Note-taking desk accessory puts a small twist to your productivity

There is no shortage of productivity tools, systems, and apps to the point that they can be both overwhelming and even costly. That’s why many advocate going back to the basics of handwritten notes on paper or even sticky notes, but those carry the risk of being lost or forgotten. Smartphones can easily become their digital equivalent, at least until you run out of battery. These two systems don’t need to be mutually exclusive, especially when you’re at your desk and have a rather large space available to get your things together. This device concept does exactly that, combining the world of analog and digital together to produce something that lets you be fast and efficient while throwing in a bit of fun for good measure.

Designer: Harshit Sahu

Paper can be simple, and apps can be quick, but not everyone needs all the commitment that these two different note-taking methods sometimes require. There are those that just need to jot down quick notes or even draw a diagram that can be discarded before the day is over. Note, which is the most generic name ever, is pretty much a small desk whiteboard that lets you do that with efficiency, but it has a few tricks up its sleeve that a bit of spice and fun to your work.

For one, the “whiteboard” twists or rather flips over, giving you twice the space to write your notes down. One side can have a dotted grid surface to help with diagrams, while the other can be plain, or they can have the same design on both sides. As with any vertical slate, you can also place sticky notes on it, in case scribbling notes down on paper is quicker for you. The notes you write on the board are, of course, temporary, and a simple cloth can erase the contents to make room for the next notes.

What makes Note unique is the addition of a multi-purpose vertical screen to its left side. This allows you to also have a view of the time, the calendar, and your appointments which are synced from your phone. This could be a more efficient way to stay on top of your schedule compared to writing it down by hand and looking at your notebook every now and then. The screen also provides other functions, like a timer, a world clock, or a music player. But now, it doesn’t let you watch videos, which would be counterproductive.

Note is admittedly not a revolutionary new device, but it does creatively combine multiple ideas into a coherent whole. It isn’t a solution that will fit all needs, but because it is focused on a particular use case, it can optimize for that instead of spreading itself thin and overwhelming people with features. It’s simple and gets the job done without getting in the way of you getting your job done as well.

The post Note-taking desk accessory puts a small twist to your productivity first appeared on Yanko Design.

An inclusive speaker design that lets the blind see through music

Sometimes we can take the gift of sight for granted – we are fortunate to be reading this right now but we forget that vision is used beyond just reading too. Think about it, to listen to music we use an app to select a genre or skip a song, to cook we use a recipe book or Google it quickly which shows that we are dependent on our sight even to make the most of our other sensory experiences! Stephen Ow and Kah Kiat wanted this feeling to be accessible to all so they created ‘Note’ – a book that is a mixtape for the visually impaired or the blind. I love the name Note, it strikes the right ‘chord’ with the music and book lovers!

Note is basically a smart speaker but in the shape of a book. Why shaped like a book? Because it is one of the first things that the visually impaired/blind demographic would be likely to pick up for education or entertainment thanks to Braille’s global use. Hence, Note combines the inherent behavior (gestures one makes when reading a book) with the language they know to give them the ability to listen to music without having the need to “see” the screen of an app. You may wonder why not use a voice-controlled smart speaker? The designers wanted to make a device with a personal touch rather than relying on the gift of speech that the user may or may not have, so to make this accessible to every kind of blind person, Note was given its unique form and function.

The book inspired jukebox is created on the pillars of inclusive design that optimizes the users’ existing skillset and especially focusing on “touch” which is crucial for the visually impaired. Books are easier to operate than speakers because they don’t require any set-up. The user can flip a page for a new genre or flip back to play another song. A cool feature is how the volume control works – it is adjusted on how wide the book is opened. The pages are double-hinged which allows for a small electrical box to be placed in the device for sensors and switches inspired by how we open musical greeting cards. Each page has the details in Braille so the user can enjoy their music independently and that itself is a moment they must treasure given that almost every other activity involves assistance.

It is truly the little things that give joy in life, like seeing music and reading through speakers!

Designers: Stephen Ow and Kah Kiat

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