Author Archives: Ida Torres

Hidden hub clears your desk of cords, sockets, and port clutter

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To say that I have a messy desk is an understatement. Aside from the various books, office supplies, and knick-knacks that I have lying around, one of the things that make it pretty messy are all my cords connectors, and sockets. I work with multiple devices so I need all kinds of charging and connecting tools, therefore adding to the clutter on my desk. If ever I one day decide to have a cleaner and more minimalist desk, then I definitely need one of these docking hubs to make my work and home office life a bit more organized.

Designer: Lon

The Lon:HUB is one such docking hub that can give your desk a cleaner appearance and at the same time provide you with all the outlets and ports that you need. The ports and sockets are attached under your desk and on top of your space, you have some of the ports that you would need. Underneath, you have 5x 110V AC sockets, 2x HDMI 2 display ports, and 2x arms where you can wrap your cords around so you don’t get a spaghetti-like mess. On the edge of your desk, the hub has a 10 Gbps USB-C 100W port, 2x USB-A ports, an SD card slot, and it even has a wireless charger landing pad.

The hub also comes with a proprietary high-speed PCB with 100W PD and medical-grade power unit. It will also be available in several color options. We’re seeing orange, yellow, and a dark blue/grayish one if you prefer muted colors. If you want a more powerful unit, there will be a Pro version available which has a Thunderbolt 4 port, 2x HDMI 2.1 and 2x DisplayPort 1.4 ports,, a 2.5Gbps Ethernet card, 2x 10Gbps USB-C and 6x 10Gbps USB-A ports, a UHS-II SD-Card slot, QI2 wireless charger pad, and a 100W PD. It will also have a full aluminium casing.

The price tag hasn’t been officially revealed yet but it looks they’re planning to go for $199 which is a pretty good price tag for a dock. Design-wise the Lon:HUB is pretty minimalist and that is the point as something intricately designed may add to your desk’s clutter. I may not be leaving my maximalist style anytime soon but removing the cord and socket clutter may be the first step I’ll take and this dock would be a good start.

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Sō Labs’s Layer 2 collection boasts 217 color combinations with day/date complications

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For those of us who grew up in the age of analog watches, it’s quite unfathomable that there are kids now who have a hard time, or worse, don’t know how to actually read time. They’re so used to looking at their smartphones to tell time that reading the short hand and long hand of is pretty difficult and at times even impossible. But analog watches are still a big thing for those who want to own classic or funky timepieces on their wrists. And there are brands that keep churning out great designs for those of us who still prefer telling time the “old school” way.

Designer: Sō Labs

Sō Labs is one such brand that is creating watches that are distinct, colorful, and dynamic. They previously released their limited edition Layer 1 collection that has since then sold out so now it’s time to unveil Layer 2. The collection features the signature triangular and circular shapes from the brand but this time bringing a different twist to the design. The day and date complications are now both functional and an aesthetic feature. Each day and date corresponds to a different color so you get 217 color combinations since each wheel has a gradient pattern.

Each of the watches in the Layer 2 collection have 40mm cases and a Swiss SW220-1 automatic movement. They also have a domed sapphire crystal transparent caseback, 20mm lugs, and a 10ATM. You also have the option to switch between the suede and stainless steel strap that comes with each watch. The colors in this collection are more muted compared to Layer 1 but the dials and layers are still pretty interesting.

There are five models in the Layer 2 collection: Obsidian Frost, Iron Flamingo, Plum Punch, Charcoal Fog, and Iced Oatmeal. Each of the watches are uniquely numbered so you can also guess that the price tag is pretty hefty compared to other funky designed analog watches. If you’re a collector though, you already expect that limited edition watches are pretty expensive (but maybe worth it as well?)

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Holographic stationary bike lets you feel like you’re on an actual trail

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Walking or running on treadmills and riding stationery bikes are the next best thing to actually exercising outside. But sometimes it can be boring that you dread going on these machines. There are of course those that have devices on them so you can watch your favorite videos while working out. Sometimes though they can prove distracting or it may not be enough to quench your boredom as you ride, run, or walk. And if you love the outdoors but cannot go and exercise there, being on the machines can be a chore.

