Oppo F21 Pro’s design process detailed ahead of launch
Oppo is readying to announce its F21 Pro on April 12 and now the brand released official info regarding the design of the upcoming phone. Oppo F21 Pro will come in Sunset Orange and Cosmic Black colors. Oppo’s engineers developed a leather lychee-grain called Fibreglass-Leather. This gives the former a flat-frame design and soft-touch texture back.
Oppo F21 Pro Sunset Orange
Oppo took care to improve the durability and wear-resistance of faux leather’s temperature resistance. Oppo used rubbing alcohol and rubber erasers to test the faux leather material. This was done in order to verify its durability and color consistency.
Oppo F21 Pro Cosmic Black
The black colorway features Oppo’s Glow design, which gives it a matter-feel with glossy elements. Oppo also reveals the Sunset Orange F21 Pro is just 7. 54mm thick while the Cosmic Black variant measure in at 7.49mm. Both feature 2. 5D glass and weigh just 175 grams. Oppo is also teasing a flagship selfie camera experience with rumors pointing to a 32MP shooter. The rest of the rumored spec sheet includes a 6. 43-inch 90Hz AMOLED screen, a Snapdragon 680 chipset and a 4,5000 mAh battery with 33W charging.
Oppo F21 Pro is tipped to launch at INR 22,000 ($290) while the F21 Pro 5G should come in at INR 26,000 ($342).
If you don’t find 5G essential, and a nice OLED display is higher up your priorities list for your smartphone purchase, the Poco M4 Pro 4G will trade one for the other compared to the M4 Pro 5G, which we already reviewed a while ago.
The 4G version swaps out the Dimensity 810 chipset for a Helio G96, another Mediatek design that’s only slightly less powerful and lacks the next-gen connectivity. On the flipside, it gets a 6. 43-inch OLED display that’s marginally smaller than the 5G’s 6. 6-inch unit, keeps the 90Hz refresh rate and promises a lot more brightness, on top of OLED’s other inherent advantages.
Light touches can be seen in the camera section too, where the main unit uses a 64MP sensor in place of the 5G version’s 50MP one, and a 2MP macro camera has cropped up where there wasn’t one. Both the ultrawide camera on the back, and the selfie cam appear the same.
The Poco M4 Pro gets to keep the 5,000mAh battery capacity and with it the 33W charging capability, by now a staple of the Xiaomi lineup. Other classic goodies like an infrared emitter, headphone jack, and dedicated microSD slot make for a complete feature set.
The Poco M4 Pro ships in a two-piece cardboard box in recognizable yellow livery, now with oversized branding – the 5G version opted for a more restrained font size.
The contents are the usual – a charger, USB cable, and a soft clear case. The charger is a beefy 33W Xiaomi fast charging unit with a USB-A output port. The headset is not included in the package, which is typical. You will need your own headset to ensure that you can use FM radio at any level of reliability.
Apple looking to diversify its memory chip supply chain
According to a report from Bloomberg, Apple is looking for a third supplier of its NAND memory chips. SK Hynix is Apple’s second largest contractor. According to people familiar with the situation, the Cupertino-based firm is interested in the Chinese semiconductor Yangtze Memory Technologies.
The deal is yet to be finalized but other sources claim that the manufacturer has already submitted its samples to Apple and has received approval. According to reports, all requirements have been met. The first shipment of NAND chips will begin in May.
On one hand, Yangtze is one generation behind Samsung and other memory-chip makers. So this in turn means that Apple will use Yangtze’s NAND flash for its entry-level handsets, such as this year’s iPhone SE.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch5 will have slightly larger batteries for the 40 and 44 mm models
Samsung managed to incrementally increase the battery capacity of the 44 mm Galaxy Watch4 compared to its predecessor, but that wasn’t the case for the 40 mm model. Safety Korea certifies that the new generation will have both larger sizes.
This will be an incremental update again. Full-fledged smartwatches require a longer battery life.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch5 40 mm (EB-BR900ABY) will have a 276 mAh battery, up from 247 mAh (+29 mAh). The larger Watch5 44 mm (EB-BR910ABY) will have a 397 mAh battery, up from 361 mAh (+36 mAh).
