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BMW Motorrad Vision CE brings a fresh spin to urban mobility with helmet-free safety

BMW Motorrad has been at the forefront of innovative designs that hold an exciting future-forward appeal. The motorcycle division of the German automaker has unveiled yet another prototype targeted towards the more modern riders who like freedom of exhilarating rides without having to worry about safety.

The Vision CE concept, to be revealed at the IAA Mobility 2025 show in Munich, offers a striking reinterpretation of urban electric two-wheel mobility that blends safety, freedom, and forward-looking design. The goal of this design is to elevate the daily commute into something more effortless and personal while moving beyond the conventions of traditional scooters.

Designer: BMW Motorrad

Central to the Vision CE is its standout safety system. A lightweight tubular-steel “cage” surrounds the rider, working in tandem with a sculpted seat and integrated seatbelt. This combination provides a protective framework that eliminates the conventional reliance on helmets or heavy riding gear, creating a more relaxed experience without compromising rider safety. The overall look is unmistakably futuristic. Its elongated wheelbase and low roofline give it a streamlined stance, while the open cage maintains a sense of lightness and openness. The body design plays with contrast, using matte white and black surfaces accented with subtle neon-red highlights and exposing the aluminum details. The result is a machine that feels both minimal and highly technical.

Functionality plays an equally important role in this vision. A self-balancing system keeps the scooter upright when stationary, removing the need for a kickstand and adding ease of use in stop-and-go traffic. The cage is also designed to be modular, enabling riders to add accessories such as windshields, storage modules, or additional lighting, tailoring the scooter to individual lifestyles and commuting needs. Performance-wise, the Vision CE is rooted in the proven platform of BMW’s CE 04 electric scooter. The CE 04 delivers about 42 horsepower, sprints from 0–31 mph in 2.6 seconds, and offers a range of up to 80 miles, making it highly suitable for city environments. While the added cage may slightly alter weight and efficiency, the trade-off leans toward comfort and safety in urban travel.

The concept also carries echoes of BMW’s past innovations, specifically the early-2000s C1 scooter. Like the C1, the Vision CE leverages an integrated safety cell and belt system to justify helmet-free riding in certain contexts. Yet BMW has updated this formula with a lighter, more open structure and the benefits of modern electric mobility, signaling a more practical and stylish evolution of the idea. BMW has not yet confirmed if the Vision CE will see production, but its connection to the CE family suggests that elements of its design and engineering could inform future models. Considering the CE 04’s success as a class leader and the growing popularity of the CE 02, BMW appears committed to broadening its approach to urban mobility. The Vision CE feels less like a typical scooter and more like a lifestyle statement, blending efficiency with expressive design for the modern riders.

The post BMW Motorrad Vision CE brings a fresh spin to urban mobility with helmet-free safety first appeared on Yanko Design.

Are These Gold-Plated Headphones the Ultimate Flex or Just Unnecessary?

Sometimes a product crosses my feed that feels less like a piece of consumer technology and more like an artifact from a slightly wealthier, parallel universe. The Erzetich Charybdis Gold headphones are exactly that. At first glance, they look like something a pharaoh would wear while listening to lossless audio files of ancient hymns. This is pure, unapologetic extravagance, a statement piece that just happens to play music. Erzetich is making only 20 of these gold-plated behemoths, ensuring their status as an instant collector’s item for the kind of person who finds regular flagship audio gear a bit too pedestrian. This is the headphone equivalent of a diamond-encrusted supercar; its primary function is to exist beautifully and exclusively.

The gold finish is pure spectacle, a brilliant bit of theater for the audiophile world. The real substance, the engineering that justifies its existence beyond being a shiny object, is the technology humming beneath that gilded surface. Erzetich built its reputation on sonic performance, not just looks. The Charybdis Gold houses planar magnetic drivers, a term that makes audio nerds nod in serious approval while leaving everyone else looking for a dictionary. This technology is the engine, the very heart of why these headphones command such respect and a high price tag. It makes the gold plating a very expensive and very deliberate cherry on top of a seriously impressive cake.

Designer: Ezretich

This kind of driver operates on a completely different principle than the tiny cone speakers found in most consumer headphones. Instead of a piston-like cone pushing air, a planar magnetic driver uses an incredibly thin, almost weightless diaphragm etched with a conductive circuit, all suspended between an array of powerful magnets. When the audio signal hits, the entire diaphragm moves in unison, producing sound with astonishing speed and minimal distortion. The result is a level of clarity and detail that can feel revelatory, revealing layers and textures in familiar songs that were previously lost in the mix. It is a fundamentally more precise way to turn electricity into sound waves.

