Tag Archives: bird

This bird-shaped USB flash drive concept pays homage to the data carriers of yesterday

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Owls sending mail might be pure fiction, but there was a time when birds were indeed used to send messages across distances. Taking advantage of their natural homing instincts, pigeons were used to send messages in the fastest way possible when using humans on horseback was too dangerous for various reasons. Of course, all that is ancient (or medieval) history by now, but the image of a mail-carrying bird has forever been etched into our minds. Some might even use that association to brand certain services that simply ferry bits and bytes of data from one device to another. That’s the inspiration behind this rather charming USB thumb stick concept, though its seemingly whimsical design carries some important practical implications as well.

Designer: SHS Shih

Even in this day and age of the cloud, it’s sometimes still more efficient, not to mention more secure, to store your files on a small USB flash drive. You have instant access to your data, as long as you can plug it into your device, and only those who can actually hold the flash drive in their hands can actually use it. Over the course of the years, the technology behind this gadget has moved forward by leaps and bounds and it’s now possible to see a 1TB flash drive, even if few can actually afford it.

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These advancements open up flash drives to more interesting designs, like this Pinge “bird-style” design concept. Right off the bat, you will notice that it isn’t your usual flash drive, even if you can’t immediately make out that it’s supposed to resemble a bird. Instead of staying flat as almost all flash drives do, its end curves upward, forming the bird’s neck and head. A small golden triangle protruding from that end forms the beak, but it also has the added function of being a pendant or lanyard hole. As you might have guessed, the actual USB interface is the bird’s tail, which is perfect considering the alternating white and gold lines resemble feathers, with some stretch of the imagination.

As unconventional as the design might be, it has merits that go beyond its eye-catching shape. The upward curve makes it easy to pick up the flash drive, and it gives your fingers something firm to hold onto when pulling it out from a computer. Curiously, putting Pinge down on a flat surface makes it rest on that curved portion thanks to a shifted center of gravity. That means that no matter how much you tip or rock the flash drive, it will always return to that stable position. Coincidentally, that makes Pinge a potential desk fidget toy.

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Of course, there are drawbacks to such a non-flat design, like how the bird’s “head” might snag on things more easily or how it would take up more room in an accessory pouch. It might also make the flash drive more prone to breaking if something heavy was dropped on it or if it was sandwiched between too hard surfaces. It’s still an interesting design experiment, especially considering how most flash drive designs focus solely on functionality without paying attention to aesthetics. It doesn’t have to be the case, and it requires a bit of outside-the-box thinking to come up with interesting designs that don’t sacrifice functionality in return.

The post This bird-shaped USB flash drive concept pays homage to the data carriers of yesterday first appeared on Yanko Design.

Bird-Inspired Speaker Wakes You up to the Sounds of nature in your Urban Homes

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Doesn’t your jarring smartphone alarm annoy you every morning? Don’t you just want to throw your phone away and wish we were on some vacation in some peaceful cottage? We always crave some hint of nature and serenity in our urban lives. Imagine waking up to the soothing sounds of birds singing, creating a serene and refreshing atmosphere that instantly lifts your spirits. Whistle, a revolutionary speaker, aims to turn your mornings into a delightful experience by replacing mundane smartphone alarms with the sweet serenade of nature.

Designer: Eunsu Lee

The inspiration for Whistle came from a personal experience of the designer, during a trip to Singapore. While staying at a hotel, he had the pleasure of waking up to the gentle melody of birdsong. This unique encounter left a lasting impression, as it offered a refreshing and invigorating start to the day. It was this memory that led to the creation of Whistle, a product designed to bring the joy of waking up to the sound of birds singing to everyone’s mornings.

The conventional smartphone alarms we rely on often shock us awake or force us to engage in a battle of snoozes, making it difficult to start the day on a positive note. Amidst all the preexisting stress for the upcoming day, we surely don’t want our very own smartphones to add to it. In contrast, the sounds of nature, particularly birdsong, have been proven to have a calming effect and alleviate stress-related anxiety, OCD symptoms, and depression. Whistle aims to harness the power of nature sounds to provide a more peaceful and pleasant morning wake-up experience.

Whistle offers a range of four product lineups, each designed to create a harmonious mood while considering user experience and various usage scenarios. The flagship product is the Whistle Speaker, a smart device with a detachable battery. Its versatility allows it to be easily attached to other products in the lineup, such as the Branch LED light, enhancing convenience and functionality.

Whistle speaker & battery

Setting alarms with the Whistle speaker’s application is a breeze. The intuitive user interface allows you to select your desired bird sound, ensuring a customized and enjoyable wake-up experience. The beak-shaped silicone button, known as the Action button, enables seamless operation for functions like pairing, power on/off, and play/pause. The hidden LED inside the fabric filter provides intuitive feedback on the speaker’s current function.

Equipped with three built-in speakers, the Whistle speaker delivers a rich stereo sound experience. The speaker’s back features touch buttons for volume control and a pairing reset button. To ensure portability and extended usage, the bottom battery pack securely attaches to the speaker with magnets, transforming the unit into a wireless Bluetooth speaker. It can be conveniently charged via USB-C cable or wirelessly on the bottom of the battery pack.

The design of the Whistle products draws inspiration from the vibrant and natural colors of birds. The minimalistic white packaging incorporates color stickers for indications, reducing waste and promoting environmental consciousness.

