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Michael Graves once said regarding a mens suit, You can buy a lot of cheap ones, or you can buy one great Armani suit. He was not just talking about tailoring. He was talking about time, and about the value of design that endures functionally, emotionally, and aesthetically long after the first moment of use. At Michael Graves Design, we have always believed that the best designs are not those that just capture attention for a moment, but those that quietly support you over years, as your life evolves. As we look toward the future of accessibility, this idea becomes more urgent. The truth is simple: Every body is either disabled, or not currently disabled. DESIGN THAT LASTS MUST ALSO ADAPT Accessible design is not a niche strategy. It is a philosophy of foresight. Just as quality design anticipates wear and tear, accessible design anticipates change. Our abilities shift over time: a disease diagnosis, a broken wrist, aging eyesight, a dimly lit room, or the fatigue that comes from multitasking. These are permanent, temporary, and situational disabilities that remind us that accessibility is not for some people, it is for every body, all the time. When you buy something thoughtfully designed, you are not only purchasing an object for today. You are investing in your future self. A well-placed grab bar or an ergonomically-contoured handle may seem unnecessary now, but design that is inclusive from the start ensures your environment keeps working for you as life evolves. That is not a limitation; that is liberation. THE BLUE SKY FALLACY Every designer learns that constraints fuel creativity. The most overlooked constraint is time itself. Great design considers not only how an object is today, but how it ages, how it feels after a decade, and how it fits into new phases of life. The products that endurethe teakettle you reach for every morning, the cane that becomes an extension of confidence, the accessible bed that becomes invaluable when you are pregnant, recovering from a sports injury or dealing with arthritisearn their place through empathy and endurance. Like copper developing a natural patina, they do not lose their shine with age; they gain depth, character, and meaning. Time reveals what is truly human in design: the capacity to keep serving, delighting, and belonging. When we prioritize quality over quantity, we move from consumption to connection. The inexpensive object may fill a need, but the well-designed one creates a relationship. It gathers meaning through use, through memory, and through time. THE 10-3-1 RULE: DESIGN FOR DISCOVERY From 10 feet away, a product should make a striking visual impression that draws you in. From three feet away, you begin to notice the finer details that make it beautiful and unique. From one foot away, you experience the tactile qualitiesthe feel in your hand, the sound of a lid closing, the subtle comfort of balancethat turn interaction into attachment. This layering of experience also connects design across time. The first impression creates desire. The first touch confirms trust. Over years of use, the subtle discoveries and enhancements continue to reveal themselves, deepening the relationship between product and user. When we design with this rule, we are not creating for novelty. We are designing for longevity, ensuring that the product continues to surprise and delight in small ways long after it is first used. The more you live with it, the more reasons you find to keep it. That is how great design resists obsolescence and becomes part of your life story. DESIGN WITH: CREATING FOR THE LONG JOURNEY Product designers often start with ethnographic research. It means we observe, listen, and collaborate with users to uncover product opportunity gaps that real life exposes. During this process, we create journey maps for all stages of use to ensure that, over time, the product continues to delight and exceed expectations. This approach turns empathy into strategy. When we design with people, rather than for them, we learn what they reach for first, what they avoid, and what frustrates them as time goes on. Designing with time in mind ensures that function and emotion evolve together. Products should not simply age well; they should grow more meaningful as users do. FROM TIMELESS STYLE TO SUSTAINABLE EMPATHY Design that lasts is also sustainable. Durability is the quiet partner of accessibility. When an object is built to last, both physically and emotionally, it reduces waste in materials and in meaning. A timeless product avoids obsolescence not because it resists change, but because it anticipates it. Michael Graves understood that beauty and practicality are not opposites. They are collaborators. His philosophy, that good design belongs to every body, was not just about cost or availability. It was about longevity. The most democratic design is the one that remains useful and dignified across the entire arc of a persons life. When we think beyond immediate needs to what those needs might become, we create environments that nurture resilience rather than replacement. DESIGN AS AN INVESTMENT IN YOUR FUTURE SELF When you buy an accessibly-designed product, whether a piece of furniture, a bathroom fixture, or a cooking tool, you are not only investing in quality. You are investing in your future independence, comfort, and dignity. As Michael reminded us, you can buy a lot of cheap ones, or one great Armani suit. The suit, like great accessible design, carries you forward. It becomes part of your story. It fits you today, and it will still fit, both metaphorically and emotionally, when your needs evolve. The fifth dimension of design is not about style that never changes. It is about care that never expires. Ben Wintner is CEO of Michael Graves Design.