That brilliant gold exterior is applied over a serious foundation of CNC-milled aluminum. This material choice is all about acoustic engineering. Aluminum is dense and rigid, meaning the earcups themselves do not vibrate or resonate undesirably, which in turn keeps the sound pure and uncolored by the housing. This meticulous construction contributes to the headphones’ considerable weight, but it is a necessary trade-off for achieving sonic integrity. Erzetich balanced this heft with carefully considered ergonomics, ensuring that while you certainly feel the substance of the materials, the fit remains comfortable for dedicated listening sessions. The entire object feels less like an electronic device and more like a precision instrument.

All this engineering culminates in a sound that is both technically brilliant and genuinely engaging. The Charybdis is known for delivering a powerful, punchy bass response that many other planar headphones struggle to achieve, giving music a visceral sense of impact. They still maintain that wide, detailed soundstage and natural midrange that audiophiles expect from top-tier gear. To get this performance, however, you need serious power. With an impedance of 43 ohms, these headphones demand a dedicated, high-quality amplifier to truly sing; you cannot just plug them into your phone and expect magic. This is specialized equipment for a specialized listener, a final statement that combines bleeding-edge audio with uncompromising luxury.

Key Information: Erzetich Charybdis Gold Planar Magnetic Headphones

Model name: Erzetich Charybdis Gold
Limited edition: Only 20 sets produced
Exterior: Gold-plated CNC-milled aluminum earcups
Driver type: Planar magnetic
Sound signature: Wide soundstage, detailed audio, punchy and controlled bass, natural midrange
Impedance: 43 ohms
Amp requirements: Requires a powerful, preferably balanced amplifier for optimal performance
Comfort: Heavy but ergonomically designed with plush pads for extended listening
Target audience: Audiophiles and collectors seeking high-end sound and luxury design
Price range: Standard model around €3000 ($3497 USD); Gold edition expected to be higher

The post Are These Gold-Plated Headphones the Ultimate Flex or Just Unnecessary? first appeared on Yanko Design.

Two new LEGO Nike sets rise up for slam dunk, fans gear up to build their own court victory

We never expected it to be any different, but the LEGO x Nike collaboration is really raining kicks, bricks, and a whole lot of fan love. It all started with the fully co-branded Nike Dunk x LEGO Set, an inspiring creation that celebrates imagination, sneaker culture, and the spirit of basketball. That breathtaking moment was never meant to be the end. Now, two more LEGO x Nike sets have dropped, and if you’re in a place where basketball, Nike, and LEGO are loved year-round, these are absolute no-brainers.

Unveiled on September 1, 2025, these include the Nike Slam Dunk and the Nike Dunk Trickshot. The former comprises a scene depicting a basketball player at the culmination of a layup, all stretched into the air right in the midst of the action to perform a dunk. Made entirely of LEGO, the player has plenty of articulation, allowing it to be configured in several poses. Second on the launch list is the Trickshot set, which is one of the most economical LEGO Nike collaborations sets featuring a Nike Dunk in St John’s colorway. Reaching out of the Dunk is a minifig in a hoodie and cap, which seems ready to catapult out of the sneaker and launch straight for the basket.

Designer: Nike x LEGO

The Nike Slam Dunk

The Nike Slam Dunk set, priced at £59.99 (roughly 80 bucks in the US), features a picture-worthy dunk pulled off by the brick-man. The basketball star figure, complete with posable arms and head, also features a hope (he is going for), a scoreboard below, and a championship banner hanging right underneath it. The spectators, of course, would have gone unnoticed in the frame if I hadn’t mentioned them here.

The entire set contains 809 pieces and is recommended for kids aged 10 and above. Once put together with your own choice of customizations of the player’s hairstyle, Nike jersey, and trainers, you can have it up on the display wall to show off the build and your love for the game. Nike Slam Dunk set measures over 37 cm (14.5 in.) high, 25 cm (10 in.) wide, and 14 cm (5.5 in.) deep, just so that you know where you can host it.