Samsung Galaxy Watch5 batteries: 247 mAh for the 40 mm model * 397 mAh for the 44 mm model
Note that this is for the vanilla watch and we’re not 100% sure about the sizes (e.g. the Watch3 had a 45 mm version, not 44 mm). We haven’t seen other versions of the Watch5 be certified either.
Battery life depends on two factors: the battery’s capacity and efficiency. The Watch4 generation introduced the Exynos W920, a 5 nm chip, which is more efficient than the 10 nm Exynos 9110 used in the Watch3 series and the 12 nm Snapdragon Wear 4100 used in some non-Samsung watches. By the sound of it, 4 nm foundries are running at full capacity, so a new, more efficient wearable chipset is unlikely.
Previously, we heard that Samsung has found a way to integrate a thermometer into the next-gen watch, which will be used to track skin temperature (useful to detect early signs of infection as well as tracking ovulation cycles).
The Galaxy Watch5 generation won’t be unveiled until the second half of this year, we should see more details leak out as the new models get closer to launch.
Top 10 Apple MagSafe accessories that are the ultimate upgrade for your iPhone
The arrival of the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro models was accompanied by the reinvention and return of MagSafe, and it became an instant hit! There is a great sense of satisfaction, in my opinion, to have things just stick to your phone. It doesn’t matter if you have a pair or a set of headphones (maybe the next-generation AirPods), but having your phone stick to a charger pad is almost magic. A whole new range of accessories was created after the MagSafe was reintroduced. Designers and creatives were racing to create a whole range of products for the repurposed MagSafe. We love every minute of it. From a UFO-inspired MagSafe charger to a MagSafe car mount that doubles up as an air freshener – there’s a MagSafe accessory out there for your every need. We’ve selected a selection of accessories that we believe to be worth investing and bought. These accessories will really enhance your Apple experience.
1. The G4 charger
The G4 charger is a wonderful throwback accessory that reminds me of that Elago charger that turned the Apple Watch into the Macintosh. Its design, however, doesn’t seem to have aged the way the Macintosh has. Even by today’s standards, the iMac G4 is an incredibly eye-catching device that you’re sure to be amazed by. This charger packs all that beauty into one small, portable device. It draws your eyes to the iPhone sitting on top.
Why is it noteworthy?
The iMac G4, with its debut in 2002, was truly a design icon in that it was nothing like anything else that existed in its time. While the world still struggled with boxy plastic computers, the G4 had this intensely beautiful organic design accentuated with chrome details. The adjustable stand made it stand out above all others, paving the path for future iMacs that will retain every detail necessary to keep the eyes level. Eponymously named the G4, this quirky little charger pays a hat-tip to its 20-year-old predecessor. It sports the same dome-shaped base and chrome-plated stand upon which sits the MagSafe wireless charging element that lets you snap your iPhone to it. Once the iPhone comfortably nestles in place, it transforms almost into a miniature computer, hovering above the ground in a way that makes its display easy to view as well as to use, by allowing you to tap and swipe away!
What we like
The dual joint system on the back of the charger lets you angle and position your phone however you please
A nifty light within its domed front lights up when your phone begins charging
What we dislike
It isn’t available yet!
2. The Fjorden
YouTuber Marques Brownlee, who shoots all his videos in 8K on ridiculously expensive RED cameras, alludes to the fact that “the best camera is the one you have on you”, and that’s almost always your smartphone camera. Your smartphone camera’s image processing engine is arguably powerful enough to click photos as well as a DSLR, and the only thing really missing is precision and that hands-on experience… that’s where the Fjorden comes in.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Fjorden transforms your iPhone into an iPhone-based hybrid DSLR. The Fjorden attaches to your iPhone’s back and gives you analog controls such as a shutter button with two stages, a dial for zoom, a speed dial, and a jog dial. You can also use the extra multifunction button to trigger the flash. The overall form is comfortably tactile and grippy (and comes with the same texture found on cameras) and orients the buttons in a way that’s intuitive and easy to use (so you don’t have to sprain your thumb to reach the shutter button while holding your phone with the same hand). Moreover, the actual physical buttons allow you to use the camera with gloves on, an understated-yet-impressive upgrade to the iPhone camera experience).
