MUJI Splash-Proof Smartphone Speaker

Enjoy some tunes at the pool or a podcast in the tub with a water-resistent audio player

Japanese design powerhouse MUJI has released a new water-resistant speaker for your smartphone. Though this is an entirely new design, MUJI is far from a newcomer to the world of practical audio equipment. Back in 2000, Naoto Fukasawa designed the iconic wall mounted CD player, which is still a mainstay of MUJI’s collection. It has even found a home in MoMA’s permanent collection and last …

Evans Wadongo: MwangaBora Lamp

A charitable exhibition in NYC showcases the Kenyan engineer's innovative solar lamp

In 2004 at the tender age of 19, Evans Wadongo took it upon himself to create an alternative to the unhealthy and often dangerous kerosene lamps and firelights used by villages like his in rural Africa. The enterprising Kenyan engineer developed the MwangaBora lamp, a fume-less light source made of 50% recycled materials that has since been widely distributed throughout the countrysides of Kenya and …

Ricoh GR

Testing out the sublimely capable, surprisingly minimal compact camera

Few cameras command the sort of cult attention that follows the Ricoh GR. With four digital versions to date, the fifth—announced today and simply named the GR—looks only to enshrine this status. The advanced compact category is full of point-and-shoots that come in around the $900 mark, with nearly every major manufacturer hoping to find a holy grail model that will marry portability and performance. …