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The Swiss Army Knife of Sketching Tools Returns With Bold New Colors (And A Titanium Pencil)

Precision. Portability. Swiss-grade craftsmanship. These have been Horizon’s calling cards since we first dubbed their Helvetica® ruler the “Swiss Army Knife of sketching tools.” Their 2025 Kickstarter stays true to that ethos while pushing in a new direction: adding vibrant new finishes to their compact multi-tools and introducing a numbered, hand-machined mechanical pencil for the design purists in their community.

The lineup sounds straightforward enough. Byzantine Purple, Irish Green, and Classic Blue colorways for both the Horizon Helvetica® and Helvetica® Max rulers, plus the collector-worthy Horizon Titanium S mechanical pencil, and the Horizon Hypatia A5 Notebook to go with it. But there’s an interesting tension here between what made Horizon successful and where they’re trying to go. The rulers that fit in your wallet are getting prettier. The new pencil costs significantly more and demands pocket space. One’s an iteration, the other’s a bet.

Designer: Ufuk Koc of Horizon Ruler

Click Here to Buy Now: $32 $40 (20% off). Hurry, only 40/50 left!

We covered the Helvetica® Max back in 2024, and the fundamentals haven’t changed because they don’t need to. Credit card-sized, measures up to 6 inches and 15 cm, packs a protractor with 180-degree markings, includes both imperial and metric compasses, offers quick circle guides from 3mm to 10mm, features isometric grids for 3D sketching, Swiss-made Bystronic laser cutter for precision, bold Helvetica® Neue typeface for readability, and TSA-approved with no sharp edges.. The original Helvetica® follows the same philosophy at a slightly smaller scale, topping out at 3 inches and 7 cm. Both are machined from 304 stainless steel, and honestly, they’ve earned their spot in designer EDC kits because they solve an actual problem: needing drafting precision without lugging around a drafting kit. Team Horizon also has improved the silk screen coating and UV-protected layering on all models 2025 onwards.

Byzantine Purple is having a moment, apparently. Irish Green and Classic Blue round out the new color options, joining the six finishes that already exist. Which, fine, this makes sense beyond pure aesthetics. When you’re pulling a ruler out of your wallet seventeen times a day across different projects, instant recognition matters. Purple for branding work, green for environmental projects, blue for UI mockups. Color coding is practical, not decorative. Horizon seems to understand this, or at least they’re banking on the more than 10,000 backers from their seven successful Kickstarter campaigns to recognize it.

While the titanium pencil jumps categories and the color rulers iterate on existing wins, the Horizon Hypatia A5⁺ Notebook slots directly into the workflow Horizon has been building toward: precision tools need somewhere to actually make marks. It’s sized at 150 × 220 mm, which makes it slightly larger than standard A5, giving you genuinely useful space without tipping into the unwieldy territory of A4. The paper is 140gsm ivory stock across 92 pages, thick enough to handle fountain pens and markers without bleed-through, which matters when you’re sketching with the same tools you’re using for technical notes. Machine-sewn spine with manual casing-in and hand-applied endbands, all finished by hand. The whole thing opens completely flat thanks to exposed spine stitching and hand-applied water-based PVA. Limited to 1,125 pieces, each with a hand-applied cotton label reading “A blank page holds infinite potential; don’t let your thoughts go unwritten,” which toes the line between inspirational and overwrought but probably lands correctly for the audience buying hand-bound notebooks. This is the product that actually complements the Helvetica rulers instead of competing with them for identity. You pull the ruler from your wallet, open the Hypatia flat on your desk, and the entire system makes sense.

Now about that titanium pencil. Grade 5 Ti-6Al-4V, which is aerospace-grade material with a 6:4 aluminum-to-vanadium ratio. German-made LAMY 0.5mm lead mechanism. Hand-machined by Maurizio in Hoofddorp, Netherlands, limited to 300 numbered pieces with gift-ready packaging. Every single detail screams premium, and that’s exactly where things get weird. Horizon built their entire reputation on $26 to $39 tools that fit in wallet-sized spaces. A full-length mechanical pencil cannot and will not fit in your wallet. It lives in a different part of your bag, serves a different function, competes against Rotring 800s and Tactile Turn Side Clicks and every other machined metal pencil that attracts design nerds with disposable income.