What we like
Portable and sleek
Has it’s own camera app
What we dislike
No complaints!
3. The MagSnap Wallet
Want more out of your wallet? Well, the MagSnap Wallet’s magnetic design makes it modular too, allowing you to easily attach extra modules that let your wallet hold more cards, cash, and even EDC tools. The MagSnap Wallet has the incredible advantage of being sleek when you want, and modular/accommodating when you need it. It also docks on the back of your phone for easy carrying, and thanks to its all-metal design, it’s RFID-blocking too – a feature that Apple’s own MagSafe wallet still lacks.
Why is it noteworthy?
OhSnap quickly mentions that MagSafe compatibility is not available for the MagSnap Wallet. This would require reorienting MagSnap Wallet magnets in order to increase the thickness of the wallet. The MagSnap Wallet is available with either a MagSafe-enabled iPhone Case or an adhesive MagSnap Plate that attaches to almost any smartphone. “Our magnet array and locking pin are much stronger than MagSafe”, says the designers at OhSnap, mentioning that while Apple’s own MagSafe wallets tend to slide around when mounted on the phone, the MagSnap Wallet stays firmly put. “Our approach may be slightly less streamlined than Apple’s, but our magnetic connections are stronger, and our products are more modular and way more functional.”
What we like
Has the ability to snap on extra modules that give the wallet a storage upgrade
It is digitally secure – thanks to its RFID-blocking abilities
What we dislike
Their approach is slightly less streamlined than Apple’s, which everyone may not agree with
4. The UFO MagSafe Wireless Charger
For geeks who want more than just a standard MagSafe charger for their den, the UFO MagSafe Wireless Charger will be the preferred choice. The UFO MagSafe Wireless Charger is a cute accessory that Apple has created. However, it’s still a prototype design. It’s like a UFO riding on the back of your iPhone 13 minus, all the shenanigans of gimmicky gadgets.
Why is it noteworthy?
When charging the iPhone, the transparent dome with an Android-like face looking straight at you lights up with warm light. This will act as an eye-sore for those who stare at their phone in pitch darkness. At least with the UFO MagSafe charger hooked on, your eyes will get some respite, even if for some time!
What we like
UFO-inspired!
Perfect for space lovers
What we dislike
No complaints!
5. The MagSafe Phone Case
MAG.T MagSafe Phone Case is the latest accessory design for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12. It delivers a new charging experience that others can say is better in many ways. Not all iPhone models support MagSafe wireless charge technology– only the latest iPhones can. There are more accessories available from third parties for MagSafe. More announcements about actual products or concept designs can be expected.
Why is it noteworthy?
The MagSafe phone case is perfect for a variety of modes: Ring Mode (stand mode), Play Mode, Handle Mode and Stand Mode). The part that allows you to hook your finger makes it easier for you to hold the case securely while talking on the phone. You can use the Stand Mode to watch your favourite TV programs, movies or YouTube videos. Play Mode is for when you’re spending time on your favorite mobile game while Handle Mode is for regular use when you just want to scroll through your social media apps or favorite websites.
What we like
Sleek form
As per the designer, there is no case in the market yet that acts as a phone case and phone stand in one that is compatible with MagSafe
What we dislike
Not sure if it’s durable enough to protect the phone from drops from an acceptable height
6. The Snapods
The Snapods by Scendo are a pair of TWS Earbuds that come with a flat case that snaps right to the back of your phone. The Snapods are a great way to carry earphones thanks to the MagSafe technology in new iPhones. Snap them onto the back of your iPhone and you have a pair that is easy to carry, store and access.
Why is it noteworthy?
The case’s design is inspired directly by where it’s located. Made to sit against the back of your phone, the Snapods case comes with a flat, wedge-shaped profile, making it easy to slip your phone into your pocket. The slim case doesn’t just dock the earphones, it charges them too, giving you an impressive 45 hours of playtime. The earphones match (and sometimes outperform) the AirPods in almost every category. Pop them out of the case and they instantly power on and connect to your phone using Bluetooth 5. 2 technology. Thanks to the latest Qualcomm 3040 flagship chipset, the Snapods offer a seamless and incredibly responsive audio experience, with zero lag, stuttering, or pauses.
