Smartphones and computers have created ways for us to become more efficient at the things we do, and paper has probably never before been more popular, perhaps as a reaction to the former. Despite these developments, keeping on top of our tasks has never been more complicated, torn between these two conflicting and contradictory worlds. The physicality of pen and paper has a certain appeal and “stickiness” but lacks reliability and flexibility. Apps, on the other hand, offer plenty of customization and speed at the sacrifice of a more personal and tactile experience. There are many attempts to bring these two worlds together, and this device concept tries to add a bit of that direct physical engagement while still keeping your to-do list completely in the digital realm.
Designer: Chester Chen
To-do apps are a dime a dozen these days, and they exist on phones, computers, and everything in between. This allows people to make rapid changes that sync between devices, increasing their efficiency and productivity. Tapping or clicking on checkboxes, however, doesn’t exactly have the same satisfying feedback as checking it off from a list, and you might find yourself driving on autopilot, mindlessly tapping things even unintentionally. Fusion is a combination of hardware and software that tries to bring that active participation to your electronic to-do list without going back into pen-and-paper territory.
The concept is divided into two parts, with the first being the simpler and more straightforward half. This is an E-Ink display the size of a large, wide phone that displays your task list. This can be magnetically attached to a wall mount so that you can have an eye-level view of what’s on your plate. The e-Paper technology means that the screen won’t consume much power even while it’s on, making it more power-efficient and environment-friendly.
Such a device isn’t that uncommon these days, but what really sets Fusion apart is the dial that comes with it. The tall dome-shaped device gives users a physical method of scrolling through the list, making the action more memorable and special. To mark a task as done, you press the top like a big button, and you get rewarded with a colorful light effect that changes the color, pattern, and intensity every time you “check off” an item. Not only does this visual cue serve as a reward, it also becomes a motivation to see what combination you will get next time.
Admittedly, such a system can be easily implemented using apps or computer software, but the addition of a physical, analog component creates a different and improved experience over simply clicking on virtual boxes. It gives our minds a physical action to associate with the behavior, making it more memorable and even a bit addictive. It’s a simple and almost trivial change that produces a significant impact, just like what good designs are supposed to do.
Almost everyone has a smartphone these days, and each of these devices has some form of a to-do list app or another. That said, not everyone uses these apps to keep track of things they need to get done, and some don’t even have such a list of tasks at all. There are, however, many proponents of keeping even the simplest of task lists, not just for the sake of writing down those to-dos. There is evidence of a subtle yet effective psychological benefit to checking off boxes or striking out tasks, something that doesn’t translate cleanly to their digital counterparts. That’s the kind of mind trick that this simplistic-looking device uses, offering a distraction-free way of getting addicted to getting your to-dos done.
Designers: Go Eunseo, janchi
There is definitely something satisfying in the physical act of marking a task as completed. Sure, you can tap on your phone’s screen to do the same, but it requires almost no effort to make that action really meaningful. Perhaps it is the physical activity paired with the sense of accomplishment that gives us that dose of dopamine, which means that it might not require pen and paper to pull that same trick off in other forms.
PRESS is a concept for a device that brings a bit of that phenomenon in a new way that bridges the physical and digital worlds. It has a minimalist design that leaves no room for guesswork on what it does, especially with a big orange button that simply says “Press” on it. Of course, its actual implementation might not be so simplistic, and the theories behind it are quite profound as well.
In a nutshell, this device shows a single line of text displayed in an almost retro LCD-like font. There is a small part above the text for a 2×2 matrix of numbers representing the time in 24-hour format. All these displays are “hidden” beneath the surface so that the gadget looks completely clean when there is nothing to show.
The idea is for PRESS to show a single task at a time and the time when it needs to be done. Ideally, it could be a recurring task that happens at the same time daily, like writing or reading at night. When the time for doing the task nears, it will display that data. And when the task is done, you simply press on the orange button to mark it as completed, almost like those buzzers that contestants smash on TV game shows.
It is a pair of triggers and actions that can help develop a habit over time. The design does leave plenty of room for possible features, like automatically syncing data with a phone or computer. Those, however, can just be icing on the cake since PRESS really focuses on delivering that little bit of euphoria whenever you complete a task and press that big, orange button.
Traditionally speaking, a computer mouse does not get enough attention to the visual impact these gadgets can make to our setup. Sure, we look for productive designs and most of them refer to a mass of specifications that can be read off a chart, but not many speak to the aesthetic and material qualifications of a mouse – whether the elements used in that mouse are sustainable, ethically sourced. Another question is whether these designs can go beyond a simple pointer? Those are the questions asked and answered in this list of intriguing and well-designed mice that show the care and consideration put in by the product designers to make these mice stand out from the usual mass of black that floods your desk!