Grade 5 titanium is overkill for a pencil, which is precisely why it works as a statement piece. LAMY mechanisms are reliable, 0.5mm is the technical drawing sweet spot, and the hand-machining story provides artisanal credibility for whatever price point they land on. But does their audience actually want this? Because the people who loved Horizon loved them for making precision portable. Titanium S brings Horizon’s precision into a full-sized tool, where craftsmanship and balance redefine the sketching experience. It’s a different value proposition entirely, aimed at a designer who wants their tools to announce taste rather than disappear into workflow.

Honestly, the color expansion feels overdue. Designers have been stuck choosing between silver, black, and maybe gold finishes for pro-level technical tools since forever, as if precision work requires visual boredom. Byzantine Purple breaks that assumption hard. It’s a specific, confident color choice that suggests someone at Horizon actually looked at contemporary design trends instead of just defaulting to “professional” metallics. Irish Green and Classic Blue follow suit, giving creatives permission to match their tools to their aesthetic without sacrificing functionality. Your sketching kit doesn’t have to look like an engineer’s toolkit from 1987. It can look like it belongs to someone who cares about visual culture, who understands that the tools you carry say something about how you see the world.

The titanium pencil plays into the same idea but from a different angle. It’s a statement piece, numbered and limited, hand-machined instead of mass-produced. Grade 5 titanium is genuinely excessive for pushing 0.5mm lead across paper, but that excess is the entire point. It sits on your desk and announces that craftsmanship matters, that the weight and balance of a pencil affects how you think. Whether that resonates depends entirely on whether you see tools as utilities or extensions of creative identity.

The Kickstarter campaign just dropped, featuring early-bird rewards with significant discounts across the lineup. Exact pricing and availability are live on the campaign page, but based on Horizon’s past launches, the Horizon Helvetica® starts around $32, with the Helvetica® Max beginning at $39. Bundled tiers like the Duo, Core Trio, and creative sets offer even stronger value for backers looking to expand their toolkit. The Titanium S, limited to 300 pieces, commands a premium that reflects its hand-machined titanium construction and collectible nature, while the newly introduced Horizon Hypatia A5⁺ notebook completes the ecosystem, offering more space for ideas, notes, and sketches.

Helvetica® is a trademark of Monotype Imaging Inc. registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be registered in certain jurisdictions.

Click Here to Buy Now: $32 $40 (20% off). Hurry, only 40/50 left!

The post The Swiss Army Knife of Sketching Tools Returns With Bold New Colors (And A Titanium Pencil) first appeared on Yanko Design.

UGREEN’s New ARM-powered Budget NAS Is Perfect for Photos, Just Don’t Expect Much Else

I’ve been telling people for years that owning a NAS (or Network Attached Storage) is one of the smartest tech investments you can make (here’s my list of top tech essentials for 2025 and beyond). Your data lives locally, you pay once for storage instead of renting it forever, and you get complete control over how everything works. The long-term economics make sense, the customization potential is massive, and you avoid the very real problem of your photos being scraped for AI training or handed over to government agencies or sold to data brokers. Cloud storage sounds convenient until you realize you’re paying $200 a year for the privilege of someone else owning your memories and potentially monetizing them in ways you never agreed to.

That said, NAS devices have always had a learning curve that scared away casual users. The setup process, RAID configurations, network settings, and maintenance requirements made them feel like enthusiast gear rather than consumer products. UGREEN’s new ARM-powered NASync DH2300 and DH4300 are trying to change that equation by targeting the specific use case of automatic photo backup and basic file storage. They’re priced at $210 and $430 respectively, which positions them as direct alternatives to multi-year Google Photos or iCloud subscriptions. The question is whether these ARM-based units make sense when UGREEN’s own x86 models exist at higher price points with significantly more flexibility.

