Author Archives: Jay Alba

This pet carrier + bed is a multifunctional design that your pet will voluntarily jump into!

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When JP, my roommate’s cat, has to go to the vet, wrangling him into his pet carrier is a team effort. JP is quick, his claws are sharp, and he is willing to do anything to avoid that plastic-shelled trap. Many pets find comfort in their crates. JP loves to curl up in a box or other confined space. The problem is that his carrier comes with negative connotations, and the material itself is hard plastic. The Hoonico new carrio 2, on the other hand, offers a soft, comfy den that your cat would voluntarily step in. I don’t see the Hoonico as a pet carrier or kennel; I see it as a cat bed that happens to be portable.

Additionally, the new carrio 2 has taken into account your comfort needs as the pet holder. The product has detachable straps that can hook onto the bag in four different ways. You can wear it as a backpack (oriented vertically or horizontally), a shoulder bag, a crossbody carrier on your chest, or hold it like a briefcase. This multifunctional feature makes the process of totting your pet as convenient as possible.

Here are a few extra features that you and your pet will love. One, the carrier’s cover has a peephole that your cat can watch the world through. Two, that same door has a magnet sewn in, so it can stick to the other half of the bag and give your cat a more scenic view. Don’t worry, your pet won’t jump out because there’s a secondary net covering underneath! The carrier also has a cloth loop where you can hook a lock around the zipper for extra pet safety.

I love the functionality of this product, but I also appreciate its aesthetic. The neutral gray fabric could match with most outfit color schemes, making it the perfect accessory. I imagine the Hoonico as a practical transport vessel, but with its stylish design, I’d be tempted to carry my roommate’s cat wherever I go.

Designer: Sunghoon Park

This minimal analog watch revises traditional time-telling by using dashes!

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Personally,  I prefer wearing an analog watch — ironically, I type this while wearing a Fitbit gifted to me last year. I understand the useful features that smartwatches offer, such as text alerts, setting a camera timer, sending emails, tracking health stats, etc. However, I don’t need those extra features — I just want to know what time it is.

The “another interpretation of watch” design presents a unique time-telling mechanism. How do you read the face? The watch’s “minute hand” is represented by a series of box-like icons that inch their way around the screen. The “hour hand” is represented by a slightly wider, the shorter block located closer to the center. Does this visual make it easier to tell time … not exactly. But, that’s not the purpose. The purpose of this design is to present a unique, abstract visual. Another attention to detail is the rotating gear that is located in a non-traditional center of the dial – yup, in the center instead of the traditional side placement that helps you retain that smooth circular silhouette this watch boasts of.

I’m personally charmed by this design. It reminds me of the Time Off! watch, an equally simple product that I covered previously on Yanko. Both of these watches have a simple black band and minimal functionality. It would be easy to forget I was wearing one of these two watches – but that seems to be the intent of their design. I prefer analog watches because they are low-maintenance; they don’t need to be recharged or synced to a companion app. They simply blend into your wrist until you need them.

Designer: Sergey Butskoy

Sergey Butskoy watch

A robotic cat toy + surveillance camera to keep your pet safe and entertained for hours!

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My roommate’s cat is a bundle of energy. We live in a small apartment, yet somehow we’re never able to find him. We’ll occasionally find him in the oddest places — in a kitchen cabinet, behind a stack of cardboard boxes, and on multiple occasions, on our complex’s balcony. JP’s adventurous spirit is part of his charm, but you can see why my roommate might want a device that can watch over him — or, at least, keep him entertained while she’s out of the house. As it happens, the Ebo Catpal does both.

The Ebo Catpal is a robot companion that serves as both a cat sitter and a favorite toy. It’s essentially a mobile security camera that can follow your pet through the house like a Roomba. Similar to a Roomba, the device has sensors to detect obstacles in the vicinity. It also will automatically return to its charging station when low on battery. The camera’s feed is accessible through a mobile app, similar to many home security systems. It also serves a second purpose … let’s be honest, what owner can resist snapping close-up of their pet’s hijinks? For this reason, the Ebo’s camera records high-resolution footage, which you can save, edit, and post to social media. You can add cute stickers to an image, or even create gifs.

Physically, the Ebo is quite small, about the size of a tennis ball. You might wonder, How will that tiny object keep track of my cat? For those with large homes, this could be a setback. Well, as a workaround, the Ebo aims to attract your pet’s attention. How? By being an irresistible toy. At first glance, the Ebo looks more like a robotic, remote-controlled toy for a pre-schooler. Its spherical body, with heart-shaped pixelated eyes, reminds me of a Tamagotchi, but in real life. (Enabot even sells customizable clip-on “costumes” for the Ebo – as if the device wasn’t cute enough already.) The product is also the perfect size to be knocked around by a cat’s paw. It also comes with every cat’s weakness — a laser pointer. Perhaps your cat will finally capture that elusive red dot.