Nike Dunk Trickshot

Nike Dunk Trickshot will just cost you £34.99 (approx. $45), but presents all basketball fans with a cool sports scene they can build to execute the trickshot. The set comprises only 454 pieces, so it’s, of course, not the most detailed build, essentially also because it is targeted at kids. Also, for kids of 10 years and above, the sporty scene allows users to start with building the graffiti backdrop first and then get to building the basketball hoop and the low-top Nike Dunk in its original red colourway.

Measuring over 16 cm (6 in.) high, 17 cm (7 in.) wide, and 13 cm (5 in.) deep, The Dunk features a propeller and a LEGO basketball player minifigure in it simulating a dunking action. The minifig comes with a set of customizable heads and hoodies. The instructions to build both the mentioned sets are available on the LEGO Builder app, just in case the basketball fan in you cannot figure out the LEGO bricks in order.

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Light installation at Burning Man plays around with spatial design

At the heart of Burning Man 2025, a striking new installation is redefining what’s possible in art, technology, and immersive environments. “The Point of Unity,” created by Ukrainian light designer and artist Mykola Kabluka, has quickly become one of the most talked-about highlights of the festival. This innovative work is not just a visual marvel; it is a multisensory experience that invites visitors to contemplate their place in the universe.

Standing amid the Nevada desert, The Point of Unity is a gleaming, futuristic sculpture built from advanced mirror surfaces with anti-glare coatings. Its engineering is a feat in itself. Kabluka’s original methodology arranges these reflective panels in a way that gives the illusion of the sky both above and below, creating a sense of infinite space and rooting the sky to the earth. Adaptive lighting responds to natural changes in daylight, while specially developed optical elements enhance the reflection effect, making every moment at the installation unique.

Designer Name: Mykola Kabluka

But the installation is more than a showcase of optical wizardry. It is also a meditative space designed to foster a sense of unity between the sky and the ground, humans and nature, and the present and the future. Visitors are encouraged to pause, reflect, and feel a deeper sense of connection, not just with their environment but with each other. The experience is tailored to spark moments of wonder and introspection, reminding us that every positive change in the world begins with a single person.

Resilience is at the core of The Point of Unity’s design. Built to withstand the harsh elements of the Nevada desert, the sculpture uses corrosion-resistant alloys, special polymer coatings, and anodized high-grade aluminum combined with reflective sand. This thoughtful material palette ensures the installation remains both beautiful and functional despite intense UV radiation, sandstorms, and dramatic temperature swings. Its modular construction allows it to be assembled in just four days and disassembled in one and a half, while an autonomous solar-powered system provides sustainable energy.

After Burning Man, Kabluka’s team plans to transport The Point of Unity to Ukraine, where it will be installed for public viewing in a location that matches its symbolism and spirit. This will allow even more people to experience its unique blend of cutting-edge technology and contemplative artistry. The Point of Unity stands as a beacon for the future of spatial design, offering a glimpse into how art and technology can come together to inspire, connect, and transform.

The post Light installation at Burning Man plays around with spatial design first appeared on Yanko Design.

Keycap-shaped Laptop Concept Channels Lofree’s Retro Charm

There’s something undeniably satisfying about the tactile click of a well-made mechanical keyboard, isn’t there? Lofree has built an entire brand around that feeling, creating retro-inspired keyboards that make typing feel like an event rather than a chore. Their warm color palettes and rounded keycaps have spawned countless desk setup photos and a devoted following among aesthetics enthusiasts who appreciate when technology feels genuinely delightful to use every single day.

Designer Taeyoung Kim apparently shares that appreciation and wondered what would happen if you took Lofree’s design language and applied it to an entire laptop computer. This independent concept design, which has no official connection to the Lofree brand whatsoever, imagines a portable computer that looks and feels like a giant mechanical keycap brought to life. The result is both whimsical and surprisingly thoughtful, challenging our assumptions about what a laptop should look like in today’s market.

Designer: Taeyoung Kim

The concept laptop’s most striking feature is its overall form, which mimics the soft, rounded corners and slightly recessed top surface of a mechanical keyboard keycap with remarkable attention to detail. The designer chose a warm gray body with matte black bezels and orange accents, directly referencing Lofree’s most popular colorways while creating something that feels both nostalgic and contemporary. The matte finish and proposed materials, including ABS, PET, and rubber, would provide the same tactile satisfaction that makes mechanical keyboards so appealing.

What makes this concept particularly clever is the thoughtful details that show the designer really considered how such a device might actually work in real-world scenarios. The mini touchbar is positioned to the right of the keyboard rather than above it, reducing accidental touches while keeping quick controls easily accessible during typing sessions. Above the keyboard sits a speaker grille designed to display branding, adding visual interest while serving a functional purpose that enhances the overall aesthetic appeal.

