Author Archives: JC Torres

Loog x Duolingo portable piano teaches you the language of music, the fun way

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Learning a new language is never easy, whether it’s human language, programming language, or harmonic language. It takes time, effort, and more importantly, drive to go through the process, but it doesn’t have to a be painful and dreadful experience all the time. Of the many strategies that make learning languages both fun and effective, Duolingo is perhaps the best-known service. What few people realize, however, is that the green owl has been teaching music for over a year now, applying the same principles it uses in teaching Spanish or Mandarin to do-re-mi’s. Unlike smartphones and spoken languages, however, music has to be played to really be learned, which is why Duolingo has come out with a small digital piano so that you can do that anywhere you are.

Designer: Loog x Duolingo

A piano isn’t the only instrument you can use to learn music, but it’s one of the most convenient and can be designed into an electric and portable form that doesn’t require minding strings that could break. You don’t even need a full-sized piano to get started, but you do need one that’s small enough to be carried around yet has a decent size and a decent sound as well. Rather than relying on a smartphone piano app that doesn’t give the same tactile experience, Duolingo teamed up with Loog, a popular brand of musical instruments for kids and beginners, to make one.

That’s what the Loog x Duolingo Piano brings to the table, figuratively and literally. It’s basically a special version of the Loog piano themed with Duolingo’s iconic green hue. It’s still the same piano made with solid wood panels that enhance the acoustics, making it sound almost like a real classical piano. It also has the same velocity-sensitive keys that implement proper dynamics, meaning that you can hit the keys harder to make the note sound louder, just like a real piano.

It’s not just a Duolingo-branded Loog piano, though, as this particular kit is designed with the easy-to-use and fun learning service in mind. There’s a wooden phone stand that matches the aesthetics of the piano, perfect for holding up the phone while you learn and play. And for a more offline learning experience, the package includes Piano Flashcards as well.

The Loog x Duolingo Piano is more than just a simple digital piano. It can be used as a MIDI controller when connected to an instrument via its USB-C port, and there are also ports not just for headphones but also for pedals and octave shifters. It might look like a kid’s toy, but this piano definitely has the guts to stand proudly as a proper musical instrument so that its use doesn’t stop after you’ve already mastered everything Duolingo has to teach.

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Logitech MX Creative Console offers designers more controls to help them create more

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As consumers become more discerning and sophisticated, the tools needed to create content have also become more powerful and complex. Yes, there is now generative AI to help kickstart the creative process, but the final work is still done by human hands. The common keyboard and mouse are no longer enough for these tasks, and having your fingers dance over keyboard shortcuts is sure to result in strain and injury over time. Following the current trend of using Stream Deck-like devices for more than just streaming, Logitech has just launched its own tool that gives creative professionals an extra set of keys to help them spend less time fiddling with controls and more time actually creating.

Designer: Logitech

The Logitech MX Creative Console is a duo of connected devices. One is a dial pad with an honest-to-goodness physical aluminum dial that gives users more precise control over scrubbing through timelines, changing brush sizes, or any other setting that needs fine movements. There’s also a small roller for scrolling through other things, as well as two pairs of buttons for selecting things or moving forward and backward.

The other half of the duo is a keypad with 9 Display Keys, each of which can be configured for a different action and a matching icon. This lets creators and designers assign their most used shortcuts to these iconified buttons, freeing their minds from having to memorize all those key sequences, creating a more natural flow that, thanks to their physical and direct interactivity. It still relies on a bit of muscle memory, but far less than combinations of keys that don’t make sense as far as mnemonics are concerned.

Logitech isn’t just aiming for designers with such an assistive tool but also appealing to their growing sense of responsibility to the environment. Parts of the MX Creative Console use post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic, 72% for the Graphite colorway and 55% for the Pale Grey version. The aluminum used for the dial is also made with a lower carbon footprint, using renewable energy rather than fossil fuels. Packaging still has some plastic, but the paper parts are made from sustainable and controlled sources.

Truth be told, Logitech is a bit late in the game, with many creators already using the popular live-streaming tool Stream Deck for the same purpose, though the addition of the physical dial is a big boost for professionals. At the same time, Cooler Master just recently launched the MasterHUB, a creative console with a modular design that really puts users in control. That said, the Logitech MX Creative Console does cost only $199, making it an accessible option for creators who need a boost to get into the zone.

