ark.curate

And then there’s Burgundy.

I’ve always associated Pro iPhones with fairly conservative colors. Last year, we all got surprised with the Cosmic Orange. Strange as it may seem, it sold like hotcakes. I mean, I absolutely adore the color orange, but slapping it onto an everyday product seemed a tad bit goofy to me at the time.

Burgundy, though, I can (probably/almost) get behind. I’m actually not quite sure. Confused much? Yeah.

There’s still plenty of personality here, but I guess it feels a little easier to live with. Under softer light, its sheen reads a deep wine overtone. But once you bring it outside, suddenly the purple and red undertones start showing up. In my testing, the colors change depending on where you are, which makes the finish a little bit more interesting. I still can’t get behind the purple-ish hues though.

Black IS the polar opposite.

The Bruce Wayne in me is gushing. On this finish, the iPhone’s geometry blends into this monolithic sculpture. Some people call it boring. Does it hurt me? Absolutely not. Maybe I’m boring? But I like it that way. I just like being able to gaze at a well-designed product and tell myself: “wow, it doesn’t need colors to make it great.”

As I put them beside each other, I realize how much color can change one’s perception of exactly the same piece of industrial design. Burgundy highlights the product’s personality, while Black lets you appreciate its architecture.

Now, let’s talk about the biggest question: Should You Upgrade?

Coming from a 17 Pro, probably not on design alone. I’d rather spend some time with the cameras, battery, performance, and all the smaller changes before making that call. If your current phone still does everything you need, a new color and a redesigned back shouldn’t be the reason you suddenly replace it. That should be the ABSOLUTE LEAST of your concerns.

Don’t follow the hype, man. Save your money. SAVE YOUR MONEY. SAVE YOUR MONEY.

If you have reached this far, comment “SAVED” so I know you were still with me. But hey,

If you’re coming from an older generation like the 14, I think the 18 Pro can be treated as a much more compelling leap. From processing, cameras, and the overall quality of life improvements, you’re getting several years of progress.

Let me end with this: curate your thoughts on this new release.

New tech is exciting. I literally built a career around being excited about this stuff. Lol. But I think there’s a difference between appreciating something new and immediately convincing yourself that you need it.

Save this before checking out your pre-orders.

#iPhone18Pro #iPhone18 #Apple #AppleDesign #iPhone18ProReview #IndustrialDesign #TechDesign #SmartphoneDesign #iPhonePhotography #arkcurate

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8 hours ago | [YT] | 5

ark.curate

Current state of my main Mac workspace.

I’ve been paying a lot more attention to hierarchy lately. What needs to stay directly in front of me, what can live one layer back, and which things I actually reach for throughout the day.

The main display handles most of the visual work. The smaller screen from Sotsu (yes, I’ve adapted a more efficient dual screen setup) sits low underneath it for timelines, reference windows, file management, and the random utility stuff that somehow ends up occupying half my monitor when I’m editing.

I think that the Sotsu screen is doing about 80% of the nerdy (and fun) work here.

The full-length walnut shelf gives everything behind the keyboard its own zone: storage, charging, headphones, the Mac Mini, and the Satechi Cube Dock. It also adds just enough warmth to a desk that is currently very white, aluminum, grey, and black.

And yes, there’s a cable running across the desk mat. It just shows that the desk is well lived in. 😂

That’s probably what I like most about this iteration. There’s a clear place for everything, plenty of room to move around, and enough empty space that the desk can change depending on what I’m working on that day. I’m working towards a more efficient audio monitoring setup for a better audio production workflow.

Still tweaking things, obviously. I have accepted that this may never actually end. 😂

Save this for inspo. ✨

#desksetups #homeofficeideas #workfromhomelife❤️ #deskorganization #deskinspiration

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4 weeks ago | [YT] | 94

ark.curate

I’ve accumulated a slightly ridiculous amount of footage over the years, ngl.

