On the streets all around, one can see people hooked onto their audio-listening gadgets. Some sport headphones while others dissolve the ambient world around them with the noise isolating earbuds. While the former are a bit light on the ears, the latter can damage the ears if not used in moderation. Being a fan of earbuds, I’m always wary of not using them too long, at high volume levels.
Even though I listen to my favorite pair of Elite 10 earbuds for a prolonged duration of time (yes, they are that comfortable) at volumes that are well below the recommended 80-decibel mark, the only problem is the build-up of dust and air blockage. Wear them on hot days and you have a build-up of sweat which is not good in the long run as it can cause problematic ear infections.
This concept pair of earbuds eliminates any moisture build-up or uneasiness due to trapped heat since it comes with an in-built electric fan. Yes, you read that right, the DearBuds SE earbuds do look bulky but they are the optimal choice for people who sweat a lot and can’t live with the irritating feeling of hot ears. The design of these earbuds resembles a fused set of pebbles with a vent in between to facilitate smooth airflow. The built-in sensors detect the temperature inside the ear canal and set the fan into action as soon as the temperature rises.
You can safely call these chunky earbuds the “wearable ear dehumidifier” suited for really hot climate zones. The size can be the only deal breaker as current-gen earbuds like the Jabra Elite 10, Apple AirPods, Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds, or Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are considerably smaller in size compared to this one. The size of the earbuds doesn’t leave much room for space in the charging case, hence, to keep the overall size of the case down, the closing lid is eliminated. Each of the buds stack on each other and the top one doubles as the charging port.
Definitely, these are not the ones to choose if you are a sleeptime music listener or even for active individuals who like to hit the gym. The only advantage here is the inclusion of a cooling solution that will come in handy for hot ears.
I’m sure you’ve heard of the saying that big things come in small packages! Well, that is certainly true for this collection of product designs. These thoughtful, well-designed, and effective little products may come in tiny packages, but are jam-packed with functionality. They truly pack a punch with their unmatched utility, attention to detail, and not to mention their insanely good looks. In today’s world where space constraints are a major issue, we need belongings that occupy minimum space while doing their job perfectly. And, this collection of products does exactly that! From an innovative wave spring key ring that doesn’t break your nails to an adorable grater that fits into the palm of your hand – these designs are the must-have little essentials you need in your home or office.
1. The Painless Key Ring
Using key rings can be quite painful. You can end up breaking a nail or a sweat when you’re trying to add a new key to the ring. And the ones that do go easy on your nails, tend to be less reliable and sturdy since they’re softer. But this is where the Painless Key Ring comes in! It is a distinctive key ring that is inspired by the design of aerospace equipment and cars.
The Painless Key Ring uses a “coiled wave spring” shape instead of the traditional coil spring. This spring is typically used in heavy-duty vehicles and equipment, ranging from aerospace to automobiles. This wavy shape is a pretty user-friendly key ring, and it won’t break your nails nor unnecessarily test your patience.
What we like
Extremely stress-free and easy to use
Twice as strong as a typical key ring
What we dislike
Gap in spring might snag other items in a pocket or bag
2. AirTag Carabiners
Named the AirTag Carabiners, these little carabiners are a new and improved version of boring old metal carabiners. They’re precision-made, and gifted with a lightweight and non-bulky form, which makes them portable, quite easy to carry, and also pretty easy to use and handle.
These precise carabiners have been meticulously handcrafted to offer premium durability and sturdiness. The carabiners arent just simple melted metal casings, each piece is pretty unique, since manufacturing conditions can completely alter and affect the final design, creating a new form and design every time.
What we like
The carabiners are crafted from premium-quality metal by hand
What we dislike
Attaching and detaching the carabiner isn’t the most user-friendly or accessible task
3. Rotating Nail Clipper
Say hello to the Rotating Nail Clipper – this unique product is designed to protect your wrist from twisting and hurting whenever you sit down to cut your nails. It is the ultimate little device to cut your nails efficiently, without coercing you to twist or bend your wrist to get the perfect angle.
The nail clipper has a rather unique and practical design which ensures you never need to bend or twist your wrist while cutting your nails. This enables it to function as an ergonomic and effective tool. Made from high-carbon stainless steel and anodized aluminum alloy, the nail clipper features a simple and minimalist design ethos.
