’t make them any less cumbersome to take with you anywhere. The Arma Scooter’s ground-breaking innovation is more like Transformers, turning a tall, two-wheeled vehicle into a compact box that you can carry like a suitcase or stow away in your bag.

This kind of shape-changing ability solves many of the remaining problems owners have with their regular e-scooters. You no longer have to worry about parking space or security because you can always bring your scooter with you. And those parts of a journey where you’re not allowed to ride on wheels? You can simply fold down the e-scooter and walk. Wherever you go, the Arma Scooter goes with you, whether you’re riding on it or carrying it, and letting you switch between the two in just 30 seconds.

Given its foldable design and lightweight body, weighing only around 10lbs (4.5kg) in its first prototype, you might be concerned that the Arma Scooter won’t take you that far on wheels. It couldn’t be farther from the truth, though, thanks to a range of around 7 miles (11 km) with its 36V battery and 250W motor. The batteries, which charge to full via USB-C in just 2 hours, can be swapped easily so you can keep on riding as long you have juice in those spare packs.

The Arma Scooter is more than just an engineering and design marvel, it’s also a testament to the qualities that made Japanese craftsmanship famed within the automotive industry. The meticulous attention to every detail and the dedication to quality and reliability come together to craft not just an innovative device but also a unique experience that aims to be the epitome of mobile excellence. Whether you’re riding for fun or trying to escape the stress of daily commutes, this mind-blowing foldable e-scooter gives you the freedom to go anywhere with the peace of mind that your traveling companion will always be with you wherever you go.

Click Here to Buy Now: $1,050 $1,500 ($450 off). Hurry, only 61/100 left! Raised over $111,000.

The post Incredibly compact e-scooter folds into a laptop-sized suitcase for maximum mobility first appeared on Yanko Design.

A well-designed tool needs to do more than just get the job done. It needs to be able to keep up with your needs and your lifestyle, whether it’s working on crafts or surviving the outdoors. That’s especially true for tactical knives that you need to cut through any problem at hand, not only staying sharp but also staying steadfast, safe, and strong under any conditions, especially rough ones. Tekto has always taken great pride in its growing family of powerful tactical knives, but its latest variant of the A3 Delta really ups the ante by introducing a handle made with exceptional strength and lightness and a serrated blade with enhanced cutting power, delivering the confidence you need to face any mission or task.

Designer: Tekto

Click Here to Buy Now: $152.99 $179.99 (15% off, use coupon code “A3YANKO”). Free FedEx 2-day shipping for orders in the US. Hurry, deal ends in 48 hours!

The Tekto A3 Delta automatic folding knife has always been a powerhouse in the brand’s arsenal. Inspired by the indomitable spirit of the US military, the knife’s design and features evoke a sense of unrelenting performance even in the most demanding situations. And yet it isn’t just some brute tool but also an exemplary work of fine craftsmanship, perfectly balancing power and style to bring a sharp tool that delivers both confidence and comfort in every cut.

With a new handle made from forged fiber carbon, the A3 Delta takes that experience to the next level, utilizing a material famed for its durability as well as its lightness. Together with specially designed contours and strategically positioned jimping, this new Tekto A3 Delta variant guarantees an unparalleled grip and exceptional comfort, no matter how you’re holding the knife. Plus, it looks stunningly handsome, even and especially with its rugged aesthetic.

Of course, this folding knife is more than just a handsome face. Thanks to a serrated blade, the A3 Delta Forged Fiber Carbon edition offers even more cutting power, while the same titanium-coated D2 material ensures longevity and reliability to weather any task. And this sharp blade can quickly jump into action each and every time, thanks to Tekto’s signature folding automatic mechanism that makes each deployment swift and smooth.