Category:
E-Commerce
You came, you ate, you sat through Uncle Bob’s crass jokes. Youve earned yourself some alone time. If the holidays prompt you to research “solitary retreats near me,” or if you find yourself utterly bored with dinner table conversationhow are we still talking about Wicked?!here are four games you can play on your phone or computer. Heads-up: The last one requires a minimum of two people, so save it for when you’ve recharged your social batteries. [Image: The New York Times] 1. For those who are sick of Wordle Domino fan? Sudoku fan? If you like either or both of those games, youll love Pips, a new logic puzzle game from The New York Times. The rules are simple: Place your domino tiles on a game board to meet a set number of conditions. Some regions must have the same number of pipsthose dots that make up the face of your domino tile; others must add up to a certain number. You have to satisfy all requirements in order to win. If one puzzle doesn’t scratch the itch, you can play two more on the same day, though you have to pick a different level of difficulty. If you’re looking for a Wordle alternative, or want something more numerical that’s not good old Sudoku, this one’s for you. [Screenshots: Neal Agarwal] 2. For those who want to fight a machine You know that really annoying CAPTCHA puzzle you have to sometimes complete to prove you’re not a robot? Well, game designer Neal Agarwal has turned it into a mischievously addictive computer game. I’m Not a Robot features 48 puzzles that become increasingly difficult as the game progresses. One minute, you’re checking boxes with stop signs on them; another, you’re trying to park a Waymo with your keyboard’s arrow keys. The action culminates in a frantic Dance Dance Revolution game, but its so difficult that only 1% of people had reached that level within a month of the game launching. If you find yourself sucked in, and your family keeps growling at you for being antisocial, just tell them youre on a noble mission to prove your humanity to a machine. [Images: courtesy Colin Miller] 3. For transit nerds (or those who loved The Sims) Are you old enough to remember SimCity, or progressive enough to find public transit cool? Then youll love Subway Builder, a new simulation game that lets you design, build, and operate subway systems in more than 20 cities across the United States. But here’s the best part: Unlike other transit games, this one uses real-life data to map where residents and workers live, as well as building foundations, road layouts, and existing tunnels that may impede construction. The game gets so realistic you have to contend with signal failures, broken down trains, and operational costs in a way that might just help you gain an ounce of sympathy for the folks who run the actual subway in your city. Transit experts believe the game could start a transit revolutionso hop on quick. [Photo: Hasbro] 4. For those who hate being the Banker Do you still carry cash? Hasbro, the maker of Monopoly, figured you’ve upgraded to mobile banking, and decided to make a version of Monopoly that meets you where you are. Meet: Monopoly App Banking, a version of the classic board game that eliminates both paper money and the dreaded role of the banker, instead delegating transactions to a free mobile app. In this case, the app is both the bank and the banker! The app-assisted game promises faster, fairer playno more power grabsand augmented-reality enhanced mini games you unlock every time you land on Free Parking, Jail, or Railroad spaces. Don’t worry, though: The board itself remains.
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E-Commerce
The holiday season is merry, bright, and hectic. Its hard to cram every moment of cheer into just four weeks and keep your sanity. If you find yourself behind and needing to grab last-minute presents, run errands, or pick up a stick of butter on Christmas Eve, know that you are only human. After taking a couple of deep breaths, read on to see which stores are open and closed on the night before the big night. Are banks open on Christmas Eve? Christmas Eve is not a federal holiday, so most banks are open. Some may choose to have reduced hours, so it is a good practice to check with your local branch ahead of time to save you the potential headache. If you missed your window, dont forget that online banking and ATMs can come to the rescue. Is mail delivered on Christmas Eve? Yes, mail is delivered on Christmas Eve. The U.S. Postal Service is operating, although some branches may close early. Is the stock market open? Yes, you can buy and sell on Christmas Eve. (Perhaps to stuff the stockings with stock?) Both the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq are open for business, but only until 1 p.m. ET. Which stores are open? Here’s a cheat sheet for grocery store hours this year: Trader Joes: Reduced hours; open until 5 p.m. Aldi: Reduced hours; check your local store for details. Whole Foods: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Publix: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Kroger: Store closes at 8 p.m.; pharmacy closes at 5 p.m. Safeway: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. And here’s one for popular retailers: Walmart: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Target: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Costco: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Kohls: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. TJ Maxx: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Macys: Closing at 7 p.m. Starbucks is open but with reduced hours. Check your local store for details. Are pharmacies open on Christmas Eve? If you’re feeling under the weather on Christmas Eve, you can turn to CVS or Walgreens. Both major pharmacy chains are open, though they are expected to close early. Check in with your local store before heading on a run for cough syrup. The bottom line Never fear. Most stores are open on Christmas Eve with reduced hours. Double-check the hours at your local shop so you dont waste a trip. And try not to worry. Everything will get done and be holly jolly.