What we like
The Qualcomm cVc 8.0 noise reduction algorithm is capable of cutting up to 30 decibels of ambient noise
You can attach the Snapods to phone cases, tablets, or even your laptop
What we dislike
No complaints!
7. The Nomad MagSafe Base One charger
The latest is the Nomad MagSafe Base One charger that makes a first impression that lasts with its glass and aluminum design. This official charger can be used for iPhones by third parties as it supports official MFi MagSafe charging. Base One works with most Qi devices, delivering up to a maximum of 15W charging speed. This iPhone charger features a heavy-duty metal body and an elevated glass panel. The combination results in a look that can fit most interiors and spaces.
Why is it noteworthy?
Nomad’s MagSafe Base One charger shows a solid metal and glass design, but it is not something delicate to hold and touch. It may remind you of a hockey puck, even with its rounded square shape. Its weight gives it strength and prevents it from being easily damaged.
What we like
Made using high-quality metal chassis and a premium glass panel
It can also wireless charge your AirPods
What we dislike
The 30W USB-C Adapter is not included in the box
Not sure if it is fingerprint or scratch-resistant
8. The Chargepuck
The Chargepuck is what you get when you mash the words MagSafe, AirPower, and PopSocket together. This little device is about the size and shape of a hockey puck. It attaches to your iPhone’s back, providing wireless charging capabilities. If somehow that wasn’t enough, while one surface of the Chargepuck remains magnetically adhered to the back of your iPhone, the other side lets you attach an Apple Watch, while two tiny holes along the rim let you dock your AirPods earpieces, and the Chargepuck effectively charges all three devices simultaneously… something the AirPower mat could never do.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Chargepuck acts as a replacement for the wireless charging dock or mat you’ve probably got lying on your desk or somewhere at your bedside. The Chargepuck is not a static device that can be plugged in to an outlet for hours. Instead, it attaches to your iPhone with a retractable cable. It’s not a battery pack, as it doesn’t contain its own battery. Instead it is a charging device that attaches to your iPhone and allows you to charge up three other devices simultaneously.
What we like
Portable design
Full functional 360-degree ring
What we dislike
It may not appeal to everyone
9. The FLIP MagSafe power bank concept
This is the FLIP MagSafe power bank concept that has so much potential to become a real product in the near future. It triples the battery life of compatible iPhones and has an easy-to-use design. There are two independent power banks – each having a 4200mAh lithium-ion battery capable of juicing up the iPhone 13 or AirPods Pro courtesy of the MagSafe technology.
Why is it noteworthy?
In the connected configuration, you can fold the power banks at any angle that suits your needs. You can align it in a standing position to charge the iPhone 13 with one base and your earbuds with the other. Yet another possibility is to make the accessory stand in a V-position to hook on the iPhone 13 in landscape orientation for watching multimedia content. Or just keep them in a completely folded position to lay the smartphone down flat while charging during the nighttime.
What we like
Triples your compatible iPhone’s battery with an intuitive design
What we dislike
It’s still a concept!
10. The NUMBER ZERO
You might as well be a jack of all trades when you’re designing a product that’s got stiff competition, right? Sure, your smartphone car-mount can hold your phone, but can it freshen the air too? That’s sort of the direction the NUMBER ZERO is going for. The NUMBER ZERO is a MagSafe compatible car-mount. It can be mounted universally to any AC vent. This allows you to snap on your iPhone without having to worry about friction or clamps. It secures your phone in either landscape or portrait orientation using a series of robust magnets that can hold up to 12-times the iPhone’s weight and even comes with an air diffuser that relies on the AC vent behind your phone to disperse any fragrance of your choice all around the car.
Why is it noteworthy?
The design of NUMBER ZERO is clever and thoughtful. This detail is often forgotten by companies. The mount’s design was created to look good even there’s NO phone mounted on it. The NUMBER ZERO mount comes equipped with a neat, kinetic animation powered by the AC wind. There are a number of animated options for the mount. Each animation features a rotating element powered by wind from the AC vent. The air from the vent pushes a series of gears that then cause the kinetic animation to gently rotate, allowing the NUMBER ZERO to look eye-catching even when the phone isn’t mounted in place.