Of course, with a powerful knife such as this, safety becomes an even more important consideration, and the Tekto A3 Delta definitely delivers. With a button lock and safety switch working in hand-in-hand, you can rest assured that the knife remains securely closed when you don’t need it. And when you see the crimson red indicator, you know that your trusty partner is ready to cut through your tasks in an instant. Strong, stylish, and safe, the Tekto A3 Delta with a new Forged Carbon Fiber handle raises the bar in what tactical knives can offer to bring not just the power you need but also the joy of having a well-designed tool in your hand.

Click Here to Buy Now: $152.99 $179.99 (15% off, use coupon code “A3YANKO”). Free FedEx 2-day shipping for orders in the US. Hurry, deal ends in 48 hours!

The post Tekto A3 Delta Tactical Knife with Forged Fiber Carbon Handle Exudes Power You Can Feel first appeared on Yanko Design.

3D scanning has traditionally been the domain of big production studios and companies because of the size of the equipment and their prohibitive costs. With the arrival of handheld scanners, however, the doors were thrown wide open for anyone in any field to make their own 3D models from real-world objects, whether it’s for fun, art, health, or profit.

Typical handheld 3D scanners work great when working with small objects that are no larger than the device itself. Of course, real-world objects like car parts, whole vehicles, and even human bodies are quite big and push these smaller scanners to the limit. Enter the new Revopont RANGE 2, the latest in a line of lightweight but powerful 3D scanners designed to handle large objects without breaking a sweat, making sure that your creativity and productivity aren’t limited by the size of your model.

Designer: Revopoint Team

Click Here to Buy Now: $799.

Revopoint RANGE 2 is a portable handheld dual depth camera structured infrared light 3D scanner designed for capturing large objects like furniture, people, and vehicles.

Because handheld 3D scanners work by guiding the depth cameras across and around the target, the devices need to be able to capture a great amount of detail with great depth quickly and steadily with accuracy and precision. That’s a rather tall order for a small device, especially one that is made to be accessible to both amateurs and pros alike, but Revopoint’s expertise really shines through with the upgrades that its RANGE 2 3D scanner packs in a compact and portable form. For example, thanks to new depth cameras that have double the sensor size, the Revopoint RANGE 2 can work on a distance ranging from 400 mm to 1,300 mm, a 60% increase that makes it even faster to capture large objects compared to the previous generation, and can scan an area up to 860 x 1380 mm in size.

Scan of the body by Revopoint RANGE 2. Image credit: PUTV

Tulips in a milk can (10 inches) by Revopoint RANGE 2. Image credit: PUTV

Range isn’t the only thing that’s bigger and better on the RANGE 2, of course. Four flash LEDs banish shadows for a more uniform color capture, while an improved RGB camera with a bigger aperture is able to capture more color information, ensuring clear color capture with higher levels of detail for more accurate textures and realistic-looking 3D models. An upgraded tracking system utilizes the device’s built-in 9-axis IMU (Inertial Measuring Unit) to keep the scan steady even if your hands aren’t. Four Infrared LED fill lights also make it easier to recognize markers, resulting in more accurate frame stitching in marker mode.

Angel Candelabra scanned with Revopoint RANGE 2. Image credit: dfodaro

Thanks to these powerful features, the Revopoint RANGE 2 is even more versatile and as flexible as before. With Wi-Fi 6 and USB-C connections, you can be assured that transmitting critical data will be fast and stable. As before, the scanner is compatible with Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices, functioning in handheld mode or set on a stand in front of a turntable. And with the Revo Scan 5 software, the scanning process couldn’t be easier, especially with post-processing features, such as frame editing, hole filling, overlap detection, etc, to enhance your workflow.

With the Revopoint RANGE 2 3D scanner, you have a whole new world of large objects you will be able to scan. You can easily scan car or mechanical parts, offering a cost-effective and high-performance way to study them through reverse engineering or produce replacements. Archaeologists, scientists, and museum creators can now also digitize artifacts to preserve them for posterity or turn them into XR experiences. And, of course, artists and creators now have a portable yet powerful tool to bring their ideas to life. Scanning big objects for your big projects will no longer be a problem with the new and improved Revopoint RANGE 2!