The Ice Mouse comes with a bamboo upper that promotes breathability, making sure your palms don’t work up a sweat with hours of use. The bamboo component is CNC machined from a layered block of bamboo plies, doing a pretty remarkable job of showcasing the wood-grain while remaining entirely unique in its grain pattern. Some may say it almost reflects the uniqueness of the fingers and palm that rest on it! Sitting underneath it is the aluminum base, giving your fingers a metallic surface to hug and sort of complementing the feeling of typing on an aluminum-constructed MacBook.
Usually, users experience the inconvenience of wrist pain, stiff fingers, or aching finger joints when using the traditional mouse. The weight and shape of the mouse initially don’t seem worth investing in for the user till these issues arise and that is what the designer, Ihjoo Yoon, wanted to address through the Ring mouse. The PC market continues to grow and it means the need for an ergonomic lightweight mouse like this ring exists stronger than before as people take more notice of their health and well-being. The ring mouse’s design works intuitively, it reacts to the movements of the fingertips and does not interfere with the natural movement of the wrist since it is a wearable ring. Due to its unique shape for a mouse, it makes the experience smoother while reducing the stress on your wrists as it won’t be awkwardly bent at an angle for hours!
Taking inspiration from an iconic chapter in furniture design, Shane Chen envisioned the Lounge Mouse, a hat-tip to Ray and Charles Eames’ Lounge Chair. The Lounge Mouse follows the form and visual direction of the ottoman footrest that comes along with the chair. The base of the mouse is made from bent plywood, while the upper half is an incredibly soft leather-clad with a scroll-wheel in its upper center.
The CheerPod is a tiny, handheld device that boils the mouse down to its essentials. With a design that’s dictated by the need to be small and remote-like, the CheerPod is to mice what smartphones are to landlines – Portable, rectangular, and heavily feature-laden. It comes with an infrared sensor on its base, like all wireless mice, allowing you to drag your cursor by moving the physical device, but it also allows you to mimic gestures by swiping across screens in mobile and desktop interfaces. The CheerPod, unlike most wireless mice, works without a receiver, connecting directly to laptops, desktops, tablets, and even phones using Bluetooth.
Designed for kids with ADHD, or anyone with a quirky sense of style, this computer mouse aims at giving you a tech accessory that’s unconventionally fun to interact with! The Hoglet is a wireless mouse modeled on a hedgehog, with a silicone sleeve around its grip with multiple bristles that come in contact with your hand as you grip it. The objective of the Hoglet is to do multiple things. For starters, it makes tech feel a little less scary and a little more approachable. The mouse is incredibly tactile and comes in heartwarming colors. Its silicone texture aims at creating a new sort of experience that almost seems pet-like, reinforcing the mouse-ness of the mouse, and helps boost focus and reduce anxiety.
Designed as a juxtaposition between classic and modern, this mouse, created by Daniel Jansson for 8BitDo transforms a hallmark of console gaming into a neat, functional mouse that’s a sheer tactile joyride! The wireless mouse comes with clear-cut lines that you’d imagine wouldn’t be comfortable, but actually do feel familiar. It features classic NES controller-style red left and right-click buttons, resting on a black platform which is, in fact, a touch-sensitive scroller. To complete this whacky/adorable mouse’s design, Janssen incorporated a D-Pad on the side, that can be controlled via your thumb.
The EXOvault Mouse was developed by the artist, engineer, designer, and overall maker Jonathan Schipper. Designed as an exercise to visually reinvent something mundane, something we take for granted, the mouse was developed at EXOvault’s facility in Brooklyn and it doesn’t just look great, but feels great too. It has weight, which allows you to command the cursor with confidence, while the clickers and scroll wheels provide a wonderfully smooth tactile feedback. With a PixArt 3000cpi sensor that works on glass and a 500mAh battery, the EXOvault mouse performs well too, giving you superior functionality and aesthetic unconventionality in a singular package that guarantees to make you instantly want to ditch your plastic mouse or trackpad!
The designers at BKID took the literal connotation of a computer ‘mouse’ and embodied its characterful persona into the Balance Mouse! During the day the mouse works like any other computer mouse, letting the user go about pursuing their tasks. However, when the clock strikes ‘home time’, the mouse exits the body and humourlessly rolls away. Not only is this a visual indicator that the workday is over, but it’s also pretty difficult to use a computer without a mouse!