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Modular camera concept keeps you focused on the magic of the moment

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Smartphones have become very powerful and convenient tools for recording precious memories and sharing them with loved ones, but they can also be sources of stress, distractions, and dissatisfaction. The Instagram generation has many people snapping up photos or short video clips and then losing themselves in a sea of notifications and social media posts just as they try to quickly share those moments. It is quite ironic that these devices that connect us with others also disconnect us from the world around us and, more importantly, from ourselves because of those incessant distractions. A dedicated digital camera, even one with Wi-Fi, is a solution but an inconvenient one at that because of its bulk and complicated features. A better answer might be the evolution of the point-and-shoot camera, but one with a flexible design that can scale to people’s ever-changing needs and situations.

Designers: Mason Fetter, Alejandra Giron, Grant Huntsman, Cooper Phelps, Summer Glenn

Point-and-shoot digital cameras were the first to be obsoleted by the rise of smartphones, unable to keep up with the growing number of connectivity features and fun filters that these mobile devices offered. At the same time, however, it is exactly those lack of features that now gives the design its appeal, as people using Polaroid-style instant cameras have discovered. Their simplicity allowed people to simply have fun and enjoy the moment, without having to worry about instantly applying filters or even immediately uploading photos and videos.

Keepsake is a concept design that embraces that simplicity but with an added twist. Unlike those very basic cameras, it can actually expand to add features needed by users. Best of all, it can also go back to that basic functionality once those extra tasks are done. In other words, it has a modular system that keeps it agile and flexible in ways that even a smartphone might have problems keeping up with.

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At the heart of the Keepsake design is the screenless digital camera itself and four basic modules which include a mic recording and flash that stick to the front of the camera, as well as a MagSafe clip and a wide charging hub that connects to the back. With this kit, shutterbugs have most of what they need to have an enjoyable disconnected experience that simply focuses on the world around them. At the same time, it keeps the doors open to even more possibilities with future add-ons.

Of course, Keepsake also connects and syncs with a mobile app so you can still share your photos when you want to. It gives users the freedom and control to put their phones away and just immerse themselves in the moment but still gives them the power to enjoy the conveniences of the Internet afterward. And with the modular design, they can take only what they need with them and hold a compact device, unlike a powerful yet bulky and heavy camera.

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Ultra-Portable Wind Turbine Generator Lets You Fast-Charge Your Devices Anywhere with Green Energy

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We have become so dependent on our electronic appliances and devices that we start to panic when the grid suddenly goes down. While solar power generators now offer a more sustainable alternative to the gasoline-chugging relics of the past, it’s a different story when you’re out in the wild with the sun nowhere to be seen. Of course, we can’t control the weather, but we can be prepared for any situation, including when things don’t go according to our perfect plans. Just because the sun isn’t around doesn’t mean you have to stress over the lack of power. With this ultra-portable 50W power generator, you can have the confidence and peace of mind to stay outdoors longer, thanks to the power of the all-present wind.

Designer: Aurea Technologies Inc.

Click Here to Buy Now: $356 $571 ($215 off). Hurry, only 6/74 left! Raised over $273,000.

Solar energy isn’t the only renewable energy source available. In fact, while solar panels are more popular for residential or personal uses, wind power is considered to be more reliable for wide-scale industrial use. Unfortunately, conventional wind turbines are neither small nor portable, making them inconvenient to use in more common, everyday scenarios. That is exactly what Shine 2.0 fixes, harnessing the power of the wind to power your outdoor adventures while enjoying the conveniences of modern technologies in a compact package that’s just the size of a large water bottle.

Shine 2.0 can generate up to 50W of power day or night, whether it’s sunny, cloudy, foggy, or even rainy. Its USB-C PD port outputs up to 75W to fast charge, smartphones, eReaders, tablets, and more. It can also power 12V devices, including laptops, and drones. Worried about a dry spell ruining your outdoor fun? The Shine 2.0 can generate as well as store power in its internal 12,000 mAh battery so you can use the oblong-shaped power generator as a power bank even after the wind has died down. And because of the wind’s cubic relationship with power, when the wind is twice as strong, the Shine 2.0 can generate eight times more power as well.

Shine 2.0 is designed for versatility. Are some low structures getting in the way of your wind? Shine 2.0’s 6-foot mount accessory raises it high above potential obstructions to capture more wind and maximize power generation. By using Shine 2.0’s custom adapter accessory, you can even charge power stations from EcoFlow, Bluetti, Jackery, and others. Sealed and weatherproof with an IP54 rating, Shine 2.0 is ready to face any condition to help you enjoy the great outdoors or even provide emergency backup power during an outage.