Click Here to Buy Now: $799.

The post Revopoint RANGE 2 3D scanner makes short work of scanning large objects first appeared on Yanko Design.

They say that ideas never die, but unless a great concept turns into a great product, it really never lives up to its true potential. We’ve always believed ‘crowdfunding’ to be one of the most powerful design movements to emerge from the birth of the internet. Thousands of people rallying from around the world to support a great idea for a useful (or fun) product? What’s more beautiful than that?! Financial constraints become less of a problem for budding creators when people across the globe rally around their efforts, allowing young designers and small teams to still make a large impact without the millions of dollars that large companies channel into product development. Nothing encourages innovation more than fresh ideas getting support directly from the masses. It’s like casting your vote for the kind of designs you believe in, and we absolutely love that! So do the folks at The Crowdfunding Formula, who have helped hundreds of creators bring their designs and visions to life. Dubbed the world’s largest crowdfunding agency, The Crowdfunding Formula set a benchmark this year with as many as 5 of their projects hitting the million-dollar crowdfunding mark in just the past 6 months! For creators, that can be the difference between a concept and a product that’s changing the world, so we sat down with The Crowdfunding Formula to look at some of their most successful projects this year. Who knows, next year it could be your design too! If you’re sitting on an incredible idea but you just need the right catalyst to help turn it into a great product, let this be your inspiration. Here’s a ‘Yanko Design and The Crowdfunding Formula review’ of some of their most noteworthy projects of the year 2023.

Click Here to Know More About The Crowd Funding Formula

01. GoChess: Most Powerful Chess Board Ever Invented

With over $2.6 million gathered from nearly 7,000 fans across the world, GoChess proves that old classics never die – they just need to be reinvented a little bit! This AI-powered chess-board isn’t like anything you’ve seen before. It houses magnets under the board’s surface that move the pieces so you can physically play against an AI opponent. Oh, did we mention, it has a built-in AI that can either play against you or teach you how to play the game. The board is design with back-lighting and squares illuminate to help guide your chess pieces to victory, teaching you valuable gameplay strategies. When you’re experienced enough to play on your own, either challenge GoChess’ AI bot, or play a virtual game against an online opponent anywhere in the world and the board moves their pieces for them! The Crowdfunding Formula utilized this to help build excitement within the massive chess community, helping raise $600k in just 24 hours. It’s no wonder that GoChess holds the title of the world’s most-funded chess game, and why it’s such a fascinating part of this The Crowdfunding Formula review.

02. FUELL Flluid: World’s Longest Range E-bike

Boasting a range of 225 miles or 350 kilometers, the Flluid grabbed eyeballs for being the e-bike with the world’s longest range. Keen readers may recognize the name FUELL, Eril Buell’s electric two-wheeler startup that’s been making waves for its electric motorcycles and bicycles. The Flluid debuted on crowdfunding platform Indiegogo, garnering support from nearly 600 enthusiasts who helped raise over $1.5 million for the e-bike, earning a solid spot in this review. Erik Buell formed a core part of The Crowdfunding Formula’s outreach strategy, relying on his decades of expertise in the domain of running his motorcycle company Buell which he relinquished after selling the company to Harley-Davidson in 2003. Aside from that staggering 225-mile range (which can basically get you through a week’s worth of use), the FUELL Flluid also has a 28mph top speed thanks to a 750W motor, a 7-speed gearbox that automatically shifts gears for you, and smart connectivity that lets you check ride statistics as well as monitor your e-bike against theft.

