Make memories, keep them

I’ll be completely honest: I can’t recall the last time I held art materials for a creative workshop. Living in a digital world today, it’s been quite a while for sure.

I do write greeting cards for my partner every month — a habit I’ve had from way back and a way of keeping the old school tradition alive at the same time.

So HP inviting us for a hands-on workshop proved to be a welcome “throwback” as it brought us “back to school” for an afternoon arts-and-crafts session.

The HP INKredible Learning Day collaborated with visual artist and storyteller Geloy Concepcion, a photographer known for expressing thoughts through the creative use of images and other elements.

HP Smart Tank 580

At the heart of the event is the HP Smart Tank 580 printer, which helped reproduce high-quality HP Printables made exclusively available for the participants during the day.

Think of these as activity sheets, as if I really went back to school for art class. Coincidentally, I was part of my elementary school’s art club about two decades ago. DIY-ing stuff for journals, diaries, or just for displaying on a desk has been my thing.

Funny enough, we were handed out these plastic envelopes with sheets of paper, crayons, and more materials. It’s like completely going back to the first day of school and making sure all your stuff is complete.

Anyway, the four sheets each had a theme: To-Do List, My Family, How Are You Feeling, and Concepcion’s “Bad Days Are Temporary” artwork.

The cost-efficient, high-performance printer quickly prints the sheets, and users are assured of high-quality detail. That’s as the Smart Tank 580 is designed for such purposes and even small businesses that require high-volume printing.

I personally think they’re a great fit for schools for reproducing quizzes or short activities especially for the lower levels.

With crayons and colored markers, participants all had their take on the sheets, adding life and their own personal identities on each.

Make memories, keep them

With the right devices at home, you can definitely turn digital memories and even just everyday creative ideas into tangible forms.

Especially in this era, it’s easy to overlook photos that we have on our phones. Ironically, our handsets’ storage spaces fill up fast, but after a few years or so, we usually either lose such media.

So what Concepcion is also trying to get across is if there is the opportunity to turn these moments into tangible print-outs we can always look back at, then that would be better. It’s how the world has been anyway since the invention of the camera.

We all brought home the sheets, some art materials, and even a personalized postcard only available for those in attendance.

Today, Nothing launched the Phone (4b). The new smartphone isn’t the only star sharing the spotlight, though. The iconic brand has also launched the Ear (3a).

A follow up to the brand’s earbuds lineup, the Ear (3a) packs in a lot of features in so small a device. For one, the earbuds have a bigger 12mm custom driver. Nothing says that this results in a punchier bass and a unique sound signature. Naturally, it supports Hi-Res audio playback.

For noise cancellation, the Ear (3a) comes with three mics to filter out background noise. It can reach up to 45dB of active noise cancellation. Additionally, it can amplify your voice for much clearer calls.

The Ear (3a) adds the same functionalities as the Essential Button. A pinch on the stem lets the earbuds record up to 32MB of audio natively. Plus, the new Audio Snapshot can rewind and clip up to 30 seconds of media. Finally, you can record up to two hours of a single phone call.

For its battery, the earbuds tout up to 42 hours of playback on a single charge. Plus, a five-minute charge is enough to power the earbuds by up to an hour.

Connectivity is also seamless with Bluetooth 6.0 support. The earbuds can keep themselves connected even in crowded locations.

Finally, the earbuds also boast durability with IP54 water and dust resistance. Nothing also tested the case by opening and closing it 20,000 times.

The Ear (3a) comes in black, white, pink, and yellow. It retails for US$ 99.

Most brand collaborations usually lean on one thing: aesthetics.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing. If you’re already a fan of the franchise, seeing your favorite character on something you use every day is reason enough to pick it up.

The UGREEN x Honkai: Star Rail collection certainly delivers on that front. Inspired by Yao Guang, each accessory gets a distinct look without sacrificing the clean, minimalist design UGREEN is known for.

After spending some time with the collection, however, another idea stood out.

Rather than treating each accessory as a standalone product, the lineup makes the most sense as a complete charging kit.

Built around everyday carry

Inside the limited-edition gift box are four of UGREEN’s everyday essentials: the MagFlow Air Magnetic Power Bank, Nexode Air 65W Charger, Nexode Retractable USB-C Cable, and FineTrack Mini 2 tracker. The package also comes with exclusive Yao Guang collectibles, including an acrylic stand, badge, holographic ticket, and a matching pouch.

UGREEN also sent over the Nexode Pro Power Bank Honkai: Star Rail Edition. While it isn’t included in the collector’s gift box, it naturally rounds out the entire collection. Its built-in USB-C cable, compact size, and smart display make it feel like it belongs alongside the rest of the lineup.

Looking at everything together, the collection already covers most everyday charging needs.

There’s a compact GaN wall charger for laptops and tablets. Two power banks for different situations. A retractable USB-C cable that cuts down on cable clutter. And a tracker for bags, keys, or anything else you don’t want to misplace.

It’s a practical combination before the collaboration artwork even enters the conversation.

Familiar products with fresh personalities

That familiarity is also part of what makes this collaboration work.

We’ve already spent time with the standard versions of both the Nexode Air Charger 65W and the MagFlow Air Power Bank. Their biggest strengths weren’t flashy gimmicks. They were reliable accessories that earned a place in an everyday carry setup.

That doesn’t change here.

The Nexode Air remains a compact 65W GaN charger that’s easy to slip into a backpack or travel pouch. Meanwhile, the MagFlow Air continues to offer the flexibility of wired and wireless charging in a compact package.

Instead of reinventing the hardware, UGREEN simply gave the products a little more personality.

For Honkai: Star Rail fans, that’s probably exactly what they’re looking for.

The little things make a difference

Another pleasant surprise is how cohesive everything feels.

The included pouch makes it easy to keep most of the essentials together, whether they’re headed into a backpack, messenger bag, or carry-on luggage.

Even the color ended up being more practical than expected.

Most chargers, cables, and power banks tend to disappear into a sea of black accessories inside a bag. The light blue finish used throughout this collection makes each item surprisingly easy to spot at a glance.

They’re small details.

But they’re the kinds of conveniences that make these accessories feel like they’re meant to be used every day instead of staying inside the collector’s box.

More than a collector’s item

There’s no question that Honkai: Star Rail fans are the primary audience here.

The artwork alone gives the collection plenty of appeal.

What makes it interesting, though, is that the collaboration doesn’t rely on aesthetics alone.

Instead of creating a single themed accessory, UGREEN assembled products that naturally complement one another. Whether it’s charging a laptop, topping up a phone during the day, carrying a single cable, or keeping track of everyday essentials, each product has a clear role within the lineup.

That’s what ultimately makes this collection stand out.

The Honkai: Star Rail collaboration gives the accessories their personality. The complete charging kit gives them lasting value.