Between YouTube videos, short-form content, product shoots, photos, music projects, and the documents that come with all of them, storage eventually became something I had to properly think about.

So this is how I’m organizing my current workflow with the new ‪@glyphtech‬ Atom EX series.

The Atom EX40 4TB has become my main working drive. This is where current projects live, and where I can edit directly from the SSD without constantly moving huge folders back and forth. With USB4 and speeds of up to 4,000 MB/s, it has enough headroom for the kind of photo and video work I do every day.

Then I have the Atom EX20 2TB as my secondary drive for backups, references, important documents, and files I still want within reach.

It’s a simple two-drive system: one for the work happening now, one for keeping everything else organized and accounted for.

Connecting everything is the Glyph Connect+ cable rated for 80Gbps data transfer and up to 240W of power, It’s a small part of the setup, but having one properly specced cable that I can keep with the drives makes the whole system easier to move between my desk and laptop.

I also appreciate the rugged enclosures on the Atom EX drives. Considering these regularly end up inside my camera bag, that extra protection makes a lot of sense for how I actually use portable storage.

File management isn’t exactly the glamorous side of being a creator, but once you’re handling terabytes of work, having a system becomes pretty important.

Current setup:

Atom EX40 — 4TB / main editing drive
Atom EX20 — 2TB / backups & references
Connect+ Cable — 80Gbps / 240W USB-C cable

Save this if your camera roll is slowly becoming an IT problem too. ✨

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4 weeks ago | [YT] | 23

ark.curate

It’s so strange that I somehow found myself documenting all these desk iterations and visually turning them into a personal diary.

I never thought I’d be that guy, but here we are.

And I actually like having these to look back on. They capture what I’m using at a particular point in time. Some things stay for years, some just don’t make it to the next update, and a few random objects somehow become part of the setup along the way.

So, this is where we’re at in August.

A lot of the stuff here has been around for years. The Blue Yeti is somehow still going. Same with the Yamaha speakers. The keyboard changes every now and then because, well, keyboards. And the big walnut desk has accumulated enough scratches and little imperfections that I’ve stopped worrying about keeping it pristine.

Most days, this is where I edit, work on music, answer emails, and inevitably find another tiny thing to tweak.

Lately, I’ve also been trying to make room for things that have absolutely nothing to do with being productive. Reading a few pages when I can. Listening to music. Opening Pokémon packs and getting disproportionately excited about pulling a Gardevoir ex.

Very important adult activities.

Anyway, here’s the desk, and a little bit of life around it, as it looks right now. Save this for inspo, or share this with a friend who’s also into desk setups. Hopefully they like it quiet and pristine, just like I do.

#DeskSetup #DeskSetup2026 #WorkspaceSetup #HomeOffice #TechSetup

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1 month ago | [YT] | 147

ark.curate

Just returned from a short business trip to Kyoto.

The summer heat was relentless, but photographing the streets of Gion, the lush landscapes of Arashiyama, and the historic landmarks of Uji made every long walk (and every bucket of sweat) worth it.

These were the curated essentials I carried along the way, each making the trip a little more enjoyable.

Would you like a video about this lineup? Comment below!

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1 month ago | [YT] | 56

ark.curate

This is literally my minimal desk setup.

Whenever it’s time to think, ideate, and translate creative ideas into actual pieces of art or content, I like having as little as possible in front of me.

And by little, I mean just the literal essentials. Just a laptop for writing and managing projects, a planner to keep my schedule in check, and a pair of headphones to help me get in the zone.

Funny enough, this is almost the exact setup I used to have when I was studying for my boards. And honestly, sometimes, this is enough for some creative ideation.

Happy #minimalmonday (let’s make that a thing, fam!)

Are you also a fan of minimal and intentional setups? Save this for later.

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2 months ago | [YT] | 65

ark.curate

I’ve upgraded almost everything in my workspace. My monitor, keyboard, speakers, storage, hubs, and all the small things that make the setup look AND feel good.