03. FUELL Fllow: 150+ Mile Range and 30 Min Fast-Charging

Set your eyes on the Fllow and you’ll get flashbacks of the good-old Buell days. Designed to forward the legacy of Erik’s legendary cafe racers, the FUELL Fllow is an urban motorcycle with a new electric beating heart that gives it a 150+ mile range, a top speed of 85 mph, and a 0 to 60 mph acceleration of just 3.5 seconds… but all powered by clean energy in the form of a 35kW motor and a 10kWh battery. The Fllow’s design aesthetic indicated its future-forward vision too, with a broad aerodynamic fairing sporting a black and shiny silver colorway with just a hint of green to tell viewers that this wasn’t your average fuel-guzzling motorcycle. Designed by Erik Buell and Frédéric Vasseur, a Formula 1 Alfa Romeo principal engineer, the e-bike gathered a staggering $2 million in funding in just the first 24 hours, hitting a $4 million mark in just 3 weeks.

04. Duovox Ultra: Military-Grade Night Vision Monocular

Now tell me, who in their right mind would pass up an opportunity to crowdfund literal military-grade night-vision goggles?! Equipped with a Starvis CMOS sensor, a 7-piece lens, an IR illuminator, and a 10-hour battery, the Duovox Ultra offers full-color vision up to 1650 feet (500 meters) even in pitch darkness. It’s compact, weighing only 280 grams, and can be handheld or tripod-mounted and used alongside your smartphone which doubles as a viewfinder. With military-grade specs, including 5x optical and 10x digital zoom, 128GB storage, and hands-free smartphone operation, the Duovox Ultra was promoted as a great hobbyist tool, but more importantly, a valuable addition to your camping or survival gear, even providing vision in emergency scenarios and power outages… which explained why nearly 6,900 backers helped over $1.1 million to own this dream spy gadget, and why we just couldn’t resist including this in the Yanko Design x The Crowdfunding Formula review!

05. Oculis Lodge: Special Lodging Experience In Nature

This is a statistical rarity, but did you know architecture has a place in the crowdfunding world too?? Well, just like products, buildings require immense amounts of capital to create so for the folks behind the Oculis Lodge, it made absolute sense to rely on crowdfunding to help build their glamping lodge, partnering with The Crowdfunding Formula to raise more awareness and funding from enthusiastic travelers. Unlike with products where backers receive a final unit of the design, backers for the Oculis Lodge could pledge money and redeem it as a 1, 2, or even a 7-night stay at the property. The lodge, surrounded by 7 acres of pristine nature on the slopes of Mount Baker, was home to multiple domed rooms that could house up to 6 people inside. Each dome had its own skylight, a private patio, and was equipped with smart-home tech, while the lodge itself had every amenity one could ask for, from private saunas and jacuzzis to firepits and yoga spaces… and obviously a stunning view of the mountains set against the clearest skies the state of Washington could offer. Enticed by those spectacular views, more than 1,700 backers pledged $1.2 million to help bring the Oculis Lodge to life.

Click Here to Know More About The Crowd Funding Formula

The post What do these million-dollar crowdfunding campaigns have in common? first appeared on Yanko Design.

Making cold-brew just became less annoying, messy, and time-consuming. Shelbru’s carafe design lets you make and serve cold coffee right inside it without those annoying filter bags dripping all over the place. Each carafe makes enough coffee concentrate for 3 jugs of cold-brew, with a dual-layer metal filtration system that does the job of a disposable coffee filter without creating single-use waste. Store, Sift, Brew, and Serve. Shelbru’s brewing carafe is accompanied by its family of containers that manage the entire coffee process from bean to brew. In the end, you’re left with the easiest, smoothest cold-brew concentrate that you can either pour over ice, into milk, or add to a hot cup of water for a luxurious-tasting Americano without those burnt coffee notes.

Designer: Shelbru

Click Here to Buy Now: $39 $80 (51% off) Grab yours now!