New to this second-gen wind turbine generator is a Bluetooth-connected app that lets you see all the critical stats like wind speed and power output without even having to get close. Weighing only 3 lbs and small enough to be stashed in a backpack water bottle compartment, Shine 2.0 offers unbeatable value in providing power on the go, wherever and whenever you need it. With this sleek, compact, and ultra-portable wind turbine, you no longer need to stress over surviving a few days away from power outlets, allowing you to enjoy the liberating experience of generating power from the wind.

Click Here to Buy Now: $356 $571 ($215 off). Hurry, only 6/74 left! Raised over $273,000.

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Minimalist alarm clock offers a simple yet delightful way to control it

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Everyone knows that stereotype of sleepyheads reaching for their bedside alarm clocks and simply pushing a button to turn them off. Even with smartphones, people approach alarm clock apps with that same detached and mechanical behavior. Of course, these clocks are just tools, but the way we interact with them in a way reflects our subconscious attitude toward time and waking up each day. Rather than simply letting time pass us by without our involvement, this minimalist and fun design turns the passive tool into something interactive, turning a routine action into something almost like a game.

Designers: Adrian Wright, Jeremy Wright (DesignWright)

We can sometimes feel like slaves to our clocks, moving according to pre-set schedules and called by the beeping or ringing of alarms. Smartphone apps made that situation simpler but also made us feel less in control. It’s only too easy to set up an alarm, sometimes even without our explicit action, and it’s just as easy to get lost in dozens of alarms and notifications. Having a physical alarm clock, especially by your bedside, helps us distance ourselves from the complexity of apps and digital experiences, and the Flip alarm clock adds a joyful twist to the way you interact with the object.

As its name suggests, you flip the alarm clock to determine how it behaves. One side is labeled “on” and it means what it says, that the alarm is enabled and active. Flip it over, however, and you’re greeted with the word “off” to indicate that the alarm is now disabled. Whichever way you turn it, the LCD display flips to show the time right side up, making it a reversible design as well.

This design that eschews physical buttons for kinetic controls adds an element of direct interaction with the object. You’re no longer dragged around by the alarms you set and become a willing actor in the scenario that plays before you. It can become an addictive action, one that kids will love, and it could even get you up and out of bed with less begrudging effort. Best of all, the Flip alarm clock looks just as fun and attractive on your desk or bedside table, adding a pinch of joy to your life.

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Mini wireless table lamp adds a touch of luxury to indoor and outdoor settings

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We all could use some lighting, whether indoors and especially outdoors at night. There is no shortage of lamp designs available for that purpose, and some of them can even be carried around and used outdoors. The majority of the latter, however, tend to take on more rugged aesthetics, as if expecting to always take a beating. It’s rare to see a general-purpose lamp that can be used whether indoors or outdoors and still look like a product that’s been designed with elegance and style in mind. That’s the combination that this small LED lamp is bringing to the table, quite literally, whether that table is inside the hotel lounge, beside the pool, or even a dining table under the starry night sky.

Designers: Peter Ellis, Gabriel Tam (Neoz)

There will always be a place for rugged portable lamps that can rough it out with adventurers and explorers, but those don’t cover the entire range of outdoor uses. What if you want to hold a somber and stylish nighttime get-together outdoors, far from where house lights and lamp posts can reach? You definitely can’t settle for a candlelight dinner, romantic as that might sound, and this petite but bright wireless lamp makes sure you don’t have to keep your guests in the dark.

Named for an Australian coffee known for its small shots and big punches, Piccolo has a similar appeal with its PVD steel conical body and drum-shaped polycarbonate diffuser with a ribbed surface that creates an interesting play of light and shadows through reflection and refraction. With a crystal-like top and a brushed metal body with finishes in Gold, Bronze, and Silver hues, the lamp generates an atmosphere that is elegant and luxurious, even when used outdoors.

With an IP64 rating, the Piccolo lamp doesn’t shy away from accidental spills or Mother Nature’s unpredictable temperament. It is completely wireless as well, running on a replaceable rechargeable battery, so you can put it anywhere you need both illumination and ambiance. The lamp is designed to look great in hospitality venues, outdoor nighttime gatherings, and, of course, anywhere inside your home or room.

Small as it may be, Piccolo has a big heart for the planet. It uses 75% post-consumer recycled plastic for its internal structure, along with more sustainable materials like stainless steel. The battery, LED light source, and even the diffuser are user-replaceable, extending the life of the lamp for years. Portable, weather-resistant, and elegant, Piccolo gives not just light but also a serene and uplifting atmosphere wherever you put it.

