Computer mice have been around for decades, and despite their form making no objective sense, they remain the most basic and most common pointing device that we now use intuitively. The core design of the mouse hasn’t changed significantly since its inception, which unfortunately means they’re still one of the biggest causes of repetitive strain injury or RSI for many people. Ergonomic mice are starting to gain traction, particularly the vertically oriented designs that promise a more natural and comfortable grip for your hand. This device concept builds on that same premise, but the execution is a bit puzzling considering how it looks less like a mouse and more like a miniature clothes iron.
The rationale behind vertical mice is that the normal orientation of human hands has the palms facing inward rather than downward. With a regular mouse, users are forced to keep their hands at an unnatural angle, whether or not they’re moving the mouse at that moment. Of course, a vertical mouse would still need to provide the basic functions of a conventional mouse, which includes left and right buttons as well as a scroll wheel.
At first glance, the Ergo ergonomic mouse concept is just like any other vertical mouse now available for purchase, but examining its form and silhouette generates a slightly different image. The top plane’s wide surface tapers sharply toward the front, while the wide middle section looks rectangular when viewed from above. If not for the actual bottom of the mouse, which merges two vertical sides like the keel of a ship, the Ergo looks almost like a clothes iron, albeit one without a handle to grip.
Aside from the peculiar shape, the mouse design also raises a few other questions. The buttons on the outer or right side are clearly marked, but they don’t look like buttons you can physically click at first glance. The position of the mouse wheel on the opposite side is even more puzzling, as it will require a lot of swinging movement from the thumb that could actually put more strain on its joint. The rather wide rear might also make it harder to grasp the mouse, potentially resulting in more discomfort in the long run.
If you are looking for some useful iPhone Shortcuts, we have an awesome video from iRveiews that walks us through 15 shortcuts you need to try out. iPhone users are constantly on the lookout for ways to streamline their daily tasks and enhance productivity. Whether you’re a tech enthusiast or someone who appreciates a good […]
Called the Hill House, this 10,720-square-foot mammoth structure is home to art collectors Bruce Heavin and Lynda Weinman. Tucked away in Montecito, California the home is truly eye AND mind-boggling. The home is designed by Southern California-based Donalson+Partners, and it does seem to be inspired by other Hill Houses, that seem to be omnipresent in the US, and in the famous Shirley Jackson novel ‘The Haunting of Hill House’. But the inspiration and similarity only apply to the home’s size and uniqueness, not spookiness.
The home is quite intriguing to look at and is constructed from concrete. Weinman and Heaven instructed the architectural team to create something that would “explore the emotional and irrational”. With these instructions, Donaldson tried to build something that was structurally innovative, and had an almost surreal feel to it, while also maintaining a harmonious connection to the natural landscape. This led to the birth of the rather odd yet futuristic-looking Hill House.
As you look at the Hill House, it brings to mind the image of a warped doughnut with a sunken courtyard nestled in the center, and the rooms positioned around it in two levels. Donaldson wanted to focus on the site’s topography as much as the architectural object of the home. The home’s lower level is set against the ground, while the upper level is topped with a walkable and fully planted roof. As visitors enter the home, they are often surprised by how comfortable it is. They are welcomed by a massive living and dining room, and which leads to a desert-inspired central garden, while myriad twists and turns guide them into the various nooks and crannies of the home.
The interiors of the Hill House are quite luxurious and comfortable. Some of the amenities in the home are a movie theater, a large garage with an automobile turntable, a bar, and a rec room. The basement of the home features a working fireplace, and it is marked by a swirl-like structure, which guests can enter, creating a truly surreal experience, unlike anything you experience in most homes these days.