Designer: UGREEN

What you get for the budget price is a 2-bay DH2300 that runs on a Rockchip RK3576 processor with 8 cores at 2.2 GHz, paired with 4GB of non-upgradable LPDDR4X RAM and a 32GB system drive. These NASync models have Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI output, USB-C, and two USB 3.2 Type-A ports. The design uses a top-down lidded approach that makes drive installation easier and reduces the footprint. You can theoretically store up to 60TB with two 30TB drives, but most people will mirror their drives in RAID 1 for redundancy, which means 30TB of usable storage. The 4-bay DH4300 bumps things up with a Rockchip RK3588C at 2.4 GHz, 8GB of RAM, and a 2 Gigabit Ethernet port. It supports RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, and 10, with a maximum 120TB raw capacity using four 30TB drives. Both units run UGOS, which is Debian-based and has matured considerably over the past few years based on user reviews and testing.

The ARM architecture choice creates very specific trade-offs that you need to understand before buying. These processors use RISC instruction sets that prioritize power efficiency over raw performance and x86 compatibility. What this means in practical terms: the DH2300 and DH4300 will handle automatic photo backups from your phone beautifully, organize files efficiently, and run UGOS’s built-in apps without breaking a sweat. They draw roughly 20 to 25 watts during operation and 4 to 6 watts on standby, compared to 35 to 45 watts and 10 to 15 watts for typical x86 NAS units. Over five years of 24/7 operation, that power difference translates to actual money saved on your electricity bill (which admittedly has been getting more and more expensive over the past few months). The thermal efficiency also means quieter operation since less heat requires less aggressive cooling. If your NAS sits in a bedroom or living room, that silent running matters more than benchmark scores.

But here’s what ARM struggles with or can’t do at all. Plex transcoding, which is when you stream your movie collection to different devices and the server automatically converts formats so everything plays smoothly, won’t work well here. Docker container support exists but many of these apps that tech enthusiasts install are built for computer processors and won’t run properly on ARM chips. Installing alternative operating systems like TrueNAS or Unraid is technically possible but practically more trouble than it’s worth. Virtual machines, which let you run multiple computers inside your NAS for testing or experimentation, are essentially off the table. If you want to use your NAS for homelabbing projects like running Pi-hole as a network-wide ad blocker or Home Assistant as a smart home controller, you’re going to hit limitations. The UGOS app ecosystem is functional but nowhere near as extensive as Synology’s DSM or what you can build on a computer-processor system with Docker. This is a photos and files appliance, not a do-everything server platform.

UGREEN made two decisions that genuinely puzzle me. First, they removed the SD card slot that every other NASync model includes. If you’re targeting people who want automatic photo backup, a significant portion of that audience shoots on DSLRs or mirrorless cameras that use SD cards. Photographers need to offload those cards regularly, and having to use a USB adapter or card reader adds friction to a workflow that should be seamless. Second, the RAM is soldered and non-upgradable. The DH2300’s 4GB might become a bottleneck when using AI photo organization features, which are increasingly standard in modern NAS photo apps. Given that competitors offer RAM upgrade paths, this feels like an unnecessary limitation for devices you expect to use for five to ten years.

Let’s address the elephant in the room: UGREEN’s own x86 models. The DXP2800 costs around $314 to $349 depending on sales, which is $104 to $139 more than the ARM DH2300. For that price, you get an Intel N100 processor, 8GB of DDR5 RAM, dual M.2 NVMe slots, and 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet. That hardware can run Docker containers smoothly, handle Plex transcoding (for streaming local media), support virtual machines, and give you the flexibility to grow into more advanced use cases. The DXP4800 is around $495, just $65 more than the DH4300, with similar spec advantages. For enthusiasts or anyone who might want to experiment with self-hosting services beyond photo backup, those x86 models are objectively better investments. The extra upfront cost buys you options and longevity that ARM fundamentally cannot provide.