The keyboard itself features 4mm-high keycaps for that satisfying mechanical feel that enthusiasts crave, while Touch ID gets relocated near the arrow keys for more natural finger placement during extended typing sessions. A rotary knob handles volume control with the kind of tactile feedback that makes adjustments feel intentional rather than accidental. These details demonstrate how the designer thought beyond surface aesthetics to consider actual user experience and daily interaction patterns with the device.

The target audience for this imagined device feels perfectly clear from the concept presentation and accompanying mood boards: people who view their workspace as an extension of their personality and appreciate products that spark joy. These are the users who carefully curate their desk setups, frequent aesthetic cafes, and understand that sometimes the best technology is the kind that makes you smile when you use it. They value personalization and believe their tools should reflect their individual taste and style preferences.

While this laptop will likely never exist beyond these beautiful renderings and detailed sketches, concepts like this serve an important purpose in pushing both designers and users to reconsider what’s possible. The idea that a laptop could be playful, tactile, and genuinely fun to interact with feels refreshing in a market dominated by sleek but impersonal glass and aluminum rectangles that prioritize thinness over character and personality.

Sometimes the most valuable design work happens in the realm of pure speculation, where creators can explore ideas without the constraints of manufacturing costs, market research, or corporate approval processes that typically limit innovation. This keycap laptop concept reminds us that technology doesn’t always have to be serious to be sophisticated, and that there’s real value in designs that prioritize delight alongside pure functionality.

The post Keycap-shaped Laptop Concept Channels Lofree’s Retro Charm first appeared on Yanko Design.

Hisense 116UX RGB Mini-LED TV Becomes First Consumer Display with Dolby Vision 2 Technology

Living rooms have long suffered from a persistent problem: dark movie scenes that leave viewers squinting at murky shadows, adjusting brightness settings, and missing crucial visual details. Even premium TVs with impressive specifications often fail to deliver the director’s intended vision when ambient light interferes with on-screen content. This disconnect between creative intent and home viewing reality has frustrated both filmmakers and audiences for years. The issue stems from fundamental limitations in how traditional display technologies process and adapt HDR content to real-world viewing environments.

Designers: Dolby + Hisense

That changes with the introduction of Dolby Vision 2, which debuts on the Hisense 116UX RGB Mini-LED TV. Dolby announced this breakthrough technology, positioning it as a solution…to the most common viewing complaints while maintaining artistic integrity. The 116UX becomes the first consumer television to feature this advanced HDR processing, combining Hisense’s proprietary RGB Mini-LED backlighting with Dolby’s most sophisticated image engine to date.

Advanced RGB Mini-LED Technology Meets Advanced HDR Processing

The Hisense 116UX stands apart from conventional Mini-LED displays through its use of individually controlled red, green, and blue LEDs instead of traditional white LEDs with color filters. This RGB Mini-LED approach delivers 95% coverage of the BT.2020 color space, surpassing most OLED displays in color accuracy while achieving peak brightness levels up to 10,000 nits. The massive 116-inch screen incorporates thousands of independent RGB zones that provide precise local dimming control at both the individual LED level and cluster level.

Dolby Vision 2 introduces Content Intelligence, a system that automatically optimizes picture quality based on both the content being displayed and the viewing environment. The technology addresses three critical areas that have historically challenged home viewers. Precision Black enhances clarity in dark scenes without compromising artistic intent, making shadow details visible even in bright rooms. Light Sense uses advanced ambient light detection combined with reference data from content sources to fine-tune the display for optimal viewing conditions. Sports and Gaming Optimization provides specialized enhancements including white point adjustments and motion control designed specifically for fast-moving content.

The combination creates a viewing experience that adapts intelligently to circumstances while preserving the creator’s original vision. Where traditional HDR often forces viewers to choose between accurate colors and visible detail in challenging lighting conditions, Dolby Vision 2 eliminates this compromise through bi-directional tone mapping that takes full advantage of modern display capabilities.

Authentic Motion Control Addresses Cinema Quality Concerns

Dolby Vision 2 expands beyond traditional HDR processing to include Authentic Motion, described as the world’s first creative-driven motion control tool. This technology addresses the artificial “soap opera effect” that makes cinematic content appear unnaturally smooth by preserving the director’s intended motion aesthetic while eliminating visual artifacts. The system operates on a shot-by-shot basis, ensuring that fast-paced action sequences maintain clarity without introducing unwanted smoothness that undermines the cinematic experience.