The cold-brew process seems easy – just chuck coffee in water and leave it in the fridge – but it’s a process that can get annoyingly messy without the right technique or equipment. Sure, you could add your coffee grounds in a bottle of water, but you’d still have to drip-filter it, which can add hours more to an already long brewing process. Alternatively, just chuck a ‘cold brew’ bag of coffee into your water and let it infuse over a period of 12-24 hours, but then you need to fish the bag out, making sure it doesn’t drip all over your kitchen, before throwing it in the trash. To solve for this, the folks at Shelbru designed a simple system that takes you from start to end of your cold-brew process. The Shelbru System features a series of containers for effectively storing beans and grounds, for brewing coffee in the fridge, and then enjoying in all its golden caffeinated glory later. All the containers come made from heat-resistant borosilicate glass, and are designed as a family of products with universal interchangeable lids that make them incredibly easy to use.

The system starts with Shelbru’s Smart Canister, a container with an active vacuum-sealing lid that stores your coffee beans in a pristine air-free environment to prevent them from oxidizing and developing any off flavors. The beans stay the freshest they can possibly be for longer… and yes, you can use the Smart Canister to store other perishables too, from cookies to cornflakes and beyond. The Smart Canister’s lid has a single-button interface that activates the vacuum, expelling air and moisture from inside the container. Moreover, a sensor in the lid actively monitors the container’s internal pressure too, and a simple push of the button again releases the vacuum, letting you open the canister with ease.

If you fancy yourself to be a bit of a coffee wonk, the Shelbru Sifter lets you quickly sift your coffee grounds so that you’re left with a uniform batch of coffee for brewing. The Sifter features a shorter glass container with a sieve built into its lid. The sieve lets you quickly separate the larger coffee particles from the smaller ones, ensuring your brew (either hot or cold) has a uniform taste. The Sifter comes with two interchangeable filters – 500µm and 800µm – that let you adjust the consistency of your grind based on whether you’re priming it for an espresso machine or a French press.

Shelbru’s Brewer and Carafe are perhaps the two heroes in the picture here, making the entire cold-brew process as simple as waiting and pouring. This dynamic duo allow you to use your own coffee grounds to create cold-brew right in your fridge, without any extra effort or hassle. The Brewer features Shelbru’s standard borosilicate outer vessel, along with a dual-filter metal insert that holds your coffee grounds and water. Attach the insert to the Brewer’s vessel and fill it up with your coffee before topping it off with water. Close the Brewer with a lid and place it on your kitchen counter or in the fridge, and the water gets infused with the mellow flavors of the coffee that are signature to the cold-brew experience.

The insert features a double filter lining, comprising an inner 600 wire mesh and an outer 500µm filter. These replace your disposable paper filter, allowing the water to get infused with the coffee flavor before filtering out into the borosilicate vessel. Once your brew is ready, pop off the lid, take the insert out and place it on the upturned lid which acts as a coaster to collect any dripping liquid. Empty out the coffee grounds and rinse the insert and it’s as good as new. Simultaneously, you’re left with a jar of coffee that you can either store in the fridge for later, or enjoy by transforming the jar into a Carafe.

A Carafe Lid attaches onto your borosilicate jar, giving you a perfect pour without making a mess anywhere. Perfect for elegantly measuring and pouring your brew, the Carafe lid is Shelbru’s final step in giving you that perfect cold brew every time. Conversely, pop that lid from earlier back on and your cold-brew can last for up to two weeks in the fridge.

Shelbru’s entire family of products help you on your coffee-making journey, ensuring an expert brew whether you’re a novice or expert. The Smart Canister and Sifter are ideal for storing and sifting your coffee before hot/cold brewing cycles, and the Brewer (which can also transform into the Carafe) is perhaps the simplest, easiest, and most sustainable way to make cold-brew right in your fridge. No more disposable coffee filters, and definitely no more going to a café for what you can make at home!

Click Here to Buy Now: $39 $80 (51% off) Grab yours now!

The post Brew Perfect Cold-Brew Coffee in Your Fridge with This Gorgeous All-in-One Glass Carafe first appeared on Yanko Design.