So who are these ARM units actually for? The person who just wants their iPhone or Android phone to automatically back up photos when they connect to home WiFi, organized by date and face recognition, accessible from any device on the network. The household that’s tired of paying Google or Apple $10 to $20 monthly for cloud storage when a one-time hardware purchase eliminates that subscription forever. The user who values quiet operation and low power consumption because the NAS lives in a shared space and runs constantly. The beginner who doesn’t want to learn about advanced containers or storage configurations beyond the basics and just needs something that works out of the box for a specific, limited purpose. Worth noting: basic AI photo features like face recognition and object detection work fine on these ARM chips, but if you want to run multiple AI services simultaneously or more computationally heavy models, you’ll hit performance walls. If you fit one of those profiles and you’re confident you won’t expand into advanced home server territory, the DH2300 or DH4300 will serve you well.

The broader competitive landscape shows these units priced reasonably but not exceptionally. TerraMaster’s F2-212 costs $169.99 for a 2-bay unit, though with weaker specs. Synology’s DS223j sits around $250 but comes with Synology’s superior software ecosystem. QNAP’s TS-464 offers more expansion options at a higher price point. The real comparison point is UGREEN’s own lineup, where the price-to-performance ratio of their x86 models makes the ARM versions look less compelling unless power efficiency and simplicity are your primary concerns. Synology remains the software king with the most polished interface and mature app ecosystem, but you pay a premium for that experience. UGREEN’s UGOS has closed the gap considerably and works well for basic tasks, even if it lacks the depth of features that enthusiasts want.

Here’s my take: if you know you only need photo and file storage, never plan to run Plex or Docker, and value low power consumption, the DH2300 or DH4300 are solid choices at their price points. They do exactly what they promise without pretending to be something they’re not. But if you have even a slight interest in expanding your NAS usage beyond those basics, or if you might want to experiment with self-hosted services down the line, spend the extra money on the x86 DXP2800 or DXP4800. The flexibility is worth it, and you won’t feel limited six months after purchase when you discover something cool you want to try but can’t because of ARM’s architectural constraints. And if you’re a photographer who regularly shoots on actual cameras, skip both ARM models entirely and get something with an SD card slot. That omission is genuinely hard to justify for a product positioned as a Google Photos replacement when a huge chunk of serious photo-takers don’t use phones as their primary camera.

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Nike Project Amplify: Powered Footwear Designed to Make Movement Accessible

Nike reinvents movement with powered footwear, aiming to do for running what e-bikes did for urban mobility. The sports giant unveiled Project Amplify, the world’s first powered footwear system designed to make running and walking accessible to millions who previously found sustained movement intimidating or physically out of reach. Unlike elite performance gear designed to shave seconds off race times, Project Amplify targets everyday athletes who want to move more, go farther, and actually enjoy the experience.

Designer: Nike

While several startups explored exoskeletal running concepts, Nike’s Project Amplify is the first to reach this level of integration and scalability. The announcement positions powered footwear as an inclusivity tool rather than a performance enhancer, explicitly designed for recreational athletes running at a 10-12 minute mile pace. For a parent jogging with a stroller or a new runner tackling hill repeats, Project Amplify promises a new layer of agency. This approach echoes Nike’s founding ethos that “if you have a body, you are an athlete,” updated for an era where assistive technology can remove physical barriers to participation.

System Design and Human Integration

The system combines four components into a wearable exoskeleton: a lightweight motor, a drive belt, a rechargeable battery cuff, and a carbon fiber-plated running shoe that functions with or without the robotic assist. Built on motion algorithms developed at Nike’s Sport Research Lab, the design targets natural lower leg and ankle movement patterns. Athletes who tested the system describe it as feeling like “a second set of calf muscles” or “part of their body” during use.

The design goal centers on augmentation rather than replacement. Nike’s approach makes uphill terrain feel like flat ground and turns a typical 12-minute mile into a 10-minute mile with less perceived exertion. The carbon fiber shoe maintains performance credentials even when disconnected from the motor system, addressing concerns about dependency on powered assistance.

Testing involved over 400 athletes across 2.4 million steps (equivalent to 12,000 laps around a 200-meter track), with Nike iterating through nine hardware versions to achieve the seamless integration athletes reported. Michael Donaghu, VP of Create The Future, Emerging Sport and Innovation at Nike, positions the technology as something that “adds movement to your life,” whether that means exploring new routes, extending outdoor time, or making exercise adherence sustainable long-term.