What we like
Its universal clip on the back mounts onto any car’s AC vent without requiring any tools or special know-how
The creator of the first iPhone with USB-C adds a Lightning port to an Android phone
Last year Ken Pillonel did what Apple has been refusing to do – make an iPhone with a USB-C port. Ken has also modified some AirPods to have a USB C port. Ken converted an Android phone with a Lightning port to make his next Frankensteinian creation.
The device started life as a Samsung Galaxy A51 and it had a standard issue USB-C 2.0 port. The phone was fully functional with a Lightning port and support for charging. Here is a :
demo.
The creator says that a more detailed video is coming up soon. The video will delve deeper into what it took to pull off this transformation.
Although it is not the most practical creation, Ken Pillonel claims that after creating the USB-C iPhone, he wanted the world to be balanced. And it is an impressive feat of engineering.
Samsung self-repair program is a bold step toward smartphone sustainability
Earlier this year, Samsung made a lot of noise about its most recent effort in reducing its negative impact on the environment. The world’s largest smartphone manufacturer decided to use recycled plastics rather than reduce its production. This would have led to a decrease in the number of smartphones it makes each year. However, responsibly sourced materials are only part of the sustainability equation. Reducing the number of smartphones and smartphone parts thrown out each year is an equally important part of that formula. This would mean that phones can be repaired as long as possible. Samsung has taken the bold step to allow people to fix their smartphones on their own.
When it launched its new Galaxy S22 phone series, Samsung also boasted about the big change it’s making in its future phones and tablets. These plastics will not be manufactured from new material, but will instead come from recycled fishing nets. This kills two birds, as it decreases the production of plastic for new phones and also provides a home for thousands of fishing nets that have been discarded over years.
Although it’s an important and significant step forward, it is still just one step. This doesn’t solve the issue of smartphone parts and phones being thrown away on a frequent basis. Sometimes it is because they are too expensive to repair or because it is cheaper to buy new smartphones than first-party repairs. The fix here is to actually encourage a stronger culture of repairing phones rather than discarding them, and part of that means giving consumers the permission and the tools to repair their own devices without having to pay anyone, especially Samsung and its partners.
This “Right to Repair” is gaining strong momentum among consumers, businesses, and legislators, and Samsung is following Apple’s bold announcement last year that creates an official program to help owners repair their phones on their own, should they choose to go down that route. Samsung is pairing up with iFixit for guides on how to do exactly that, while the company will also provide tools and replacement parts for supported devices. At the moment, only the Galaxy S20, Galaxy S21, and Galaxy Tab S7+ have been named to be included in this program.
Images courtesy of iFixit
It is just as crucial to be able to replace and repair damaged parts. You also have the responsibility for properly disposing of them. Part of this self-repair program involves sending those broken or irreparable pieces back to Samsung, who will then dispose of or recycle them as necessary.
This is just the latest step in Samsung’s attempts to reduce its negative impact on the environment, going beyond reducing its carbon emissions. Although it initially ridiculed Apple for it, Samsung eventually jumped on the bandwagon and removed chargers from many of its smartphone boxes. The company has reduced its use of plastic in packaging for smartphones and also decreased the box size. Although it may not seem like much, when you consider that Samsung is the largest smartphone manufacturer in the world, each little thing adds up over time.
Blond Fold wireless charger checks all the boxes of great design and sustainability
Phone makers are cutting down on chargers in boxes, but third-party chargers are rising in number instead. Blond, fortunately, has a great idea on how to fix that problem as well.
One of the biggest sources of electronic waste in garbage dumps has been discovered to be smartphone chargers. According to the European Commission, about 11,000 tonnes or 11 million kg of unused or discarded chargers pile up every year. Figures and studies like these are often cited as reasons for imposing a common charging standard or removing charging bricks from phone packaging. That only addresses one part of the problem, though, because chargers are still being made and sold en masse anyway. The other part of the solution is to make the chargers themselves long-lasting and sustainable, which is what this innovative multi-functional wireless charging concept is trying to propose.