Category:
E-Commerce
The best-selling video game console this Black Friday was the PlayStation 5. That surprised no one. The number-two spot went to the Nintendo Switch 2. Again, that was expected. But the bronze position wasn’t held by Microsoft’s Xbox, as you might suppose. Instead, it was claimed by the Nex Playground, a small gaming system that almost no one had heard of two years ago. The Playground has since grown into one of 2025’s hottest gifts. In 2023, just 5,000 units of the controller-free small cube were sold. In 2024, that number spiked to 150,000. This year, the company is on track to sell 600,000 units. While it has a loyal (and growing) fan base, there are still a number of people scratching their heads at the Playground’s sales surge. If you’re one of them, we’ve got answers to all of your questions about this little gaming device that’s managing to carve out a new market in the video game world. What is the Nex Playground? The Nex Playground is an Android-powered console that utilizes a motion camera, meaning you control the onscreen action with movements, rather than a controller. The system uses AI to detect player movements, with a focus on keeping things simple. That’s a strategy Nintendo embraced several years ago with the Wii, offering a gaming console for the masses rather than one that was focused on the core gaming customer (though one that didn’t eschew those financial whales either). [Photo: Nex Playground] The Playground doesn’t look like any gaming system you’ve seen before. It’s a three-inch multicolor cube with a camera lens staring at you. Instead of sitting on the couch, slumped back and passively enjoying a game, Playground players jump around and burn calories as they play their favorite titles. And they can play communally, rather than being isolated or playing with strangers online. [Photo: Nex Playground] It’s a system designed for people aged five and upbut the younger focus doesn’t mean the games aren’t fun for adults. (You won’t, however, find shooters or mature titles.) How much does a Nex Playground cost? The Playground carries a suggested retail price of $249, though it has sold for less than that during some periods this holiday season. That’s roughly half the price of a PS5 or Switch 2. That affordability has made it a popular choice for families, especially those with young children this year. The trick, these days, is finding one in stock and available before the holiday. Who created the Nex Playground? David Lee is cofounder and CEO of Bay Area-based Nex. A father of two daughters, he initially wanted to create a company that would use games to strengthen bonding time between family members, rather than turning kids into screen zombies. As he worked on the Playground, he used his daughters and his mother for feedback, looking for ways to make it accessible to a wide range of players. What games are available on the Nex Playground? The Playground’s catalog leans more toward family-friendly titles, bypassing action games like you’d find on traditional consoles. The system comes with five titles installed: Fruit Ninja, Party Fowl, Whack A-Mole Deluxe, Goal Keeper, and Starri. The full catalog has more than 30 options, with new releases coming every month. How did the Nex Playground become so popular? Two things contributed substantially to Nex’s success: TikTok and the pandemic. The company initially made a basketball shot-tracking app, but when families were stuck at home in 2020, the team began offering more gamified activity, which brought a surge of new downloads. That led the company to begin work on what would become the Playground. Once it launched, word of mouth began to slowly spread, then TikTok cast its eye upon the Playground and things changed fast. The TikTok Shop couldn’t keep it in stock. Retailers began having trouble doing so as well. The harder it became to find, the more people talked about it. And by Black Friday, it had reached a tipping point. Is the Nex Playground sold globally? Not yet. The Playground is not sold on sites like Amazon UK. Given its domestic success, though, an international expansion in the months or years to come seems a logical assumption. Does the Nex Playground have a monthly subscription fee? Yes and no. You don’t have to sign up for any of the company’s PlayPass program, but that’s the only way to get new games added to your Playground. Once you tire of the core five titles, you can get a 12-month subscription to PlayPass for $89. That will get you a new catalog of game titles ever month, along with things like workouts for adults.