For sports content, the optimization provides enhanced color accuracy and motion clarity that keeps fast-moving action sharp and vibrant. Gaming receives similar treatment with specialized processing designed to meet the performance requirements of interactive entertainment while maintaining low input lag for competitive play.

The Hi-View AI Engine X powers these advanced processing capabilities, utilizing artificial intelligence to make real-time adjustments that optimize every frame for the specific display capabilities and viewing environment. This represents a significant advancement over static HDR implementations that apply uniform processing regardless of content type or viewing conditions.

Industry Partnership Launches Premium Display Era

Hisense partners with MediaTek to implement Dolby Vision 2 through the Pentonic 800 processor with MiraVision Pro PQ Engine, marking the first silicon chip designed specifically to integrate this advanced HDR technology. This dedicated hardware approach ensures complex processing algorithms operate without impacting overall TV performance or introducing latency that could affect gaming or interactive content.

According to Sonny Ming, GM of Hisense TV Product Marketing, “Dolby Vision 2 jointly with Hisense RGB Mini-LED Technology can deliver dramatically astonishing picture and increase the potential of TVs with ultra-wide color and ultra-high brightness, which haven’t been possible until today.” The combination addresses limitations that have prevented displays from fully utilizing their hardware capabilities, particularly in challenging viewing environments.

CANAL+ joins as the first media and entertainment group committed to supporting Dolby Vision 2 across its content lineup, from movies and TV shows to live sports. This partnership ensures viewers will have access to optimized content that takes full advantage of the new technology’s capabilities. As Stéphane Baumier, Chief Technology Officer of CANAL+, explains, “With the launch of Dolby Vision 2 across movies, series, and live sports, that experience reaches breathtaking new heights.”

Two-Tier Strategy Addresses Different Market Segments

Dolby Vision 2 launches in two configurations designed to serve different consumer segments and display capabilities. Dolby Vision 2 Max targets high-end displays like the 116UX, delivering premium features that utilize the full capabilities of advanced RGB Mini-LED technology, extreme brightness levels, and wide color gamuts. The standard Dolby Vision 2 tier brings core next-generation capabilities to mainstream TVs through the new Dolby Image Engine and Content Intelligence features.

This approach ensures that fundamental improvements in dark scene visibility and environmental adaptation reach a broader audience while allowing flagship displays to showcase the technology’s complete potential. Both tiers share the same underlying technology foundation, providing consistent quality improvements across different price points while maximizing the capabilities of modern TV hardware.

Real-World Impact: Building on Proven Excellence

The potential of Dolby Vision 2 becomes even more compelling when considering the already impressive performance of Hisense’s current large-screen offerings. Having reviewed the 100-inch Hisense U8QG for Yanko Design, the transformative power of truly large displays is evident. That 100-inch model delivered exceptional 5,000 nits peak brightness and over 5,000 local dimming zones, creating genuinely cinematic experiences that transformed both sports viewing and movie watching in challenging lighting conditions.

The U8QG’s anti-glare coating performed admirably in bright environments, minimizing reflections during daytime viewing while maintaining vibrant contrast and bold brightness. The 4.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos audio system eliminated the need for external speakers in most scenarios, creating an immersive viewing experience that held its own even in daylight conditions. These capabilities provided a foundation that demonstrates what becomes possible when display hardware reaches sufficient scale and sophistication.

With Dolby Vision 2, these already impressive large-screen experiences would reach new heights through intelligent adaptation. The Content Intelligence system would automatically optimize the display based on both content type and viewing environment, eliminating the manual adjustments often required to achieve optimal picture quality in varying lighting conditions. Where the U8QG already excelled at maintaining visibility in bright rooms, Dolby Vision 2’s Precision Black and Light Sense features would ensure that dark scene details remain crystal clear without compromising the creator’s artistic intent.

The 116UX’s RGB Mini-LED technology, combined with Dolby Vision 2’s advanced processing, addresses the fundamental challenge of delivering consistent quality across different content types and viewing scenarios. Sports content would benefit from specialized white point adjustments and motion control, while gaming would receive optimization designed specifically for interactive entertainment. The Authentic Motion feature would preserve the cinematic quality of films while eliminating the artificial smoothness that often undermines the viewing experience.

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