Tag Magic

8 years ago, Apple (helmed by Jony Ive) committed one of design’s biggest cardinal sins by taking a hatched to product usability. Sounds a little extreme, but ask anyone about Apple’s biggest design flaw and they’ll probably tell you how the Magic Mouse needs to be flipped over to charge, thus rendering it absolutely unusable. The flaw is so hilariously bad that most people even overlook the fact that the Magic Mouse is the least ergonomic mouse to begin with. Its ultra-sleek design is perfect for slipping into laptop bags, but it’s a nightmare for anyone with carpal tunnel, and even generally, makes for a horrible gripping experience (resulting in people designing pretty clever ergonomic grips for the Magic Mouse).

Many a DIY-er has tried fixing both the ergonomic and charging problems, but failed at the latter… but Ivan Kuleshov thinks he may have finally cracked the code. His solution? A redesigned shell for the Magic Mouse that doesn’t just fix the infamous charging issue but also enhances its ergonomic feel. The new design allows for upright charging through a USB-C port, a simple yet effective fix that Apple seemingly overlooked.

Designer: Ivan Kuleshov

Kuleshov’s design does the unthinkable – lets you use your Magic Mouse while charging it. Apple apparently engineered a failsafe into its mouse that disabled usage during charging (something that designer Matt Benedetto figured out the hard way), but Kuleshov’s solution circumvents that by technically ‘hacking’ the mouse.

The journey wasn’t straightforward. Existing 3D models of the Magic Mouse fell short, pushing Kuleshov to adjust the enclosure shape by eye, iterating through multiple prints and adjustments. This process epitomized the trial-and-error spirit inherent in DIY projects. He crafted a frame-adapter for the upper part of the mouse in just four iterations, meticulously designed to extend the original mount. This adaptation allowed for a spring and an offset lever to press the button, integrating seamlessly with the mouse’s design.

Kuleshov didn’t stop at mere design modifications. He tackled the electrical challenge head-on, soldering a TP4056 directly to the battery outputs, ensuring the mouse continued to work while charging. This modification enabled the mouse to bypass Apple’s standard charging protocol, a nifty workaround to a long-standing problem​.

After numerous trials, Kuleshov finally achieved the ideal enclosure shape. It charges the battery directly, and despite its increased size, the mouse’s sensor still makes contact with the table, ensuring precise movement. Kuleshov labels it as “the world’s first ergonomic Magic Mouse without any flaws,” and while this might be a bold statement (given its slightly bulky appearance), it seems to be a significant improvement from a practical standpoint.

Kuleshov took to Twitter (or whatever Musk wants you to call it) to showcase his rather complicated but functional redesign. The internet’s consensus seems mixed, but with everyone on the same page. While most people are marveling at this new modification, calling it a truly “magical” mouse, others are applauding Kuleshov’s ingenuity while also commenting on the fact that this level of ‘hacking’ was even necessary to undo a simple problem that Apple seemingly engineered on purpose into their product. To make things better, Kuleshov has made his entire project open-source and tinkerers can download the files on GitHub to modify their own Magic Mice…

I hacked the Magic Mouse.
And created the world’s first ergonomic Magic Mouse with no weaknesses.
Yes, you can charge it via USB-C right while you’re working!
More details + demo in the thread pic.twitter.com/lxvCXArZdG

— Ivan Kuleshov (@Merocle) November 16, 2023

Passive RFID tags, like the ones attached to products in stores for easy checkout, are generally manufactured using a mixture of metal and circuitry to form the tag’s primary parts: a microchip and an equally microscopic antenna. These bits work together to store and communicate information to a nearby RFID reader, and they’re decently cheap to mass-produce, only costing around $0.10 in materials per tag (according to the IAITAM in 2021).

Still, the gross cost of mining and producing large quantities of metal and circuitry components adds up over time, and due to the nature of those materials, regular passive RFID tags have nowhere to go — well, other than the trash bin — once they’re pulled off of the products they’re designed to protect.

According to PulpaTronics, the developer of a revolutionary all-upcycled paper RFID tag design, over 12 billion RFID tags are manufactured per year, often for single-use purposes, after which they end up in landfills. Founded by a group of four students at the Imperial College London’s Dyson School of Design Engineering, the PulpaTronics team is already making waves  (and winning multiple awards in sustainable design) for their ingenious paper RFID tag design, which eliminates metal from the manufacturing process entirely.

Designer: Chloe So, Barna Soma Biro, Rui Ma, Jingyan Chen (via PulpaTronics)

PulpaTronics’ all-paper RFID tags store information geometrically, using a laser to imprint a “conductive layer of carbon material” directly onto paper materials upcycled from the recycling bin and from the trash. According to the James Dyson Award organization, the team also experimented with other materials, like wood and cork, before ultimately landing on paper. What resulted is an RFID tag design that is twice as cheap to mass-produce as other RFID tags.