Designer: Layer

Saga Holographic partnered with design agency Layer to come up with Holobike, a stationary bike with a hologram screen that doesn’t need a headset or eyewear to work. Instead, you get a panoramic light-field display that lets you imagine that you’re on an actual trail biking around instead of inside a gym or your room. It’s not just a simple display though as the stereoscopic viewport actually gives you the perception that you are moving through that space and hopefully break that idea that stationary biking is boring and monotonous.

The screen has a 4K LCD overlaid with a thin sheet of microlenses so you get a “crystal clear portal” as if you’re inside the 3D landscapes and biking through them. The 27-inch display has an infrared depth sensor so you get a life-like spatial perception without having to use wearables that may distract you as you’re biking. For now, you can either cruise the Alps or ride across the Outback but they will be adding more to the library. These are actually reconstructed from the digital scans of actual trails and put into 3D form.

As for the bike itself, it has an adjustable frame so you get a comfortable riding experience. It also has electromagnetic resistance to adapt to real-life biking and a polymer drivetrain belt that gives you almost silent pedaling prowess. As someone who is bored with stationery biking, this can be a good way to encourage me to work out indoors, although I will probably prefer watching my own videos rather than looking at different trails, but that may just be me.

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Portable Powerbox can juice up your laptop and other mobile devices

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When you go to coffee shops, public spaces, and even the beach, you’ll probably see people facing their screens and typing away for work or for leisure. The digital nomad and work from anywhere lifestyle is truly upon us. One of the most important things that they need is a power source since not all places have sockets. Of course there’s the pretty common powerbanks to juice up our smartphones but for those that need something a bit heavier in terms of power, there are only a few options out there.

Designers: Sam Hecht and Kim Colin of Industrial Facility

The OE1 Powerbox is a portable battery so you can power up your laptop, tablet, smartphone, and other mobile devices wherever you are. It is more than just a powerbank as it can actually charge three 70W laptops at the same time with its 250Wh of power. It has three USB-C ports, one USB-A port, and a tracking device holder. It can also fit into the OE1 Storage Trolleys if you need to power larger electronics like monitors, speakers, projectors, etc. The Powerbox has a power level indicator on top so you can see the power level. It can be charged through a PowerTray or with a charging cable kit that you can purchase separately.

But on its own, the Powerbox is already powerful enough for your mobile devices. It looks like a tool box that is “meant to hold the feeling of ‘battery-ness’. It has a minimalist design since you don’t need it to look like anything other than a battery you can carry around. It is also created sustainably as it uses lithium ion phosphate (LFP) so it can have a longer life cycle. The housing uses 100% post-consumer ABS plastic making it easier to handle during the recycling process.

Of course since it’s more powerful than a powerbank, it’s not that light or can fit into your bag. But it’s still light enough that you can carry it around when needed. As someone who works outside a lot (and whose device batteries seem to be giving up on me easily), this can come in handy even if it may be a little heavy.

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Card game helps kids learn about colours and be offline

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There is still an ongoing conversation (debate) amongst educators, parents, and psychologists on the amount of screen time that we should allow kids to have. Of course there’s a balance between screens and offline activities although that’s pretty hard to achieve. It’s also hard to wean this generation away from their devices but one way is to provide alternative activities for them at school and especially at home. And maybe, we can even get them to create their own alternatives.

Designer: Pupils from The Piggot School

The winner for this year’s Design Museum’s Design Ventura competition may be a fun alternative for children and adults alike. The Colour Countdown card game created by the pupils at The Piggot School was inspired by classic analog games Uno and I Spy. It can bring out the competitive spirit amongst players but also lets them interact with their surroundings instead of just focusing on various screens. This is an annual competition for students aged 13-16 to create something that will eventually be sold in the Design Museum.