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Walking wooden coffee table is equal parts mesmerizing and unsettling

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In the prehistoric past, man’s survival relied on preserving as much energy as possible by using the least amount of effort possible to complete a task. Today, that might sound a little like laziness, but it was that spirit of necessity that gave birth to many of humanity’s greatest inventions, from cars to smartphones to this rather ingenious walking wooden table. A product of passionate craftsmanship, computer wizardry, and creative imagination, the Carpentopod and its 12 crawling legs could be the semi-automated table you’ve dreamed of that will bring your snack and drink at your command, or a sci-fi nightmare come to life that will haunt your waking hours.

Designer: Giliam de Carpentier

Given our advancements in robotics, you might think that making a table walk would be a trivial pursuit, but unlike a wobbling and bouncing quadruped, a table needs to be stable and level if it’s to be useful. The biggest puzzle to this project, therefore, is designing legs that would move the table without jiggling and potentially spilling its contents. To solve this, computer software was used to generate thousands of leg linkage variations and have them compete with each other based on certain criteria. In other words, a kind of machine learning to create the best leg design that can move smoothly in a horizontal direction.

The result is a design that looks like a fusion of Theo Jansen’s iconic Strandbeest mechanism and the movement of multi-legged creatures like centipedes. The table moves with no less than 12 legs in four groups, as each leg can only do a third of the walk cycle on the ground. As you can imagine, the assembly of this wooden machine is no trivial task. The leg linkages themselves were CNC’ed from laminated bamboo for the sake of precision. All in all, There were more than a hundred bamboo parts involved in the construction, each of which was sanded and lacquered.

The Carpentopod isn’t just a mechanical wooden sculpture, however. There are motors used to move the legs, specifically the smooth, brushless motors used for automated curtain products. There’s also plenty of electronics involved, though the majority of them are for controlling the table remotely. Curiously, these non-wooden parts are all hidden inside a central hollow compartment, almost like the belly of the beast, so to speak. The table can be controlled using a custom wand-like remote not unlike a Wii-mote.

It’s definitely mind-blowing how the table can walk so smoothly without toppling things on top of it or spilling their contents. There’s still a bit of shaking, of course, but still within safe ranges. One can only imagine how the basic design of the Carpentopod could be improved with some sensors and automation, delivering your food while you sit on your couch and then parking itself away once its job is done.

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iPhone 16 iFixit teardown reveals a huge step forward in sustainability

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Today’s smartphones may be more advanced and more powerful than ever, but they still suffer from the same ailments that their ancestors experienced more than two decades ago. Screens get cracked, charging ports get worn down, and batteries die. Unlike the mobile phones of the past, however, the complex designs of modern smartphones make it impossible to even just replace a bloated or dying battery. Of course, companies have always defended this practice as protecting their brand and their intellectual property, but thankfully they’ve started turning around, and Apple just made what is perhaps the biggest step in that direction, short of simply letting owners pop off the iPhone 16’s back, pop out the old battery, and pop in a new one.

Designer: Apple (via iFixit)

The new “feature” that has the Internet abuzz involves the removable of those unwieldy “pull tabs” that doubled the work since you’d often still have to resort to some isopropyl alcohol at the end of the process. Instead, Apple’s new adhesive can dissolve under low electrical current, which means you can hook up the back of the exposed iPhone 16 or 16 Plus to an ordinary 9V battery and have that adhesive go away in a minute and a half. The voltage actually determines the length of waiting, and iFixit’s test showed that a 20V charge would have the battery ready to be removed in just 20 seconds.

This makes battery replacement significantly easier and less error-prone, though you’ll still have to do some alcohol cleanup to completely remove adhesive residue before installing a new battery. Considering batteries are one of the first things on a smartphone to die from natural wear and tear, they are also the most common parts that need to be repaired or replaced. This major improvement in repairability also improves the iPhone 16’s overall sustainability, as it reduces CO2 emissions in the long run.

The catch is that this groundbreaking adhesive is only available on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. The more advanced Pro models, ironically, still use the pull tab system, but Apple did make a little change to make that process less nerve-wracking. The shells of these batteries are now made of hard steel instead of soft pouches, so the chances of accidentally puncturing these sensitive and volatile batteries are now lower, which is very important since you’ll still need to pry them off without that magical dissolving adhesive.

The rest of the iPhone 16 teardown is pretty uneventful, which also means that Apple has retained its improved DIY repair experience this year. This helped the iPhone 16 garner a 7 out of 10 on iFixit’s repairability scale, which is pretty high for a “regular” smartphone that doesn’t promote the same kind of repairability and sustainability as the Fairphone. Hopefully, this new material will eventually land on the iPhone Pro models next year, becoming a major sustainability feature of all iPhones moving forward.