The Ebo was designed to make your cat the happiest pet ever. In addition to the robot companion, Enabot also created a cat collar that doubles as a step counter to track its activity. These products encourage your cat’s adventurous spirit by inviting it to play, chase, toss, etc. I can’t decide who would love the Ebo more: my roommate and me, or JP himself.

Designer: Enabot

Click Here to Buy Now!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Jenga-inspired organizer transforms and adapts with your changing desk setup!

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I am very particular when it comes to choosing desk accessories. If I’m going to use this product every day, it needs to fit seamlessly into my working life. It can’t be too large or have oddly shaped compartments. The best desk organizer is one that makes your life easier without you noticing. You can search through multiple stores until you find the perfect fit or, with this constructor-organizer, you can build your own.

One of its most unique features is the fact that the trays and different compartments don’t have an assigned purpose. This product doesn’t have a specific pencil holder or key ring hook. The nooks, ridges, and holders can fit a wide variety of small supplies; it’s up to you to decide how to use them. Another unusual feature of this product is that it can be oriented vertically as well as horizontally, making the possibilities seem almost limitless.

This freedom might seem overwhelming and a bit intimidating, but I think the wooden aesthetic helps make the product more accessible. It reminds me of a mix between Jenga blocks and legos, a building toy that encourages me to play around with the organizer until I settle on the perfect shape. The neutral coloring also allows the product to blend into a variety of settings. I could imagine it complementing the most colorful office cubicle or matching a wood-shop or other construction space. I’m truly impressed by this product’s versatility, both in terms of function and appearance.

Designers: Alexey Galkin and Olya Marchenko

Robowood wooden organizer 2

Robowood wooden organizer

A removable pillbox + water bottle so you’ll never forget to take your daily supplements

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Back in 2018, Joop Opmeer, the young inventor behind the YOS bottle, noticed how his mother would forget to take her medications on time, sometimes skipping an entire day. It’s a task that’s easy to forget, but one that can have serious health consequences depending on the necessity of that medication. However, Joop’s mother isn’t the only one making these mistakes. In his home country, The Netherlands, 68% of people who take daily supplements or medication forget at least once a month. To make their lives slightly more convenient, Joop designed a portable pillbox that someone would be less likely to forget. This was the inspiration for the YOS bottle.

YOS, which stands for Your Organized Supplements, is a reusable water bottle with a detachable pill holder. The bottle holds 375ml and the pillbox has seven compartments (labeled for each day of the week). Although, if the containers are too small, YOS offers a larger, 4-compartment box as an alternative. The bottles also come in four vibrant colors, so you’ll want to take it everywhere you go. They are also dishwasher safe, which adds to their convenience.

The YOS is more than a clever, functional product. The company itself has a mission that buyers will feel good about supporting. First, YOS products are made with recyclable materials, helping to reduce waste and promote sustainability.  Second, a portion of their sales goes to a research foundation for pancreatic cancer research. So, in addition to getting a useful product, you are also supporting a business that helps its community.

Personally, as a younger person who doesn’t take daily medication, I still think this product would be useful in my life. For instance, refillable water bottles have grown more popular as more people decide to reduce their environmental footprint, especially within my age demographic. Also, I frequently hike and take boxing classes, and I may need an Advil if I overexert myself. Or, more likely, I would use the pillbox as a snack compartment, especially for trail mix. So, you can see that although the YOS bottle caters specifically to individuals who take supplements, its appeal is universal. After all, we all need water to survive.

Designer: Joop Opmeer

Click Here to Buy Now!

This self-sustaining planter + composter takes the work out of indoor gardening

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To reduce their environmental impact, my parents have started composting their food waste. Great idea, but there are two small problems with their set-up: one, my parents aren’t gardeners, so the resulting manure is usually scattered on empty soil beds (which the weeds appreciate), and two, the composter lives in the backyard, which means they keep a plastic container on the back porch for their discarded orange peels and wilted salad (not the prettiest sight). Overall, the composter is not living up to its full potential, because it doesn’t suit my parents’ lifestyle.

Segue to the Sustainable Family Farm, a miniature composter and planter that is best suited for indoor life. When I saw this design, my first thought was Ah-hah, the perfect Christmas gift for my parents … in theory, since it hasn’t entered the market yet. A mini-composter isn’t a novel idea; in fact, you can make your own with a plastic jug, soil, and some worms. However, the Sustainable Family Farm sets itself apart in two ways: first, by integrating seamlessly into the household regardless of the members’ gardening/composting experience, second, by making gardening into a fun experience for the family.