Category:
E-Commerce
Its been a rough year for American workers. Unfortunately, 2026 isnt looking all that much better. The year began with tariffsjust as inflation was finally starting to coolfollowed by AI anxiety and headline-grabbing layoffs, before ending with Americas longest ever government shutdown. Surveys suggest many American workers didnt get a raise in 2025, and most are unsatisfied with their current compensation. They feel, however, as though they cant leave their jobs or ask for more moneydespite an increasing cost of livingfor fear of making themselves vulnerable to future layoffs. Instead, most relied on secondary sources of income to make ends meet, further fueling disengagement and burnout at their day jobs. The story of the U.S. job market this year is definitely one of struggle and strife, says Jasmine Escalera, a career expert with the résumé-building platform Zety. That sense of desperation is largely the result of a tough job market, where layoffs are on the rise, job openings are declining, and more Americans are falling into long-term unemployment. We have employees that are in survival mode, feeling as though they can’t make any requests because they don’t want to rock the boat, Escalera says, adding that there could be negative repercussions for employers as well. When you are in survival mode, you cannot also be in creativity and innovation mode. Youre just thinking about how to keep this job. Americans are feeling underpaid, but afraid to ask for a raise According to a recent survey of 1,000 American workers by Zety, 41% of American workers havent had a meaningful raise in more than two years. Overall, 36% feel underpaid, but 66% have avoided asking for more money. And half say theyre grateful just to have a job in this economy, in a trend known as job hugging. The cost of living is still increasing, and we have employees that are unfortunately not feeling as though they can ask for a pay raise, Escalera says. Theyre incredibly concerned about job security and will do whatever it takes to stay in the role they have. The Zety study is consistent with a global survey conducted by online résumé and cover letter builder Kickresume, which found that only 28% of workers are satisfied with their current compensation. Among those who feel underpaid, over a third believe they should be earning 30% or more than their current salary. Only about half of Americans who took part in our survey have had a raise in the past year, and more than 25% havent had a raise in more than two years, says Martin Podu¹ka, editor-in-chief at Kickresume, who co-authored the study. Further adding to workers frustration is the feeling that employers don’t sympathize with their financial struggles, with 80% saying theyre skeptical that their boss comprehends the cost-of-living strain theyre under. People who have a job should probably hang on to it and wait it out if they can, Podu¹ka advises. There will be a day where we will be able to complain again, but this is probably not the year. Instead, theyre turning to side gigs to make ends meet Unable to find a new full-time gig that offers a higher salary, and unable or unwilling to ask for a raise in a difficult economy, many are instead turning to gig work and side hustles to make ends meet. According to a recent survey conducted by MyPerfectResume, 71% of workers relied on secondary income to stay afloat. Among them, 42% say they use the extra earnings to pay off debts, and more than a third relied on it for essentials like housing and groceries. When you feel like you dont have control over whether or not youre going to get laid off, you can take control or just soften the blow by figuring out a way to make more money with a side hustle, explains MyPerfectResume career expert Toni Frana. That was a big deal for people in 2025, and it allowed them to be more resilient. How to prepare for the worst (while hoping for the best) The challenges workers faced in 2025 had many causesranging from tariffs and AI anxiety to inflation and recession fearsand unfortunately, few of those underlying causes appear poised for a resolution in the new year. “Struggle and strife may be the new normal for many American workers, but that doesnt mean theyre helpless to improve their situation. Some, for example, will continue to turn to those side hustles to up their earnings in lieu of a raise or a higher paying job in a difficult economy. Others may want to advance their skills or add new capabilities that can help them stand out in a tight job market. If youre worried, make sure youre taking care of yourself and your career, Frana advises. Are you tracking your career accomplishments and wins? Do you know where you bring value to your organization and what that value proposition could be for your next role? Do you have a good handle on your career story? Those can make for a softer landing if you suddenly lose your job, she says.
Category:
E-Commerce
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