Each card has a coloured cellophane window and can be combined with other cards to create different blends of colours. The players have to find things around their space which will match the card or cards that they’re holding. It can be played in any environment but of course since you’re dealing with colours, it is better played somewhere with a lot of colourful objects around. The cards are also eco-friendly as it uses FSC-certified paper and the cellophane is made from wood pulp.

The next step for the Colour Countdown is that it will be developed by the students with a professional agency. It will eventually be manufactured and then sold at the Design Museum Shop so you actually have the chance to own and play this game. Who says only kids need to be weaned away from their screens?

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Kartell and Philippine Starck team up with A.I. for new furniture collection

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There have been a lot of discussions about how artificial intelligence affects designers and design in general. This will continue to be a hotly debated topic in the next few years. There are those that believe this is heralding the death of the creative industry while there are those that believe that it can help brands and designers streamline processes and can foster innovation and experimentation. Italian furniture brand Kartell and French architect and designer Philippine Starck seems to be of the latter school of thought as they unveiled their A.I. collection

Designer: Philippe Starck and Kartell (and A.I.)

This collection features eco-friendly pieces of furniture that were a result of input from Kartell and Starck and streamlined by A.I. particularly in terms of prototyping and planning. It was able to contribute to make the collection sustainable and optimize the materials used resulting in reduced waste. Creating eco-friendly products is the ultimate goal and the combination of design, production, and A.I. helped achieve this.

The A.I. Lounge uses thermoplastic techno polymer with a mineral filler. It is available in white, black, green, and gray and can be used both indoors and outdoors or wherever you want to lounge around. The H.H.H Her Highest Highness meanwhile is a chair that should make you sit like a royal. The way the back is shaped will force you to sit as if on a throne. It uses green polycarbonate material for the eco-friendly aspect.

The A.I. Console meanwhile is a minimalist small table that can be placed in the foyers, vestibules, entrances, and hallways, or anywhere you need to have a small stand or table for your stuff. It sports a one legged design and is made from recycled Illy iPerEspresso coffee capsules. You can get it in orange, white, gray, or black.

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Earbuds case doubles as fidget toy for your anxious fingers

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There are things that we need to have with us everywhere we go, depending of course on your personality. In fact, there’s a term for that – EDC or everyday carry. These are things like watches, pens, lighters, notebooks, utility knives, etc. But the past few years, they’re really more of our digital tools – smartphones, tablets, laptops, earphones. There are also those that have to carry fidget toys around with them to help relieve anxiety or boredom. What if you get a combination of a device that can also become a fidget toy for your restless fingers?

Designer: Eric Cheng

This concept for an earbuds case may be that combination you’re looking for. The EDC 1.0 Lucky Push is a concept case for the D-Mooster truly wireless earbuds that uses “card pushing” mechanism to open and close it. The motion of the sliding up and down and snapping is supposedly addictive enough that you would want to do it repetitively, even if you’re not using your earbuds at the moment. Hence, it becomes a fidget toy as well if you need to keep your hands busy.

There are three designs for the EDC 1.0 Lucky Push: Big Monster, Become Wealthy, and Become Happy. For the superstitious, doing the repetitive motion will let you accumulate luck and wealth, or at least that’s what the designer thinks it will bring you. I understand with the last two designs as we all want to be wealthier and happier, but I wonder what the Big Monster concept will bring you, other than a cute fidget toy with monsters engraved on it.

Earbuds cases are usually really more functional as you use it to store your earbuds or charge them once they run out of juice. So this is an interesting idea to make the case itself a bigger part of your EDC pack as it becomes a fidget toy as well. If the designs are also interchangeable, it will make it even more interesting.

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AI artist will “train” robot dogs to do a live painting session

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Spot has been a pretty busy dog, previously appearing with super group BTS a few years and just last week, getting its own costume and dancing its heart out to celebrate International Dance Day. Lest you think that it’s an actual dog though, it’s actually a robotic dog that can do more than just jump and roll over. Now it’s branching out to the art world with a new exhibit featuring the power of AI.