The product accomplishes this first point by utilizing all the food waste in the household without requiring a lot of additional effort. All you have to do is dump your compostable scraps into the plant incubator and monitor your veggies’ growth. The amount of maintenance that goes into the gardening depends on the seeds you choose — and there plenty of low maintenance options, like basil or cilantro. The Sustainable Family Farm accomplishes its second goal, making gardening a fun activity with the power of smartphones. The planter features a companion app, which treats gardening as a game, showing the stages of plant growth as “levels” for your real-life veggies. If you were a teen in the late 2000s, you might remember the popular Facebook game, Farmville? Imagine that concept but in real life. Or, you know … regular farming. (Jeez, I’ve exposed myself as a phone-addicted city-dweller.)

The Sustainable Family Farm, I think, is one of the most accessible urban planter concepts I’ve seen. Its low maintenance process makes it as easy as possible for anyone to grow herbs or small vegetables. You just need to buy the seeds and worms to get started – the circle of life takes care of the rest.

This concept won the European Product Design Award in “Home Interior Products/Household Appliances” and “Design for Society/Design for Sustainability.” An earlier version of this design was also featured on Yanko Design.

Designer: Chaozhi Lin

A minimal smartwatch that actually helps you unplug from phone notifications!

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Imagine this. You are working at your desk, when in a brief lull of productivity, you wonder, What time is it? You press a button on your phone – just to check the time, you swear – and you notice a few notifications as well: a breaking news headline, a text from a friend, a new follower on Instagram, etc. Almost reflexively, you unlock your phone. Just five minutes, you tell yourself. I’ll skim through these alerts and get back to work. Of course, in my case, I blink, and those five minutes have turned into twenty.

Scenario two: you are out for a relaxing, socially-distant hike. The fresh air and natural sunlight are exactly what you need at this moment – a break from your tech-heavy life. What time is it? You wonder. You click your lock screen – just to check, you swear – but then curiosity takes over. This hiking trail is too quiet – boring, to be honest. You want a brief distraction from this peaceful environment…which is how you end up online.

Our attachment to our phones is a difficult one to break. Even though I can limit my screentime by restricting data usage on certain apps, blocking notifications, or setting my phone to Do Not Disturb, these self-imposed measures don’t always work. They don’t stop me from opening social media or playing Candy Crush.

A few weeks ago, I covered a wifi-router concept that gave users the option to disconnect from the internet. In a similar vein, the TIME OFF! watch gives you the ability to mute your smartphone notifications. How does it work? Well, the process is pretty straight-forward. Similar to many smartwatches and Fitbits, the TIME OFF! has a companion app where you can control all the settings. With the app, you can choose which apps and alarms to mute during your “time off” mode. Once you save those settings, you can, at any point, silence those alerts by pressing the red button on your TIME OFF! watch. You don’t even have to pick up your phone.

My favorite aspect of the watch is its simple design. Yanko has featured plenty of minimalistic concepts, but this one is the most minimal watch that I’ve seen. The watch consists of a solid-colored band and a face with a small LED sliver that displays the time. The screen doesn’t even fill the entire watch surface! I love this design choice because it reinforces the product’s mission: to eliminate distractions. The TIME OFF! wants you to be present in your environment, to forget about your email inbox, the news, and the passage of time.

The product uses a textile strap that is also quite versatile. You can wear the TIME OFF! as a watch – and switch out the band for a more fashionable one – but you can also tie it on your belt loop or a bag strap. It’s a simple idea, but one that also contributes to the product’s mission: to remove all the little things that may tempt you to check your phone. Don’t worry about the time, this watch seems to say. It’ll still be here, on your bag if you need it, but you should enjoy this break from the digital world.

Designer: Rudolph Schelling Webermann

“Time

“Time

This bedframe hides a cat maze and is a dream den for you and your pet!

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Anyone who loves cats can relate to the feeling of excitement when the aloof pet decides to grace you with its presence. Cats are fickle creatures when it comes to attention-seeking, though. Some cats love to snuggle next to you, like a dog, but others prefer their alone time. My roommate’s cat will occasionally curl up in the corner of my bed, coexisting peacefully. But if I shuffle too much or, God forbid, try to scoot him over so that I have space to lie comfortably on my bed, he’ll get up and leave.

Dang it, I think, when this happens. I ruined the moment.