The Manta Mouse by Alberto Aguado Baudil takes inspiration from the Manta Ray, with its wide, stingray-inspired design. At the very center is a bulbous volume forms the bulk of the mouse, the part your palm rests on, while the rest of the mouse skirts around the side. This side-skirt essentially works as a cushion for the base of your palm, promising to give your hand a comfortable place to rest as you operate the mouse
Shattering the mouse-design-archetype in glorious fashion, the Cubic mouse takes on a less ergonomics-driven design approach and a more, dare I say, cubist one. The Cubic Wireless Mouse concept by Kim Hyunsoec (yes it’s a concept and not a real one, so calm down) comes with a hexagonal design and uses bright colors… something you’d agree most mice don’t really do. Rather than being designed as a peripheral for your computer, the Cubic Mouse takes on the appearance of a jewel that you’d be proud to keep on your desk. With a 3D pattern on the top, the mouse cleverly tells you how to use it. The buttons lie right under the majority of lines pointing in the same direction, divided equally between the left and right-click.
For more productivity-enhancing gadgets or just to add more pizzazz to your desk, check our collection of innovative product designs!
Yes, we all have notes on our phones but has that phased out the use of paper and pen at our work desks? Nope, in fact, most people still prefer to write down their to-do lists because checking it off is gratifying. As a reflex, we always tend to frantically search for a notepad to jot down a number, address, meeting feedback, last-minute lists, or notes during a class. To integrate this existing behavior with the technology we already use, designer Jeong Woo Kim created Ouverture – a conceptual keyboard accessory that is a number pad + a digital notepad when you flip the cover. It has a typing mode which is the number pad and a memo mode which is the writing pad. “The leather cover acts as a number pad on a conventional keyboard. Current from the fingertips passes through the special conductive fiber to the touchpad inside the leather cover,” explains Kim.
A quick survey showed that 98% of people take notes when they are working on computers and 70% of them said it is uncomfortable and 34% complained that their desk tends to get messy or notes tend to get lost. With a device like Ouverture, your notes are saved as image files and your desk remains clutter-free. But it would be interesting if technology also lets you convert it into text for easier transfer of information. Another important point to consider if this goes into production is to make sure it is modular so that the left-handed demographic can also be included – we all deserve to have a chance at being more efficient! Ouverture comes with a magnetic pen on the side so that you don’t need to look for pen or paper anymore – it retains the tactile experience and incorporates it with our digital lifestyle without us having to learn any new behaviors. No more messy desks, paper waste, or lost memos!
Believe it or not, I have a decent amount of experience in this field. Ever since I began working full time at YD, I’ve done it from all parts of the world… but 99% of the time, I’ve done it from my home.
Working from home is boring, un-productive, and is filled with distractions. I won’t lie. Being alone at home every day can sometimes affect your mood, and that tends to undermine one’s productivity. You’re less likely to report to work exactly on time, and under the lack of supervision, chances are you’ll have Netflix or YouTube open in a browser window right beside your work. To be honest, remote work isn’t for everyone, and just like it takes time to get into the rhythm of a new job, it takes time to adjust to the new experience of working from home. The good news is that this shift, for the most part, isn’t permanent. It’s a phase that’ll soon pass, and recognizing that really helps you work/study better.
This Is Covidiculous
Given the threat posed by COVID-19, a majority of companies and schools around the world are shutting their doors and instituting temporary ‘stay-at-home’ policies to prevent the risk of spreading the virus. Several colleges on the east coast are telling their students to stay at home, while larger institutions like NYU are shifting to online-based courses as a stopgap solution. Companies like Google and Washington Post have shut their offices too, and I can only imagine what living in parts of China, Italy, South Korea, Japan, and Iran feels like, where the situation on the ground is even more serious.
If you’re a designer or student who’s being told to work/study from home, here are a few ways to avoid the stay-at-home blues and actually be productive and get stuff done.
Separate your Work Life and Home Life
The biggest problem, or complaint rather, with working from home is that it undermines the sanctity of your home being your place of zen, to escape work. People prefer keeping their work in the workplace, and not bringing that stress back home with them… so when you have to reply to emails, make powerpoints, or attend conference calls from the comfort of your bed, that boundary gets blurred.
If you want to effectively work or study from home, un-blur that boundary by separating your workspace from your home space. Fix a designated spot like a desk or the dining table for your working or studying rather than opening your book or laptop in bed. Being productive is a state of mind and needless to say, being in bed won’t help you reach it.