The Fold, no relation to Samsung’s foldable phones, immediately strikes one as a handsome piece of tech. Blending minimalism and transparency, the foldable wireless charger makes no qualms about its geeky nature. In fact, it invites people to peer into its very soul, and some might even have to dig deep into it in order to repair the accessory over time.
Creative design studio Blond’s concept for this wireless charger is notable in more ways than one. More than just portable, thanks to its foldable design, the charger can be used in multiple ways as well. For example, it can juice up three devices all at once, but it can also act as a smartphone stand when folded in a certain way.
Its most ambitious feature, however, is its longevity. Unlike most consumer electronics, the Fold is designed to be easy to open up and replace broken parts, at least for someone who is used to doing repairs on their own. In theory, the materials used will also be sustainable or responsibly sourced, possibly from recycled products even. That’s not always possible with electronics, of course, so the option of repairing and sending back components for recycling helps both the owner and the environment in the long run.
The Fold’s sustainability extends to the concept of its packaging. Where most products require two layers, with the packaging itself and then the shipping box, Blond envisioned a single recycled and recyclable packaging that meets both needs. This eliminates wasted materials while still leaving room for some creative innovation inside the box, like a space for broken or suspended components for shipping back to the manufacturer for repairs or recycling.
Jabra’s triple-lens webcam has a wide-angle 180° FOV, completely crushing Apple’s Center Stage
What’s better than one good webcam? Three of them… and with 4K resolution, no less.
With the ability to fit an entire boardroom into its FoV, the Jabra PanaCast uses 3 individual lenses to capture more in the same small webcam form factor. Quite literally upstaging Apple’s Center Stage, the PanaCast has a dizzying 180° field of view, capturing what Jabra calls ‘three whiteboards’ worth of content, digitally. Equipped with Jabra’s Intelligent Zoom feature, the PanaCast can also detect faces and expand its bounding box to fit multiple people into its frame. The 4K lenses do a phenomenally better job at capturing board meetings in vivid detail (along with the whiteboards behind them), bringing enterprise video conferencing to the next level.
While the Center Stage is more of a feature for Apple’s customers, the PanaCast is an entire product and solution marketed toward businesses. Companies are still operating online for the most part, with employees working from home, personnel scattered across countries and time zones, and clients too. That’s where the Panacast comes in, allowing people to effectively communicate with each other without being ‘talking heads’. People in the same building can convene at the same meeting table, with the PanaCast capturing the entire FoV.
The PanaCast additionally works with leading conferencing software, including Skype, Zoom, Webex, Microsoft Teams, GoToMeeting, Slack, and even the obscure Hangouts (among many others). Additionally, the Jabra Vision app lets you set up and adjust your PanaCast, and even toggle individual lenses within the 3-lens setup, focusing on any part of the room.
Products designed to help women simplify + upgrade their daily grooming routine
Every woman loves some good old ‘me time’. It’s that rare hour or none at all where you can unwind, relax and take care of yourself. It seems impossible to find’me-time’ these days. However, just because it is not possible for us to schedule it into our day, does not mean that we can’t take care of ourselves. You must take good care of yourself and listen to your body. This includes taking proper skincare steps, paying attention to the well-being of your hair, and even looking at how healthy our teeth are. We’ve created a selection of products to assist you in doing just that. From a foldable hair dryer that you can carry almost everywhere to a unique tweezer to painlessly remove ear hair – we’ve curated a collection of innovative designs to help you simplify and improve your everyday grooming process. Enjoy!
1. The Foldable Hair Dryer
This concept design is more compact and portable. Foldable hair dryers are unique in that they can be folded down into smaller sizes. It has a cylindrical shape and an interchangeable tip. You can move the handle to conceal or reduce the tip.
Why is it noteworthy?
The folded form of the hairdryer reminds us of either an umbrella or a water bottle. Of course, it’s more like a bottle with the handle, but others may even say it looks like a Victoria’s Secret perfume bottle, especially with the colors available: Maroon, Green, and Gray.