In this article we will look at how you can declutter your Mac and manage your System Data. Are you struggling with a Mac that’s sluggish and low on space? You’re not alone. Many Mac users find themselves grappling with large system data storage. Fortunately, there’s a solution. This video below from Amir Bendabi delves […]
In this article we look at all the AI advancements this week, including ChatGPT and more. In a rapidly advancing digital world, artificial intelligence (AI) continues to push the boundaries of innovation, personalization, and creativity. This week, a video from The AI Advantage offers a deep dive into the latest developments across the AI landscape, […]
If you’re considering diving into the world of side hustles, AI tools such as ChatGPT can significantly streamline the operation and management of your venture. In the contemporary digital landscape, the application of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, with a special focus on tools like ChatGPT, for generating supplementary income is not only becoming increasingly feasible […]
We have an awesome video from iReviews which shows us a range of iPhone Home Screen tips and tricks. With the release of iOS 17, iPhone users have been treated to an array of home screen tricks designed to enhance the overall user experience. These features not only streamline operations but also offer a level […]
With a modular design that lets you add and replace inserts under your heel and metatarsal area, the EcoDasher is perhaps the only shoe insert to let you choose exactly how much support or shock absorption you want in your footwear. Perfect for pretty much any occasion, these replaceable pads let you customize your shoes to suit your exact needs, whether it’s for all-day comfort, foot-alignment, pain relief, or even endurance and athletic performance. The same insole transforms to help assist your foot and posture, working remarkably well for work, sports, leisure, and everything in between, giving your shoes the practical edge they need. The EcoDasher shoe insole makes fashion functional again!
Most insoles just provide lift or arch support, but the EcoDasher isn’t most insoles. The distinct difference in the EcoDasher’s design lies in the two removable pads at the base, and the multiple pad options that come with each insole. Each pad bestows different properties on your insole. Think of your insole as a camera, and the pads as different lenses. Some lenses give you telephoto capabilities, others let you go ultra-wide, and some allow you to go up-close in macro… the pads work the same way, giving your foot just the right amount of support it needs throughout the day and through different activities.
The EcoDasher’s design takes inspiration from the shape of a horse saddle, with curves that support the arches of your foot. The insole’s flexible design provides the right balance between adaptability as well as foot support, letting you get the most out of the shoes you wear. The pads on the bottom help provide the right amount of cushioning depending on your activities. Harder pads give support, softer ones give long-lasting comfort, and special shock-absorbing pads help provide that bounce while running, training, or engaging in any activity.
The two pads sit at strategic positions, right underneath the impact points of your feet. The heel pad, as its name rightfully suggests, sits directly underneath the heel, while the other metatarsal pad sits underneath the transverse arch, or the area between your toe and heel that comes in contact with the floor when you stand on tip-toes. The metatarsal pad comes in 3 varieties – an Oceanfoam pad that offers mild support, the Rebound pad for moderate support, and a FIT pad for extra support. Meanwhile, the heel pad boasts 4 options, Oceanfoam, Rebound, FIT, and an additional Comfort MAX that’s perfect for pain relief.
Together, the 7 pads offer up to 20 unique combinations that you can experiment with to find the ones that suit your requirements the best. Depending on your foot shape, body type (height and weight), fitness, and the activity you engage in, you can choose which pads serve your needs the best (or even use the EcoDasher without pads if all you want is a foot-hugging insole). The interchangeable pads help overcome a variety of scenarios, from daily wear to athletics, or from pain-relief to just simple foot-alignment (for people with flat feet or bad posture). With time, you’ll be able to understand exactly what your feet need throughout the day, helping you adjust your insole accordingly for unmatched comfort.
The EcoDasher still manages to have one more trick up its sleeve, and the clue sits right in its name. While most insoles are made from virgin synthetic memory foam, the EcoDasher is made from a combination of algae-based materials and recycled plastic waste. The insole itself is designed using broken-down plastic waste, and is made to be entirely recyclable, ensuring it never ends up in a landfill or the ocean. Meanwhile, the Oceanfoam pad inserts are derived from algae, and are designed to degrade into natural materials when discarded. Overall, the entire insole is made from 80% recycled materials, and comprises 47% biodegradable elements, while the remaining 53% can be recycled into other plastic products. Unlike other natural materials like cork, the EcoDasher insole is also designed to be flexible without cracking/breaking, and is also breathable and innately anti-bacterial.