Take breaks / Stay Social
Nobody ever works or studies non-stop for 5-6 hours. Every couple of moments, you feel inclined to stretch, talk to the person beside you, or convene near the water-cooler for some chit-chat. When you bring work home, it’s important to bring that work culture home too. Keep in touch with friends or colleagues via chatting apps. If you’re more of a lone-wolf at work or school, try surrounding yourself with chatter by listening to music or a podcast. If you like reading articles, I recommend checking out Read2Me, a website that does a pretty amazing job of reading out articles to you.
Reward yourself by setting goals
Sometimes (if you’re a little like me) those breaks become a little longer than usual. A 10-minute coffee run perhaps stretches to half an hour long. You promise to watch one YouTube video suddenly you realize you’ve wasted half a day. The best way to hack yourself into being productive is to use the carrot and stick tactic. Start looking at that break as a goal you need to achieve by completing a task. Rather than just getting up to grab a coffee at a certain hour, allow yourself the coffee only after having completed a task or a chapter. That way, the break feels more deserved, so taking a few minutes extra won’t matter either… because you got work done in the process!
Learn a new skill / Work on a passion project
Here’s where working/studying from home is truly a blessing in disguise. It gives you the independence and freedom to actually focus on stuff you wouldn’t be able to at work or in college! Try learning new software, reading a book, building or updating your portfolio, or working on self-initiated projects! You could finally carve out a few hours in the week to take part in one of Instagram’s many designing and rendering challenges, or better still, work on an idea for a product you’ve had in your head for a while now. And when it’s ready, send it over to a design competition, or submit it to us and maybe it could get featured on a design blog!
The absence of a boss’s supervision or a college’s rigorous schedule can be exploited to achieve amazing things!
Give yourself something to look forward to
Some people love working from home, some people don’t. That’s just how the cookie crumbles. If you’re the latter, just remember that setting goals helps you get to them. A footballer without a goalpost is just a person kicking a sphere (I made that up myself!) The best way to get through the day is to look forward to something at the end of it, like a movie or a game. Looking forward to a plan at the end of the day is a great way to get through work/studying without the blues getting to you… and while you’re at it, remember three things. Remember not to slip into bad habits like randomly opening Instagram every few minutes to check for messages, remember that this is just a temporary phase and you’ll be back at work or college before too long, and most importantly, remember to wash your hands! Stay safe, YD fam!
Remember the simpler childhood days of using the dropper to pick a color and spill it *carefully* on another sheet? We then advanced from papers to MS Paint and I doubt any of us were able to master that virtual dropper. Now we are in the Apple era but the nostalgia of the simple dropper is not lost and that was the inspiration for the iSpoid – a conceptual dropper that picks up data instead of colors and we are here for this!
The motion of using a dropper to transfer colors was reinterpreted with the data delivery interface with an Apple pencil-like tool which has been christened as iSpoid for this concept project. The group of Korean designers who came up with this conceptual product wanted to make data transfer and data sharing between devices as easy and joyful without the stress of connecting via Bluetooth, hard drives, and the quest for finding the right device to AirDrop. The product development phase involved sketching, brainstorming about usability and making the device itself as physically similar to a dropper as possible – if you observe the form, its a hybrid between the color dropper and the Apple Pencil. The action is instinctive with this device, you position the dropper on the file, press the bubble on top and watch the 3 lights on the tip light up indicating the file has been picked. You then drop it on the desired device and the lights will dim down just like releasing color from a dropper, but here it is the data.
Keeping the aesthetics of Apple, the iSpoid also has a conceptual magnetic charger where you can mount the tool in a vertical position on the sleek stand. The package design and shape are inspired from a measuring cylinder. The concept delivers on its aim to create a minimal, user-friendly, functional device that makes co-working more efficient. Will data scientists like to be called data artists after this?
Designers: Chi-Eun Jang, Hyeokryul Kwon, Jaegeun Kim, Jeongmin Lim.
This sleek keyboard brings you the nostalgia of the OG keyboards with number pads and a taste of the future with macOS shortcut keys to your Apple set up. The Satechi Bluetooth Extended pad is the key to increasing the productivity of your tech set up and its lightweight build makes it a great traveling companion on work trips too.
With the extended set, the Satechi keyboard brings the functionality of a traditional, fully-functional desktop keyboard to your setup which allows you the flexibility to anchor your ship anywhere you want especially with its slim, compact aluminum build. Be it a MacBook, an iPad or even the iMac with its shortened keyboard, Satechi’s keypad is here to rescue you. Its wireless design makes it easier for it to be portable and is aligned with the Apple aesthetic – no cords, no mess just minimal design with maximum output.
The Satechi extended keyboard comes in silver and space grey so it will match any space. Its battery is charged with the USB-C port which is compatible with most other devices too and limits the accessories you need. Thanks to the in-built Bluetooth system, it does not require a receiver and remains a clean addition to your set up.