Notice the seamless integration of the drive belt and the sculpted battery cuff in Nike’s official imagery. The ergonomic and aesthetic details set a new standard for wearable robotics.

Inclusive Performance Philosophy

What distinguishes Project Amplify is the user-centered design philosophy behind it. Rather than optimizing performance for competitive runners shaving seconds off race times, Nike explicitly designed for recreational athletes running at a 10-12 minute mile pace. The target users are people who want to extend their walking commutes, run longer without fatigue, or simply make movement feel less intimidating and more fun.

This inclusive approach to performance design updates Nike’s founding ethos for an era where assistive technology can democratize access to movement experiences previously limited by physical capability or conditioning. The development process reflects this commitment to real-world usability, with testing focused on achieving the seamless integration that makes athletes report the system feels like part of their body.

Project Amplify launches alongside three other Nike innovations this October: Air apparel technology in the Therma-FIT Air Milano Jacket, advanced cooling systems in Aero-FIT performance gear, and neuroscience-based footwear designed to promote calm and focus. Still in performance readiness testing, the powered footwear system is being developed in partnership with robotics company Dephy, with broad consumer availability planned for the coming years.

With Project Amplify, Nike lays the groundwork for a new era of accessible, technology-driven movement. Expect follow-ups as the story develops.

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This $78K Tiny House Has Curved Walls & Luxury Most Homes Never Get

Australia’s tiny house movement has found its perfect ambassador in the Harper, a stunning 20-square-meter dwelling that redefines what small-scale living can be. Created by Gold Coast-based Black Clay, this compact home proves that downsizing doesn’t mean downgrading when it comes to style and comfort.

The Harper stretches eight meters long and 2.5 meters wide, built on a robust triple-axle steel trailer designed for full transportability. What immediately strikes visitors is the exterior’s sophisticated blend of curved Decobatten aluminum and Colorbond steel cladding. This combination creates a timber-like aesthetic that demands attention while requiring minimal maintenance.

Designer: Black Clay

Interior Design Excellence

Step inside, and the Harper reveals its true character through carefully selected materials and thoughtful design choices. Architectural birch plywood lines the interior walls, creating warmth against the rich timber oak flooring. The kitchen serves as the home’s centerpiece, occupying 2.5 meters of prime real estate with Caesarstone benchtops and Laminex cabinetry in Porcelain Blush and Coolum Sand finishes that add subtle sophistication.

Living spaces flow naturally throughout the Harper’s interior, with the built-in lounge featuring hidden storage drawers beneath the seating. The bedroom continues the home’s commitment to both comfort and style, incorporating a queen-size bed base with additional storage underneath and subtly curved walls that create an enveloping sanctuary feel. Floor-to-ceiling windows throughout flood the interior with natural light and create seamless connections to the outdoors.

Sustainability and Investment

The bathroom showcases modern design sensibilities with full tiling and a striking concrete basin, while environmental consciousness runs throughout the Harper’s design. Earthwool insulation in walls and ceiling ensures energy efficiency, and full off-grid options cater to those seeking complete energy independence. This sustainability focus aligns with the growing desire for more intentional living that respects environmental boundaries.

Black Clay founders Justin and Rachel have positioned their company around creating “thoughtfully designed tiny homes built for people to enjoy in beautiful environments.” Priced from around US$77,500, the Harper represents a significant investment that delivers luxury finishes and thoughtful design typically associated with much larger homes. The Harper tiny house demonstrates that small-scale living can embody sophistication, comfort, and environmental responsibility, offering a compelling vision of downsized luxury for those ready to embrace intentional living.

The Future of Downsized Living

The Harper’s versatility extends beyond personal use, positioning it perfectly for the growing short-term rental market and luxury retreat sector. Property investors are increasingly recognizing the potential of high-end tiny homes as Airbnb offerings, where guests seek unique accommodations that provide both novelty and comfort.

The Harper’s sophisticated design and premium finishes make it an ideal candidate for such ventures, capable of commanding premium nightly rates while offering guests an immersive experience in minimalist luxury. Its transportable nature also allows owners to relocate their investment to capitalize on seasonal tourism patterns or changing market demands.

