There are plenty of reasons to choose a bike for transportation, especially in an urban area. But when you have to pick up groceries or bigger objects, hopping into a car seems a little easier. The Convercycle ($1,340+) is the first two-in-one biking option that is both a city bike and a cargo bike. It's equipped with a Shinamo Nexus 5-speed geared hub, 28-inch wheels, and professional disc brakes, and converts to a cargo bike by simply lifting the back end to extend the frame by rolling out the back tire. It can haul over 130 pounds, and there is an electric option as well that is powered by a 250 W motor with a max speed of 15mph. Made to fit anywhere you go, it's easy to ride, park, and lock at your destination.

The 1982 Commodore 64 is making a comeback. It not an old replica either. The C64 Home Computer ($140) houses its internals inside a full-size keyboard, letting you run any software compatible with the original C64 or Commodore VIC-20. In addition, it includes a Games Carousel mode with a micro-switch joystick and 64 pre-loaded titles. It connects via HDMI to modern monitors and TVs, and has a USB port for software updates and loading your own applications.

Released in 1970, JBL's L100 ($4,000) became a classic both for its sound and its eye-catching design. The L100 Classic is updated with modern components. Behind the removable, iconic Quadrex foam grille sits a 1-inch titanium dome tweeter, a 5-inch pure-pulp cone mid-range driver, and a 12-inch pure-pulp woofer with a bass-reflex enclosure and front-firing port. The result is a speaker that can hold its own against contemporary options, with a design that pairs perfectly with vintage pieces, particularly when paired with the JS-120 stand.

Welcome to the new Playlists on The Collective Loop. The Collective Series 007! Today is Summer and Spring is coming to a slow close. So why not spruce it up with some warmer music. New music by Bearson, Valley, Ayokay and more... I even have the pleasure to give a shout out to JWalt who was nice enough to let me put out one of his tracks Go All In!

If you want to check out any of the other older Playlists then click on TCL Playlists in the menu.


Cover art by: Damion S.

Tracklist

TCL Collective Series 007 from The Collective Loop on 8tracks Radio.

This reprinting of the NASA Graphics Standards Manual ($79) celebrates this outstanding identity system, which was used from 1975 to 1992. Recreated for public use for the first time from the personal copies of the original designers, Richard Danne and Bruce Blackburn, it covers the logo, placement, color schemes, and other design standards that helped capture the imagination of a generation and make the American space agency a lasting, iconic part of our legacy of exploration. Included are scans of Danne's personal copy of the original manual, a forward from Danne, an essay by Christopher Bonanos, reproductions of the original NASA 35mm slide presentation, and scans of the 'Managers Guide', a follow up booklet distributed by NASA. Each copy is individually wrapped in a foil static shield, adding even more nostalgic rocket-age flair to this iconic design reference.

220 pages / 129 Image Plates / 9.5" x 11.5" / Hardcover

The Playdate ($149) is an all-new handheld gaming system, that I'm sure you'll want to get your hands on. It has a 400 × 240 black and white display, a d-pad, A+B buttons, a pause button, and, most interestingly, an analog crank that flips out from the side, providing a completely novel control element. The hardware was built in collaboration with Stockholm-based Teenage Engineering, while the games will be delivered wirelessly once a week. The games will be developed by world-class talent. The system will include the first season (12 weeks) of games and will be available for pre-order later this year, with shipments beginning in 2020.

It was made in the good old USA with a sustainable sourced rift walnut plinth and weighing in at only 11lbs. The U-Turn Orbit Special ($549) is a beautiful centerpiece for any home and audio setup. The turntable not only slick but also takes the sound up a notch, with a clear acrylic platter that provides detailed playback and an external belt drive that eliminates motor noise and ensures speed consistency. Features include an OA2 gimbal tonearm, a cue lever for easy tonearm operation, a built-in pre-amp, and an award-winning Ortofon 2M Red cartridge with an elliptical diamond stylus. The Orbit Special also comes with an AC adapter, RCA cables, a dust cover, a felt mat, and a 2-year warranty from U-Turn

Google has just combined its Nest and Home divisions, creating Google Nest that encompasses all the company's smart home efforts. It does makes sense that their first new product would be a combination of both Google and Nest. The Google Nest Home Max Smart Display ($229) combines elements of the Google Home Max speaker, Google Home Hub display, and Nest Camera into a single package. It has a 10" HD display, a 6.5-megapixel camera, stereo speakers with a dedicated sub-woofer, and Google Assistant built in. Thus it can act as a controller for other smart devices in the house, a video chat station, a speaker, and if you want, a mini TV. Shipping later this summer 2019. Check out more info on Google.

Content and shared content mostly comes in vertical form which makes it a little more difficult for horizontal screens. Samsung has an T.V. that can solve that problem. Samsung aims to fix this with the Sero ($1,600). This 43-inch QLED display sits on a floor stand that allows it to rotate from horizontal to vertical as needed. NFC makes beaming content from a phone or tablet simple, and built-in 4.1-channel, 60W speakers provide surprisingly robust sound. It launches exclusively in South Korea this May. Would you want one of these T.V.'s?