In today’s day and age, we don’t have a lot of free time on our hands. We, especially, need products that help us complete our tasks in the most effective and productive manner possible! So, we’ve curated a collection of time-and-space-saving products that promise to boost your productivity, and save up on those couple of extra minutes!
The Encompass toothbrush’s unique J-shaped design is what sets it apart. Designed by RYCA International, its J-shape allows it to self-adjust to the shape of your jaw, covering both your upper and lower teeth with bristles that vibrate at a precise 100 strokes per second, while the bristles themselves are positioned to give you the right pressure, intensity and angle for efficient brushing in just 10 seconds on each (left and right) side. So you can complete brushing every corner of your mouth within minutes!
Designed by The God Things Team, the PrinCube is meant to be grabbed with one hand and run across any surface and it performs a neat, seamless, colored inkjet-print on it. The PrinCube isn’t just small, it’s hand-held, wireless, and incredibly versatile. It can print on materials your desktop printer doesn’t even dream of. Paper, cardboard, wood, metal, cloth, working on flat, textured, and even curved surfaces. No more dealing with cumbersome printers that take ages to print your material!
COFFEEJACK by Ashley Hribar-Green & Matthew Aston Cain is the smallest espresso machine on the market (only 100mm high) while producing coffee shop quality coffee. It has a patent-pending micro-hydraulic press inside it that can pump out coffee at a magical excess of 9 bars of pressure, rivaling any professional-grade espresso maker. So you don’t have to head to a coffee shop, every time you crave some premium quality espresso!
Designed by Eugene Dubovoy & Vladimir Levitin, evaCHILL is a portable air conditioner that is compact enough to be mobile, intuitive enough to be easily controlled and stylish enough to look right at home within your workspace! Careful attention has been paid to the ergonomics of the device, to create a fluid and simple form of interaction that elevates the user experience. It’s refined aesthetics lead to an attractive device that doesn’t demand attention or dominate the desk! Whether it’s at home, or on a camping trip or on a trek, evaCHILL can cool you anywhere within moments!
The GPCA Carabiner can handle it all! The multifunctional EDC serves as a Philips head and a flathead screwdriver, as well as a box-cutter. The frame itself is optimized for function too, with a bottle opener and a prybar built right into its bottom. The carabiner’s clip comes with a spring-loaded gate and a knurled ring that locks the clip in its place. Screw the ring upwards and the gate also has a secret hidden compartment for a flintstone too. The GPCA Carabiner is the one EDC that can virtually solve all your issues!
Designed by Jorg Neugebauer & Kai Wiehagen, the FLECTR LUBRI DISC helps you lube your bike chain in seconds. It keeps the process clean and is eco-friendly. The best part is that you will not have to dirty your fingers. It delivers the lube reliably and evenly to your chain in just seconds! It is an incredible tool for the basic care of your bike chain.
Designed by Lksoo Jun of Dadam Micro, the puripot is an air purifier that can virtually run forever without needing to be maintained or cleaned. The puripot uses something known as Titanium Dioxide Photocatalysis to purify the air around you. At its base sits a water bath that you replenish every couple of days. The water traps fine dust while also humidifying the air, while the puripot itself uses TiO2, a photocatalytic ceramic material that’s capable of instantly killing bacteria and VOCs that carry odor. And compared to other air purifiers it’s a much more effective and convenient alternative!
Designed by Kevin Zhu, the U-Bolt Pro calls itself the ultimate 6 in 1 Smart DeadBolt. And it lives up to its name. For example, use the Smartphone App, or your fingerprint. Passcode, mechanical key, and even a proximity lock! However, the ‘Magic Shake’, is the most amusing way to unlock the door! Simply shake your phone in front of the lock, and the door opens! No more dealing with locks and keys, you can now access your home within minutes!
Designed to add value in more ways than one, the ZENLET Coil can be used indoors as a wireless charger that also works as an air freshener, or on the go, as a portable wireless power-bank that extends its use as an aromatherapy device.
Designed as a two-part stool by JUUCE (Ralph Christian Bremenkamp & Daniel Thomas Kövary), the Stuul occupies a fraction of its intended space when not in use, and transforms into two foot-stools when you’re on the John. Using Stuul helps elevate your legs in a way that resembles the squatting posture that’s clinically proven to make the job easier. Stuul’s design helps position the legs at the desired angle to help promote a healthy bathroom routine and prevent diseases like IBS. You can have the most productive bathroom routine with the Stuul!
For more such super handy productivity-boosting products, click here!