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Smartphone-powered tabletop stopwatch concept turns deep focus into a game

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Our desks are filled with things that inspire us as well as objects that distract us, with our smartphones as the biggest culprits. Sure, we can probably justify having our phones close to us as necessary for work, but we don’t always need to be looking at them while we’re actually working. Notifications, videos and animations, and scrolling text all take our attention away from more important things, but uninstalling these apps completely induces a different kind of stress and worry. The situation doesn’t have to be black or white, though, and there are plenty of strategies to reduce distractions while keeping our phones still within reach, and you don’t even need the training of an ascetic monk to pull this off. In fact, it can even become a fun mini-game, like this tabletop stopwatch that turns getting into the zone into a dive for treasure.

Designers: Dagyeong Kim, Chanhee Park, Dugyeong Lee, Songhee Kim

There are actually some apps that use a similar method to encourage continuous periods of work without unlocking their phone. The idea is that there is some negative consequences when you pause or stop the timer by using the phone, like some virtual tree dying. These apps, however, still put the smartphone not only within reach but also in sight, increasing the temptation anyway. SINK is a concept that works the same way but adds a twist that not only puts the phone away but also makes the experience a bit more engaging.

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The inspiration behind SINK is the gaming consoles of old, where you insert a cartridge to play a game. The mechanism is simple and straightforward, removing any ambiguity or complications. In this case, however, it’s your smartphone that is the cartridge, and you slide it into the back of the SINK device to turn it on. The device only works if the phone is in the slot, so you’ll have to go out of your way to retrieve your phone even for just a few seconds.

The “game” in SINK’s case is a deep ocean dive, hence the concept’s name, where the longer you remain focused at work, the deeper your diver goes and the higher points you get. There’s some semblance of a ranking system, but the concept doesn’t clarify if you’re just competing with yourself or with others as well. The latter raises the stakes a bit for those with a bit of a competitive bent, but it might also work the opposite way and discourage others.

Using SINK is quite simple and the device itself has very few controls other than a dial and a slider. Of course, any strategy like SINK or the Forest app will only be effective if you’re actually doing the intended work during the allotted period of time. There’s still an element of self-control, but SINK’s playful design makes it look a bit more fun instead of serious work.

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Alien-inspired smartwatch concept eschews conventional design for more organic aesthetics

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Smartwatches today have evolved from miniature smartphones on our wrists to miniature health clinics on our wrists. The design of these wearable devices has finally settled down to a handful of designs, most of which try to mimic the appearance of classic timepieces. There is, however, still plenty of room for exploration, for designs that redefine the product category or challenge the status quo. This design concept, for example, tries to look farther ahead into the future, when conventions no longer hold water and where today’s unfamiliar, alien aesthetics would ironically look more natural and more human.

Designer: Olga Orel

Smartwatches had a hard time finding its niche in the market. They were too technological to match the majesty of mechanical watches, but also too underpowered to be the multi-purpose wrist-worn communicators of science fiction. In the end, smartwatches today adopted the core design convention of traditional wristwatches, be they the sporty kind or the luxurious timepieces. But does it really have to be that way? Do smartwatches need to look like, well, watches?

The ALIEN concept gives an empathic “no,” embracing a design language that is more organic and ironically closer to us than its extraterrestrial name would suggest. Its asymmetrical and amorphous design, not to mention the matching domed display, gives it that otherworldly character seemingly pulled out from some 90s sci-fi flick, with its eerie green glow and dark brushed metal surface. Of course, there’s nothing to stop a manufacturer from using other color motifs or materials, but it would still look alien compared to common smartwatches.

The irony is that, freed from the restrictions of circular and square watches, ALIEN can take on shapes that better conform to people’s wrists, offering a more natural, more ergonomic, and more pleasing curvature that is more human-centric. Even the buttons seem to organically grow out of the watch’s body rather than just jutting out like an artificial add-on. And unlike most smartwatches today, it isn’t content to have just one button but can have as many as four in each corner.

This unconventional design also changes the user experience, though not always in good ways. Because the shape of the screen is non-standard, there is more flexibility for different UI elements and arrangements, but it can also make things more confusing as well. Humans are creatures of habit, and smartwatches try to offer a uniform experience across different models or even platforms to make it easier for owners to switch from one watch to the next. That is, unfortunately, one of the disadvantages of this concept design, making the interaction and experience a little foreign and, well, alien.

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