What’s interesting about this design is how the team was able to create each part of the RFID tag, including antennae, without any metal whatsoever — once again, it’s all just paper with a little bit of carbon sketched on top — and the geometric shape of the carbon layer is what gives the RFID tag design its conductivity and its ability to transmit information to a nearby reader.

If PulpaTronics’ new tag design goes into mass-production, that could apparently save “20,000,000 kilograms of CO2 annually” per 100,000 items using the design. In any case, this is a sizable win for sustainable engineering — further proving that it’s possible to replace metal and other scarce and non-degradable materials with alternatives.

Since its foundation in 1976, Apple has always been at the peak of modern innovation! And let’s take a moment to appreciate all the awesome products and inspiration Apple has provided us with. The groundbreaking tech giant never fails to surprise us, we always find ourselves biting our nails and squirming with curiosity, whenever Apple announces a new product launch! Needless to say, we all have our favorite Apple products, and although they are pretty amazing as is, it’s always fun to amp them up further with some cool and innovative accessories. And, we’ve curated a collection of unique and super functional accessories for your valuable devices – from an ergonomic accessory for your Magic Mouse to a triple docking station by Satechi for your MacBook.

1. The MouseBase

Called the MouseBase, this cute-looking add-on is designed to be the ultimate accessory to your Magic Mouse (v2). It fits your Magic Mouse (v2) perfectly, providing it with a more ergonomic + comfortable design. It allows you to plug the Magic Mouse without any moving parts, adhesives, or screws, offering you a comfier right-handed drip, that lets you intuitively grab and maneuver the mouse.

2. The UPRO Ostand Case

The UPRO Ostand case is an innovative accessory designed to provide your iPhone’s MagSafe feature with a bunch of uber-cool upgrades, such as the ability to make your phone stand, hang, or stay securely in your hands as you click a selfie or scroll through Instagram. The UPRO Ostand case won the iF Design Award but gives your everyday iPhone cases a refreshing upgrade.

3. The G-CUBE

The G-CUBE features a magnetic snap-own design that provides your AirPods with a refreshing new makeover in mere seconds. The G-CUBE both protects and highlights your AirPods Pro Case, owing to the luminous ring around it that glows in the dark, and a lanyard hole that lets you hang your AirPods case around your neck as if it were a fashion accessory.

4. AirTag Carabiners

Ditch your boring old standard metal carabiners, and get yourself these innovative AirTag Carabiners. Each piece is precision-made from metal, meticulously handcrafted to offer you superior durability – they aren’t just products of the melted metal casing. Manufacturing conditions must be taken into consideration, hence slight variations may occur, ensuring that each piece is a unique edition.

5. Y24 Apple Watch Cases

Designed by Y24, this collection of Apple Watch cases is a price-friendly collection inspired by the lifestyle of Tokyo, and truly this echoes in the cool vibe each of them possesses. Y24’s cases are specially designed to uplift the young generation’s style for a unique and innovative identity without compromising on or sacrificing Apple’s originality.

6. Satechi Triple 4K Docking Station

Called the Triple 4K Docking Station, this accessory by Satechi is designed to expand the limitations of the Mac. Launched in time for the 15-inch MacBook Air, the accessory is great for the M1 which is limited to a single monitor, or even the M2 which can be extended to two screens. The dock helps to bypass the inherent limitations of the MacBook.

7. NASA-themed Apple Watch Straps

MobyFox’s Apple Watch straps feature seven different NASA-approved designs to choose from, along with 20+ watch faces to match. The straps are crafted from sweat and UV-resistant silicone, and feature a large range of graphical elements surrounding NASA’s rebranding over the ages and the iconic meatball and worm logo styles. The strap-loop also has the year 1953 printed on it, which marks the day NASA was founded.

8. The Apple Watch Pillbox

The Apple Watch Pillbox is designed as a simple silicone strap and sleeve that can be swiftly attached to your Apple Watch. It offers a tiny pill container right underneath the watch body, allowing you to easily store and carry your medications with you wherever you go. Since you will be almost always wearing your watch, the chances of you forgetting to carry and consume your meds are significantly lowered!

9. Ice Speed Freezemat Magsafe Wireless Charger

The “Ice Speed Freezemat MagSafe Wireless Charger” is an innovative Apple accessory that utilizes a really interesting method to dissipate heat, keeping the innards at optimum temperature during gaming or fast charging rituals. Made from aviation-grade cooling material, the Freezemat is equipped with a unique cooling mechanism inspired by the way the human body sweats to dissipate heat.

10. The Air Case 2

The Air Case 2 is the second iteration of the Air Case by the Running Guy. The unique-looking Air Case 2 features a bloated textured pattern, that really complements Apple’s upcoming iPhone 15 quite well. The case is designed to not only be a fashion statement but also to provide all-around protection to your valuable smartphone.