Designer: Agnieszka Pilat

There has been a lot of heated discussions about AI and art but not all of them are always negative. While a lot have been critical, there are those that want to explore how autonomous technology and AI-generated art can aid in the democratization of art. One of those people is Polish artist Agnieszka Pilat. She has partnered with Boston Dynamics, or rather, Spot the robot dogs, for the Heterobota exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

Two of the robot dogs, nicknamed Basia and Omuzana, will do a live painting demonstration in the museum on a 156 x 160 inch canvas on May 10. Pilat will be “training” the dogs to doodle and paint from 8PM to 12AM, with a little resting in between just like an actual artist would. Visitors in the museum can actually watch them live and the final work will not be displayed afterwards so your only chance to see the robot dogs in action would be during the live painting session.

Pilat says that the expected outcome is more like that of a “little kids finger-painting” since the technology is young and new, even though she has collaborated with Spot before. But it’s an interesting experiment in how humans can use AI and robots to generate art. Of course, there’s still a lot of discussion that rightly needs to be had but things like this can open up various viewpoints and opinions that can hopefully enhance the conversation.

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Mini drum washing machine concept lets you clean small loads of clothes

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Washing machines are normally pretty big and bulky, especially since you want to put in as many pieces of clothing as possible in one load. It has made washing clothes easier of course but it’s still a pretty tedious chore. If you live in a tiny space though, having a full sized machine may not be so feasible. Or if you have a child or children, constant washing and disinfecting of clothes is required, not necessarily needing the whole traditional machine.

Designer: Az

This concept for a mini drum washing machine may be the answer to space and size problems. Augenstern looks more like a rice cooker at first glance but it is a portable and smart machine that can disinfect clothes for babies and young children. It has a carrying handle since the idea is that you can carry it anywhere in the house or maybe even outside of your house if needed. There is a mention of wall-mounting by the designer but the renders don’t really show that.

The machine probably doesn’t fully function like your usual washing machines since there isn’t any of the usual tubes and things that you see. There seems to be a bottom suction cup somewhere there that is supposed to reduce the vibration and noise of the machine which should be useful if you have babies that wake up at the slightest noise. This means you can wash or disinfect their clothes even as they’re napping or sleeping.

It’s a pretty interesting concept especially for those that don’t have enough space to have a washing machine. But it may be a bit too small and therefore it means that you’ll have to do several loads, which may defeat the purpose. It would also be nice if there could be more information about the features but the design itself seems to be interesting and feasible.

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Odd wooden design object is a table, stool, lamp, or sculpture in one

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When we choose furniture, we probably do so for their primary purpose, like a chair for sitting, a table for placing things on, a bed for sleeping, etc. But we also see some pieces that can serve more than one purpose and this is particularly useful for those that either have a small space or need something that’s portable and multi-purpose at the same time. It’s also an added bonus if the piece is well designed enough that it can also have a decorative purpose.

Designer: Kosmos Architects

You can say that this latest creation from Zurich-based Kosmos Architects fits all those categories. They were inspired by the idea of the different numbers and dots on the dice and this became the core aspect of the design. The Dice as they called it, looks nothing like the square piece but is instead a four-in-one piece of portable furniture. It’s a stool, coffee table, leg bench, and a lamp in one. How it turns into each of these four furniture typologies depends on how you turn it, hence the dice inspiration.

When you put the flat surface on top, whether it’s the round or square surface, it becomes a small coffee table that can hold your drinks, books, or any objects that can fit onto it. The flat surfaces can also serve as the seat if you wish to use it as a chair. The two legs serve as the support so you don’t topple over or the items you placed on the table don’t fall because it’s wobbly. The other part of The Dice is the lamp which has a hollow inside and a frosted glass for protection.

This weirdly shaped piece of furniture is light enough that you can hang it if you just want to use it as a lamp. It can even fit into a huge tote bag if you need to carry it around. It uses oak wood as its main material and its 3D-shape was made through KUKA robotics technology. If you don’t want to use any of its functional properties, you can just place it in your space and it would look like a piece of wooden sculpture.

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