Each EcoDasher offers 5 different colors to choose from and is available across 10 different sizes (which can further be trimmed to fit perfectly into your shoes. The pair of insoles ship with 14 pads in total (7 per foot), along with a nifty guide that helps you understand which pads to use based on need. The entire kit comes packaged in a plastic-free FSC-certified paper box which can be recycled after you receive your EcoDashers. The EcoDasher ships globally, starting at a Kickstarter-special discounted price of $39.
Projectors are becoming a popular alternative to extra large screens like TVs, mostly at home but sometimes even outdoors. Product design trends have started to move away from bulky boxes to more compact forms, but most of them are still restricted by a few design considerations. Even projectors that are supposedly designed for portability often come with clunky and sometimes unattractive stands, or worse, require setting up on tripods just to get the perfect angle. This concept design tries to solve that problem in a rather creative way, offering a highly compact and portable projector that can be propped up and angled conveniently, all without using a tripod or even a stand.
Thanks to progress in technology and manufacturing, it’s now possible to cram much of the electronics that powered large, hulking projectors into something the size of a small box or even a cylinder. But despite the smaller designs, or probably because of their more cramped designs, these portable projectors often rely on an external mechanism like a tripod or stand to prop them up at the desired angle. Not only does this ruin the aesthetics of the otherwise beautiful product, it also makes it cumbersome to bring the projector along wherever you go.
The Slim.VU concept tries to offer the ultimate on-the-go entertainment experience by encapsulating all the needed parts and design in a single, compact, and portable package. A projector with a built-in battery is not exactly new, but one that comes with 4G connectivity is still unheard of. That enables the projector to function not only without an external power source but even without a Wi-Fi connection, allowing it to access streaming sources without having to use up your phone’s cellular data.
The more interesting aspect of the projector’s design, however, is the built-in stand that looks nothing like a stand. The removable “cap” of this tumbler-like projector functions as this stand, holding the projector in its place magnetically. The curved shape of this stand lets you rotate the cylindrical projector and angle it properly. This way, you don’t need any other accessory to enjoy a video anytime you want, anywhere you go.
The Slim.VU projector concept contains everything you need, freeing you from concerns about power, connectivity, and stability. Of course, actually implementing such a projector is a different matter entirely, and it might need to make a few compromises in exchange for its compact form. Audio and video quality might actually take a hit just to cram this much technology inside a canister shape, making the portable projector less ideal for outdoor use, or even indoor when there’s too much ambient light.
For casual or even regular beer drinkers, how or where you drink it is not that much of a priority. The important thing is to have a preferably ice cold glass or can and just drink it straight or casually while talking to friends or just relaxing at the end of the day. But for beer connoisseurs, there are a lot of factors that may go into their enjoyment of their drink of choice, particularly the glass that holds this amber liquid.
For draft beer drinkers, the Kuro Label variant of Sapporo is a particular favorite. And Japanese design firm Nendo has come up with the perfect glass to savor and maximize the flavor and aroma of this variant and probably other draft beers that you will drink out of it. The Perfect 3Way Glass is an assymetrical creation that has three different mouthfeels that you can use and get three different experiences with the beer.
The front and back part of the glass is the “straight side” which is where you should drink the beer first. The beer should trickle down to the center of your tongue and straight to the back of your mouth, giving you the initial crisp finish of your drink. Then you can move over to the left side that has a curvaceous finish to fill your mouth with a “mellow, rich aroma and bouquet of liquid” since you’re drinking from a wider rim. Lastly, go over and drink from the bulbous shape on the right side which hits the middle of your tongue and control the flow of the beer.
If you’re like me, you probably will not remember to drink the beer in that order and will most likely just gulp it down any which way I want. But the asymmetrical design of the glass will definitely catch my interest even if I may not be able to distinguish the different flavors and aromas on each side, being the casual beer drinker that I am.