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The Construction Zone Transforms A Horse Barn Into A Guest House In Phoenix, Arizona

In the arid heart of Phoenix, Arizona, a once hardworking horse barn has been quietly reborn, a poetic fusion of history and modern design. Reimagined by The Construction Zone, this 750-square-foot guest house is an ode to restraint, light, and material honesty. What was once utilitarian now breathes as a serene desert retreat, proof that thoughtful design can honor the past while creating something entirely new.

Approached through a winding path from the main residence, the guest house emerges as a sculptural volume nestled within the landscape. The journey itself is part of the experience, a slow reveal that ends in an outdoor gathering space defined by a bocce court, a jacuzzi, and native desert flora. The scene feels effortless, yet deeply intentional: a study in proportion, texture, and place.

Designer: The Construction Zone

The architectural language is quiet but confident. A flat roof stretches outward, forming generous overhangs that temper the desert sun while framing long horizontal lines against the open sky. Beneath it, warm Douglas fir eaves run continuously from exterior to interior, creating a seamless ribbon of wood that guides the eye and softens the transition between architecture and nature. It’s this gesture, simple, fluid, and tactile, that anchors the design.

Inside, restraint becomes luxury. The layout is compact, yet feels expansive thanks to full-height, north-facing glass that floods the space with soft desert light. The open plan connects a pared-down kitchen, living area, bedroom, and bath, each space flowing into the next with a quiet rhythm. The material palette is kept minimal: concrete, timber, steel, and glass. Every surface feels deliberate, every junction crisp.

The kitchen exemplifies functional minimalism, sleek cabinetry, essential appliances, and a slender bar table that serves as both dining spot and workspace. Just beyond, the lounge invites stillness: low seating, framed views, and the golden tones of late afternoon light bouncing off concrete and wood.

In the bedroom, a poured concrete wall doubles as the headboard, introducing a sculptural gravitas that contrasts beautifully with the surrounding warmth of timber. The tonal palette, gray, muted red, and honey wood, evokes the desert’s chromatic subtleties, balancing cool industrial precision with natural intimacy.

The bathroom continues this narrative of quiet refinement. Matte gray tiles, a matching concrete vanity, and precise wood detailing keep the mood grounded yet elevated, minimalist, not sterile.

Outside, the transformation feels almost cinematic. The barnyard’s past life lingers only in memory; its present is one of calm sophistication. The bocce court stretches into the horizon, the jacuzzi glimmers under a desert sky, and a curated garden of cacti and succulents completes the sense of place.

This is not just a renovation, it’s an act of design empathy. The Construction Zone has created a dialogue between heritage and modernity, between shelter and openness. By retaining the barn’s essence and reinterpreting its form through contemporary sensibilities, the architects have crafted a living sculpture, one that celebrates the desert not as backdrop, but as collaborator.

What began as a working horse barn now stands as a refined retreat, an architectural meditation on light, texture, and history. By preserving the structure’s spirit and introducing a language of calm modernity, The Construction Zone has definitely created a guest house, but also a living dialogue between past and present, between the rugged desert and the comforts of modern design.

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Axiom RV Vendetta is 47-foot fifth-wheeler that sleeps 12 people in a homely environment

You can be forgiven for not knowing who Axiom RV is. They’re relatively new to the towable RV industry, but their presence is already being felt. Especially with the introduction of the Vendetta, a model designed to set a new standard in fifth wheels and toy haulers through its distinctive design and conceptualization.

The toy hauler market is typically dominated by rugged rigs built for adventurous couples seeking off-the-beaten-path experiences. The Vendetta, however, targets the other end of the spectrum. It’s designed to accommodate larger groups in comfort and style. If you’re a football team planning a camping trip together, this is exactly the kind of experience Axiom RV—founded by three industry veterans—had in mind with their latest offering.