Whistle Nest

In addition to the Whistle speaker, the product line includes Whistle_Nest, a wireless charging pad resembling a bird’s nest. It allows for easy charging of the battery pack and features a hidden LED indicator that fills the space with an EGG icon when charging is complete. The Nest has a vent hole with a patterned bottom to prevent overheating and includes rubber pads to ensure stability and prevent slipping.

Whistle Branch

Another member of the Whistle family is Whistle_Branch, an LED lighting fixture designed with a bird perched on a tree branch as its motif. The Branch lighting can function independently or be paired with the speaker, creating a synergistic effect. This versatile product is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, bringing a touch of nature-inspired ambiance to any space.

The Branch lighting features an electrode on the top, allowing it to connect and dock with the speaker. Users can easily control the lighting through the application. Manual control of the on/off and brightness is also possible using the dot located on top of the light. The stand base doubles as a tray, showcasing the cute logo, and the power supply is via a Type-C connection.

The Branch can be used as a standalone lighting fixture without the stand, making it ideal for various settings. The components of Branch include the main LED, a stand base, two stand poles, and a camping stand pack pole, ensuring flexibility for different scenarios.

Whether you use Whistle in your bedroom or take it on outdoor adventures, it seamlessly integrates into your daily routine. Combined with the Branch lighting, it creates an inviting ambiance for your home or serves as a perfect companion on camping trips. The versatility of Whistle enhances your picnic experience, allowing you to enjoy a relaxing and fun time with minimal baggage.

Whistle has reimagined the morning wake-up experience by incorporating the soothing sounds of nature allowing you to start your day feeling refreshed and uplifted. Embrace the joyful serenade of birdsong and make every morning a delightful experience with Whistle, your faithful morning mate. However, the core idea of replacing it with smartphone alarms cannot be a selling point as the sounds can always be downloaded on any smartphone without an extra expense. Having said that, the visual appeal and thought would surely attract the majority of the population.

The post Bird-Inspired Speaker Wakes You up to the Sounds of nature in your Urban Homes first appeared on Yanko Design.

Clippy mood light lets you have “birds” around you

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Birds are usually associated with being around nature, de-stressing, and relaxation. But if you don’t spend a lot of time outdoors or you live in an area where birds are rarely seen around your area, you probably will have to settle for watching bird videos or looking at their pictures. The other option would have to be placing accessories or bird-like things around your workspace so you’ll be reminded that there are still living things outside of your screen.

Designers: Junyoung Jang and Joonhyeok Heo

For bird lovers out there who miss having actual birds around them, Clippy is right up your birds nest. Well, it’s still a concept for now but I wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes an actual product soon. It’s a clip on mood lamp that’s, you guessed it, shaped like a bird. So when you clip it to your table or couch or wherever it is that you need a bit of mood lighting, you’ll get the feeling like a bird is hanging out with you but without all the chirping that may be annoying at times.

The design is of course, inspired by actual birds. Since we’re all sort of creating our own nests of sorts either at home or in our cubicle at work, then it makes sense that we get birds to adorn them. And since we can’t get actual ones to stay there, this mood lamp may be the next best thing. Clippy is also pretty easy to bring around since it’s just meant to be clipped to a surface and there are no other things needed to make it work (well, of course, batteries).

The product renders also show Clippy in a variety of base colors like yellow, pink, orange, white, and black, with all of them having a white body where the light comes out. They can be clipped onto shelves, tables, chairs, and other furniture where a clip on can work. Just for a moment, you can fool yourself into thinking you’re outside and enjoying nature instead of being stuck indoors, working or staring into space.

The post Clippy mood light lets you have “birds” around you first appeared on Yanko Design.

Knitted Chicken Hats: Chick Couture

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Because no chicken should have to cock-a-doodle-doo with a cold head, Etsy shop ChixStitch is selling these knitted chicken hats with ties for your fine feathered friends. They look cozy, don’t they? I don’t even own any chickens, and I’m tempted to buy a few in the event life throws me a curveball in the form of live chickens I need to mother. Hey, stranger things have happened.

Available in a variety of colors, the chicken caps are priced at a very reasonable $6.95. Granted, I’m saying that’s reasonable, but I’ve never been in the chicken hat buying market before, so I really have no frame of reference. Sounds fair enough, though. I’m going to knit a human-sized version for myself, so I can match my potential future chicken children!

Couple them with some chicken arms, and your poultry will have never looked so good! Of course, if you own more than one chicken, you are required to buy arms and hats for them all, so they don’t get jealous and… peckish.

This pelican-beak restaurant overlooks a cliff with an absolutely stunning view

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It’s probably because I haven’t traveled around a lot in the past year and a half, but Thilina Liyanage‘s renders are looking increasingly realistic and awe-striking… and I can’t blame myself for feeling that rather lost feeling of wanderlust. Sri Lanka-based Liyanage’s been responsible for creating some of the most awe-striking architectural designs that relate beautifully to their surroundings – like a jagged cabin sitting upon a rocky beach, or a goldfish-shaped bar overlooking an ocean. This time, Liyanage’s design gives you a birds-eye view of a valley, while being shaped like a bird’s beak!

The Sky Restaurants, as they’re called, cantilever off the precipice of a mountain, giving you a certain thrill as you dine. Its design takes cues from a pitcher-plant, using a boat-like base that projects from the slope, with a slightly raised roof to protect you from the elements while also giving you a stunning view of the mountainous terrain in front of and below you. Like a lot of Liyanage’s designs, the Sky Restaurant uses curved bamboo pieces, giving it a distinctly tropical feeling that does set up a contrast against the mountains… but then again, look at it from above and it almost looks like fairy-lights strung around the mountain!

Designer: Thilina Liyanage