My needy, pet-loving self has tried to create a comfortable resting space for this cat. I’ve left nests of beach towels on my floor, hoping he’ll curl up on top of them. Sometimes I wonder, What could I do to make my bedroom his favorite place? The Gatrimonial bed frame, made by a company called CatLife, made this dream a reality. They make furniture that doubles as an adventurous cat’s dream. At first glance, the bed frame looks like a hollow base with circular entrances in each corner. It has plenty of space for your cat to stretch its limbs underneath your bed. When you lift the mattress, it reveals an elaborate maze to keep your feline entertained. The frame also has two sections with a splattering of tiny paw-sized holes that could either be peep-holes, or a little trap for unsuspecting paw swipes. Your ankles will not appreciate it, but your cat will love the hunt.

The idea behind the Gatrimonial bed frame is that it should be a comforting space for the pet and owner. The cat gets a secure, comfortable den, and does not feel as if you are invading his/her space. The furniture also provides plenty of stimuli to keep him/her entertained. I can already hear my roommate’s pet darting through his maze while I lie on the bed above him. Perhaps this cat-friendly furniture will encourage some casual bonding time between the two of us.

Designer: CatLife

Click here to Buy Now!

The bottom ventilation + filters of this ultra-thin stovetop keeps your home odor-free!

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The foods I enjoy cooking the most, the ones that remind me of my Filipino childhood, are also the least ideal for my apartment’s older cooking unit. They require long simmer times, large pots, and well, are a bit pungent. They’re a hassle to make, so I can never enjoy them. It’s a shame because cooking can be a soothing, comforting experience. But that process requires the right equipment.

The BORA X Pure stovetop takes away all the undesirable aspects of a typical cooking surface. The first thing you notice is its flat, minimal design. The stovetop itself is only 200mm thick, which means the unit can be installed without taking up significant storage space below. The electric surface allows for extra-wide cooking zones, to accommodate larger pots and pans (perfect for those homey stews). It also has a compact set of touch controls embedded in its surface, which contributes to its elegant, minimalist appearance.

However, the BORA X Pure’s most notable feature isn’t related to its cooking abilities at all: it’s the exhaust filter. Let me explain. Unlike most stove/oven units, which have a ventilation chimney installed above, the BORA has embedded its filter in the cooktop itself. Why does this matter? First of all, the downdraft ventilation system contributes heavily to the BORA’s minimal design. Second, an overhead filter does not get cleaned often (speaking from personal experience), because the food splatter isn’t immediately visible. Out of sight, out of mind. But this means that, when someone (aka me) finally looks at the damage, it is quite filthy.

The BORA X Pure designed an exhaust system that would be as easy to clean as possible. The filters sit inside a wide, circular inlet embedded in the cooktop. They’re easy to remove, and all the pieces that come into contact with the cooking vapors, including the filter’s lid, are dishwasher safe. Also, and this is the last thing I will mention about the filter, the BORA X Pure’s ventilation system is silent and effectively eliminates odor. The exhaust fan above my apartment’s stove is loud enough to overpower my laptop speakers, yet barely stops my smoke alarm from ringing. (The after-smell, by the way, is just a given – you can’t fight it.)

Clean-up is one of the least enjoyable aspects of cooking, and it is more inconvenient with subpar appliances. You use your stovetop daily, which means that seemingly minor improvements, like an embedded vapor filter, can greatly improve your experience. It’s a small luxury, but one that many apartment-dwellers like myself would love to have.

Designer: BORA Vertriebs Gmbh & Co KG

This camping solar-light’s portable design can be used in 2 ways – wear it or stick it onto a tree!

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On the few occasions that I’ve gone camping, I was surprised by the darkness that washes over these lesser populated areas. When you live in a city, you never experience real darkness; there are always street lamps, neon signs, and car headlights to illuminate your path. On hiking trails or other natural environments, the lack of light pollution makes an impact — you wouldn’t even see your hand held up in front of your face. A portable light source is essential for every hiker or camper, especially during those dark hours. It can be a valuable protector, revealing dangerous/poisonous critters on the ground or sending an SOS signal if you are injured.

The designers behind this product seemed to understand this importance. The Solarpill is a pendant-sized solar-powered lighting device that can attach to your body or almost any surface in the wild. How? The white half of the pill has a hole where you can thread a rope through to make a keychain or necklace. That part is also a cap, that when removed, reveals a needle-like stake that can be embedded into trees or soft rocks along your path. Igneous isn’t it? This ability to poke the light into any surface comes especially handy when we need to work hands-free, be it to cut some rope or while relieving yourself while outdoors.

The adaptability and portability of this device make it invaluable for anyone traveling through remote areas at night, from causal hikers to search-and-rescue teams. It is such a convenient, useful product that I could even imagine it becoming a staple, not just in campers’ backpacks, but in every emergency preparedness kit.

Designer: Alican Faydali