Designer: Axiom RV

What sets the Vendetta apart is not essentially its insignificant clearance from the ground to make it a toy hauler for the days on the unpaved roads, but ideally its mammoth 47-foot real estate that can accommodate up to 12 people without feeling cramped. Based on a triple-axel trailer, the fifth wheeler has a dead weight of roughly 22,000 pounds and is easily the most extravagant camping trailer you can get your eyes on.

This distinction, of course, for most other rigs would start at the exterior or the luxurious interior. For the Vendetta, if I may, it starts at the roof, which has been essentially cleared out of any vents or holes; it’s a clean, new style of roof canvas for the user to explore. The body is made from marine-grade fiberglass with gelcoat, which Axiom proudly highlights, making no use of the unattractive wood or metal. The smooth and interesting finish is also durable. If you have been reading about the trailers and RVs we feature here on the website, you wouldn’t be surprised; most of the new adventure rigs are now employing fiberglass and composite materials in their construction, as Axiom RV boasts.

Once you enter the Vendetta, things really blow up in front of your eyes. The interior is nicely spaced and laid out to feel spacious and capable. And interestingly, the space inside is highlighted by the tall ceiling, which, according to the company, measures 9’10” high. The living area (in the middle) is outfitted with a U-shaped couch with 12 recliners, while the primary bedroom sits in the front of the trailer, and the garage goes into the rear side.  The trailer has four slides to create additional space, along with the convertible living space to sleep up to 12 individuals.

While the solitary bathroom may be a letdown for such a large occupancy, the open spaces, courtesy of a patio and the additional open garage door ramp, provide ample breathing room. Most fascinating still is the Vendetta’s huge rear kitchen. It is packed with extensive storage and large countertop space for homelike cooking on the road. The heating and cooling are catered to by the Mini Split HVAC system and rear-mount generator system, which allows for true pass-through storage. Available in two models: base model V4250 and a higher model V4250SP, priced roughly around $200,000, are provided with an entertainment system with a 65-inch TV, a 170-gallon fresh water tank, a 110-gallon gray water tank, and 200 watts of solar power. There is a range of add-ons that you can look for on the official Axiom website.

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Apple Refused to Make Curved Monitors For Decades. Here’s Why…

Apple will gladly sell you a $3,500 headset that wraps curved virtual displays around your entire field of view, but the company has never once shipped a physical curved display. Not on the iMac. Not on the Studio Display. Not even a subtle waterfall edge on the iPhone. This isn’t an oversight or technical limitation, it’s ideology made manifest in aluminum and glass.

While competitors like Samsung have built entire marketing campaigns around dramatic curved edges and Dell has carved out profitable niches with wraparound gaming monitors, Apple has spent decades systematically avoiding curves with the dedication of a geometry teacher. The result reveals something fascinating about how the world’s most valuable technology company thinks about design, professional workflows, and the fundamental nature of what a display should be.

Image Credits: Sarang Sheth

The Philosophy Behind the Flat

Jony Ive’s design philosophy wasn’t just about minimalism, it was about what he called “truth to materials.” Every curve had to justify its existence through function rather than form. In his worldview, inherited from design mentor Dieter Rams, displays served a singular purpose: presenting information with maximum clarity and minimum distraction. Curves introduced visual complexity that violated this core principle.

This wasn’t mere aesthetic preference but philosophical conviction. When Ive described transforming the iPad Pro from curved to flat edges, he emphasized how engineering advances allowed them to achieve “a very simple straightforward edge detail.” The language reveals everything: simplicity and straightforwardness were virtues, while curves represented unnecessary complexity. For Ive, flat displays weren’t just better designed, they were more honest about their purpose.

When Curves Meant Compromise

Physical curved displays present real-world problems that Apple’s engineering obsessives couldn’t stomach. Curved monitors suffer from geometric distortion near the edges, making straight lines appear bent, a nightmare for professionals working on architectural drawings or precise graphic design. Color accuracy varies across the curved surface as viewing angles change, violating Apple’s commitment to professional-grade color reproduction.

Manufacturing curved panels also means lower yields and higher costs, factors that conflict with Apple’s desire for predictable production economics. More importantly, curved displays complicate internal component layout, thermal management, and the kind of seamless integration that Apple prizes above flashy visual effects. Every curved panel represents engineering compromises that Apple’s teams historically refused to accept.