What we like
Can be folded into a smaller form
Easily portable
Available in a variety of alluring colors
What we dislike
We’re not sure how quickly it may heat up
Product material is still unknown
2. The Shower Scrubber
With a dual-sided design that lets you choose between a softer massaging side and an effective exfoliating side, the Shower Scrubber comes from the folks at Casamera, who shook up the industry with their ridiculously comfortable and absorbent bath towels and robes earlier this year. The Shower Scrubber comes with a radical new redesign, sporting a honeycomb pattern on one side, to open your skin pores, and a walnut-shell textured surface on the other side, for scrubbing off dead cells to leave your skin shining.
Why is it noteworthy?
While Konjac sponges don’t seem new, the internet is full of them. However, the Shower Scrubber’s design and infusions unlock its potential. The large guitar-pick-shaped design comes with a honeycomb texture on one side, inspired by Casamera’s waffle-textured towels. Honeycomb texture is gentle on the skin, especially around the eyes, helps open pores and builds up lather. However, the other side is textural. The sponge has walnut shell particles embedded within its surface. This exfoliating experience will reveal radiant, glowing skin beneath.
What we like
Dual sides to meet the different needs of your skin
Biodegradable
What we dislike
Not sure how well it would work on sensitive skin
3. Nikken’s Ear Hair Tweezers
Designed to work partly like a pair of tweezers, but also like a tiny epilator that easily grabs and plucks hair, the Nikken Tweezer is so easy to use that you can use it by yourself without any assistance.
Why is it noteworthy?
This unique pair of tweezers works safely and eliminates the need for a hairdresser. They’re easy to operate and work equally well with ear or nose hairs. Unlike scissors, which are incredibly unsafe when used by yourself, or regular tweezers, which are great at plucking hair that you see, but hard when it’s hair you can’t see, Nikken’s Ear Hair Tweezers sport a key difference. You can grab multiple hairs at once with the tweezer’s tiny spring between its ends.
What we like
Lets you easily grasp multiple small hairs and pull them at once
Nikken’s spring has a square cross-section, allowing it to hold hairs tighter so they don’t slip out of the tweezer’s grip while pulling
What we dislike
Not sure how well it would work for nose and eyebrow hair
4. The PURE 2-in-1 Electric Oral Care Kit
This Dyson-inspired oral care essential system is promised to have long-lasting durability. It doesn’t just look like something Dyson would introduce in terms of the colors and aesthetics; it also practices the same sustainability principle. You can use it as both an electric toothbrush or water flosser.
Why is it noteworthy?
Like any Dyson product, the PURE 2-in-1 Electric Oral Care Kit offers innovation, reliability, and functionality. This innovative system is compact and easy to use. It can be used as either a toothbrush, or as a water flosser to clean deep into your teeth. If you wish to use water flosser mode, simply replace the head module. The brush head can be kept clean by the built-in fan. It also prevents moisture so you can be confident your toothbrush is not contaminated.
What we like
It comes with a built-in water container for the water flosser
The brushes and the handles are stored inside to keep your bathroom clutter-free
What we dislike
It’s still a concept!
5. The Dyson Coralle
The Dyson Coralle hair-straightener features flexing plates that bend according to your hair’s volume. These flexing plates wrap around hair to heat evenly and straighten them. The curved copper plates, an industry first, come with tolerances as low as 65-nanometers (thinner than an individual human hair) and flex around your locks of hair to straighten them without reducing their volume.
Why is it noteworthy?
On the inside, the Coralle comes with a maximum heat setting that’s 40 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than most straighteners. According to Dyson engineers, because the Coralle has curved plates which distribute heat evenly, it works as well as other straighteners but with less heat. Moreover, the Coralle’s internal chip performs temperature checks 100 times per second to make sure it performs optimally with no temperature or performance deviations.
What we like
Designed to be wireless
Straightens your hair without flattening or damaging them
What we dislike
No complaints!
6. Nike LED Mask
This beauty device was aimed at expanding passion and potential through the CMF (color, material, finish) so the user can get comfortable quickly by identifying with Nike’s existing sporty and refreshing image. The form is smooth and sleek, you almost have an instinct that it will fulfill its purpose and that is what makes a design convincing – the trust through visuals because it is the first impression that leaves a mark, right?
Why is it noteworthy?
The mask is futuristic in design and we should consider wearing one at home if it helps with our skin and decreases our need to travel. Although we don’t yet know the future, I would rather be prepared with glowing skin, good health and abs.