But I realized I overlooked the one thing supporting me the entire time: the chair.

This is the HBADA X7, a smart ergonomic chair built for long hours at the desk. It has AI smart lumbar tracking, massage, heating, ventilation, a 4D bi-axial headrest, 720° adjustable armrests, a footrest, and a rechargeable battery so it doesn’t have to stay plugged into the wall the entire time. Trust me, it’s a lot.

Visually, it’s not exactly subtle. It looks more like a piece of workspace tech than furniture. But from a design perspective, good design doesn’t only answer to aesthetics. It also answers to structure, support, and function.

For me, the most meaningful feature is still the lumbar support. Not the flashiest. The most meaningful.

Because a good setup isn’t just about what looks good on camera. It’s also about what still feels good after hours of actual work.

Sometimes, the most overlooked part of your setup is the one carrying the most weight.

Literally.

Full video on the channel by the end of the week!

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3 months ago | [YT] | 52

ark.curate

June 2026 Desk Setup Update 🖥️

June. Mid-year. 6 months in this 2026.

Loads and loads to be grateful for, and loads to look forward to. Spent the whole day with absolutely no internet because of the storm, but I’m grateful to be working in this space despite the setbacks. What a way to start the month.

Here’s a list of the few things on my desk that continue to stay with me in my wfh creator journey:

1. Desk - Vernal Core 3 Standing Desk in Walnut
2. Desk Shelf - Raico Desk Shelf Cockpit in Walnut (Full Length)
3. Desk Tray - Raico EDC Valet Tray
4. Desk Mat - Lofree Grey Desk Mat
5. Keyboard - Lofree Hyzen
6. Mouse - Logitech MX Master 4
7. Monitor - Apple Studio Display 2026
8. Speakers - Kanto YU 4
9. Interface - Komplete Audio 3
10. Dock - UGREEN Revodok Maxidok
11. Mini Calendar from MUJI
12. M4 Mac Mini

Save this for later, and steal this for inspo. Have a great start of the month, fam!

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3 months ago | [YT] | 98

ark.curate

June 2026 Desk Setup Update 🖥️

June. Mid-year. 6 months in this 2026.

Loads and loads to be grateful for, and loads to look forward to. Spent the whole day with absolutely no internet because of the storm, but I’m grateful to be working in this space despite the setbacks. What a way to start the month.

Here’s a list of the few things on my desk that continue to stay with me in my wfh creator journey:

1. Desk - Vernal Core 3 Standing Desk in Walnut
2. Desk Shelf - Raico Desk Shelf Cockpit in Walnut (Full Length)
3. Desk Tray - Raico EDC Valet Tray
4. Desk Mat - Lofree Grey Desk Mat
5. Keyboard - Lofree Hyzen
6. Mouse - Logitech MX Master 4
7. Monitor - Apple Studio Display 2026
8. Speakers - Kanto YU 4
9. Interface - Komplete Audio 3
10. Dock - UGREEN Revodok Maxidok
11. Mini Calendar from MUJI
12. M4 Mac Mini

Save this for later, and steal this for inspo. Have a great start of the month, fam!

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3 months ago | [YT] | 71

ark.curate

Phase 2’s here in this year’s Desk Setup journey.

So I did a thing: put the two setups together, side-by-side. I don’t know what’s up, but it worked. So I took a few shots to share with you how the space looks like at the moment. The space is coming together nicely. I’d say merging the home office and the cafe’s a good coo.. There’s the delicious aroma of coffee, clean white walls for focus, a few artworks for inspiration, and lighting that gives the right vibe for the right activity.

Also, the Lofree Hyzen’s taking the center stage in this setup. I recently talked about it on the channel, and reviewed it like an architect would. If you want to check it out, just click on my profile.

Save this for inspo, and share with someone who loves home office setups too. Happy monday, fam!

#deskgoals #desksetup #productivespaces #minimalsetup #deskinspiration

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4 months ago | [YT] | 81