The Professional Workflow Justification

Apple positioned their displays squarely in professional creative markets where accuracy trumped immersion. Video editors, photographers, and graphic designers need displays that present images exactly as they’ll appear in final output. Even subtle curvature can introduce distortion that makes precision work difficult, particularly when multiple team members need to view the same screen from different angles.

This professional focus also explained Apple’s resistance to gaming-oriented features like high refresh rates until recently. Curved displays were marketed primarily for gaming and entertainment, markets where immersion mattered more than geometric precision. Apple’s customer base of creative professionals had different priorities, and the company built its display strategy around serving those specific needs rather than chasing broader consumer trends.

Virtual Reality Changes Everything

The Vision Pro’s enthusiastic embrace of curved virtual displays exposes the fundamental contradiction in Apple’s anti-curve stance. The latest visionOS update explicitly promotes wraparound displays that “curve around your periphery,” creating immersive experiences that physical displays simply cannot match. Apple actively markets these curved virtual screens as superior to traditional flat displays.

Virtual curvature solves every problem Apple cited with physical curved displays. Software can eliminate geometric distortion through pixel-perfect rendering. Color accuracy remains consistent because the underlying pixels are physically flat. Manufacturing yields become irrelevant because curves exist only in code. Most importantly, users can switch between curved and flat presentations depending on their task, providing the flexibility that rigid physical displays cannot offer.

Ive’s Geometric Obsession

Understanding Apple’s curved display aversion requires understanding Ive’s broader design philosophy, which extended far beyond hardware into software. His push for flat design in iOS 7 represented the same geometric principles applied to digital interfaces. He described the aesthetic as “profound and enduring beauty in simplicity,” explicitly rejecting decorative elements that didn’t serve essential functions.

This geometric obsession influenced every Apple product during Ive’s tenure. The iPhone’s evolution toward increasingly flat surfaces, the MacBook’s elimination of curves wherever possible, and even architectural elements in Apple Stores all reflected this commitment to geometric purity. Curves were acceptable only when they served clear functional purposes, never as decorative flourishes or visual drama.

The Industry’s Curved Rebellion

While Apple maintained its flat display orthodoxy, competitors found success with curved screens across multiple product categories. Samsung’s Galaxy Edge phones created differentiation through dramatic curved edges. Gaming monitor manufacturers like ASUS and MSI built enthusiastic followings with ultrawide curved displays. Even premium TV makers embraced subtle curves to enhance viewing experiences.

The curved display market grew substantially without Apple’s participation, suggesting that consumer demand existed for these products. Professional users began adopting curved ultrawide monitors for tasks like video editing and financial trading, undermining Apple’s argument that curves were incompatible with serious work. The company watched potential revenue streams flow to competitors while maintaining its geometric principles.

What Apple’s Missing (and Why They Don’t Care)

Apple’s curved display absence has cost the company market opportunities in gaming, entertainment, and even some professional segments where immersive displays provide clear benefits. Curved ultrawide monitors have become popular among content creators for timeline-based work, offering advantages that Apple’s flat Studio Display simply cannot match. The company has effectively ceded these markets to maintain design consistency.

Yet Apple seems remarkably unconcerned about these missed opportunities, and their Vision Pro strategy suggests why. The company appears to view curved physical displays as a transitional technology, something to skip entirely in favor of the ultimate curved display: virtual reality. Why compromise with curved glass when you can eventually sell customers infinitely configurable virtual curves instead? It’s a typically Apple approach, waiting to leapfrog an entire product category rather than participate in its incremental evolution.

The contradiction between Apple’s curved virtual displays and flat physical ones isn’t really a contradiction at all. It’s the logical endpoint of a design philosophy that values function over form, professional utility over consumer spectacle, and long-term vision over short-term market participation. Apple didn’t avoid curved displays because they couldn’t make them work. They avoided them because curved glass was never the destination, just a waypoint on the road to curved light.

The post Apple Refused to Make Curved Monitors For Decades. Here’s Why… first appeared on Yanko Design.