What we like
An LED mask means no need to touch your face
What we dislike
It’s still a concept!
7. The Squared Dryer
Unlike its bulbous, bulky ancestor, the entire hair-dryer is slender, foldable, and has the footprint of a small square box. The air blows out as a result in a vertical channel, allowing you to cover a larger part of your hair when held upright. Easy to slide into dresser drawers, or just as easily display proudly on top of the dressing table, the Squared Dryer even comes with a slick snap-on container for wire-management so that that unsightly cord isn’t all over the place. Plus, would you look at that absolutely delicious gradient on the base?!
Why is it noteworthy?
There’s no reason for the hair dryer to look the way it does. Here’s an image of the first-ever hair-dryer by Alexander Godefroy and it’s easy to see that we’ve done little to give it a radical makeover. The Squared Dryer from Jiyoun Kim and Junyoung Jang changes all of that. This new and unapologetically radical, slim hairdryer will be a welcome addition to any dressing table.
What we like
A slick snap-on container for wire-management
Easy to slide into dresser drawers
What we dislike
Interesting form, but unsure how ergonomic and comfortable it would be to actually operate
8. Air Spa
You know that age-old trend of drying yourself with a towel after a shower? Boring, no? It’s also quite time-consuming, I must say. I mean it’s 2021, we definitely need a cooler way of drying ourselves. BDCI Design must have thought so when they created the ‘Air Spa a body drying machine! You read it right. South Korean design firm, Design Korea created the dryer to dry your body and calls it a “refreshing bath experience”. The tall vertical appliance blows out air to dry your body after you take a shower.
Why is it noteworthy?
So, where does the spa bit of ‘Air Spa’ come into play? Because of its unique shape and height, the appliance can blow air out through various holes. The ‘air holes have multiple layers and can be placed vertically or horizontally as you like. So, you have air blowing at you from different angles and positions, mimicking the experience of a massage or spa. If you think about it, it’s almost like taking a relaxing wind bath. It could also be the final step to unwind after a hard day at work.
What we like
Air Spa’s interesting height makes it perfect for users of all ages. The vertical appliance can be used for children and adults alike
Reduces our laundry load!
What we dislike
Unsuitable for tiny bathrooms with space constraints
9. Clip
Whichever toothbrush you prefer, replacing frayed bristles comes at a price. It’s costly, wasteful, and inconvenient. That’s why Edo Kim and Yeseul Kim, designers based out of London, designed Clip, a minimal toothbrush with a replaceable head.
Why is it noteworthy?
Regarding the large number of materials required to make traditional toothbrushes Edo and Yeseul designed Clip to use far less materials for production. Made from recycled polypropylene, Clip takes on the traditional shape of manual toothbrushes. Clip’s hollow unibody also remains intact over time and use due to polypropylene’s highly durable, long-lasting makeup. Compared to manual toothbrushes on the market, Edo and Yeseul decided to use far less plastic and nylon, replacing both materials with recycled thermoplastic.
What we like
Replaceable head
Made from recycled materials
What we dislike
There are other similar designs on the market
10. Cleanyst
Cleanyst’s modus operandi is simple. The device costs $99, and Cleanyst ships a variety of pre-mix sachets to the users. After putting the sachet in the appliance, you can plug Cleanyst’s bottle into the base and then fill the machine up with tap water. Cleanyst’s easy-to-use interface guides you through the process. In just minutes the bottle will be filled with your liquid cleaner. Cleanyst even lets you add essential oils to the mixture to create special blends, so you can easily make yourself a lemon-scented dish cleaner, or a lavender handwash. Cleanyst’s solvents are natural and plant-based, making them milder and easier on your skin, but just as effective on dirt and grime.
Why is it noteworthy?
Roughly 80% of the shampoo, shower gel, handwash, liquid detergent, dishwashing liquid you buy is just plain water. Imagine paying money to have 80% water and 20% chemicals shipped to you from various parts of the country. Sounds counterproductive, right? Cleanyst tries to hack that system. Cleanyst is a Nespresso-esque gadget that allows you to make your own handwashes and shampoos.
What we like
Lets you produce your own personal care items
What we dislike
We’re not sure how suitable the special blends are for different skin types