What we like
Features a sleek and minimal design that is easy to use and appealing
Available in a variety of color options
What we dislike
Higher price tag as compared to typical nail clippers
4. Stress-free Aroma Diffuser
If you ever feel like relaxing and unwinding, then you need to consider the Stress-free Aroma diffuser. This little device lets you sit and relax while letting you breathe in a wonderful array of aromatic blends, that have been picked to help calm your mind and support you in meditating. All you need to do is play some tranquil music and unwind after a long day with the Stress-free Aroma Diffuser.
The Stress-free Aroma Diffuser emits a gentle breeze, which disperses the aroma evenly wherever you are sitting. It features a porcelain filter that absorbs the oil to provide a long-lasting experience.
What we like
The polished base offers an intriguing contrast to the organic-looking porcelain disc, so besides helping you relax, it also serves as a classy decoration piece
What we dislike
You need to handle it with care since it looks fragile and could easily be damaged
5. ASMR Zen Ball
Dubbed the ASMR Zen Ball, this little ball aligns natural and engineered elements to form a space-inspired design that imparts a calming and tranquil experience to its users. The product features a meteorite-inspired porous surface, which acts as an incredible absorbent surface for your aroma oils, building a wonderful meditative experience for you.
Made from genuine volcanic stone and matte aluminum alloy, the zen ball can be used as a fidget toy, which forms an interactive experience, allowing users to truly connect with the natural energy of the earth.
What we like
Functions as a fidget toy as well, offering sensory stimulation
What we dislike
Since the ball isn’t attached to its base, it could start rolling due to accidental bumps
6. AirPods/AirPods Pro Neck Strap
Called the AirPods/AirPods Pro Neck Strap, this tiny device is excellent for listening to your favorite songs on your next journey. It includes a woven necklace that is created for globetrotters who own their AirPods. You don’t need to spend time rummaging through your backpack looking for your earbuds, and experiencing the constant fear of losing them.
This functional and good-looking accessory ensures that your AirPods are around your neck safely at all times. It combines fashion with practicality and features a patented One-Click Magnetic Lock which ensures that your earbuds are always secure and protected, irrespective if you’re boarding a flight, or traveling to a new country.
What we like
Cuts down the chance of losing your AirPods
Ensures your AirPods are within reach always
What we dislike
Your AirPods can easily be exposed to damage, dirt, and weather elements
7. Aroma Fragrance Pin
This is the Aroma Fragrance pin, a small pin that is a lifesaver when you’re traveling or commuting around, and you need something to maintain a lovely aroma around you. It is a compact little holder that stores cotton dabbed with the essential oil of your choice. It enables a lovely yet strong fragrance to be floating around you throughout the day.
The little pin creates an individual fragrance bubble around you, which follows you wherever you go. Once the smell fades away, you can easily top it up, and it is a useful product for those with sensitive noses who can get affected by the aerosol particles in usual perfumes.
What we like
Looks like a stylish button-style accessory, and has a variety of colors to pick from
What we dislike
The aroma will last depending on the quality of the aromatic oil, so you will need to partake in some trial and error till you find a long-lasting fit
8. Playful Palm Grater
Dubbed the Playful Palm Grater, this unique and compact little product will add some functional fun to your kitchen, and everyday dining experience. The grater fits perfectly into your palm, and prepares freshly grated garnishes for your meals, allowing you to sprinkle them onto your food, on the dining table itself.
The playful palm grater looks like a curled piece of paper and is made from a single aluminum alloy plate. It is available in a variety of fun colors, so you can pick the one that perfectly suits your kitchen or dining space.
What we like
Unique and minimum shape and form, which offers a sturdy grip
Makes the simple act of grating into something playful and whimsical
What we dislike
Since it has a tiny size, it isn’t the best option for grating large amounts of food
9. Key Holder Wakka
The Key Holder Wakka ensures that your keys are always in the right place. This handy little product includes a stylish key ring, as well as an elegant wooden base which combine to create a functional yet good-looking design that stores your keys away safely and efficiently. You never have to fear losing them again!
It uses a powerful neodymium magnet which keeps the keyring in the right place always, and it creates a brisk tapping sound when separated. You can choose between brass, iron, or stainless steel in the options Silver/Maple and Silver/Walnut.
What we like
Makes putting your keys into a fun and interactive activity
What we dislike
The neodymium magnet cannot accommodate heavy sets of keys very well
10. Legacy Precision Nail File
Created by Yoshida Yasuri, the Legacy Precision Nail File is a product of meticulous craftsmanship. Made in Japan, the files are created through a painstaking three-stage sharpening process, which ensures that they don’t get dull, nor do they feature sharp edges like typical factory-made nail files. The files are sharpened by artisans!
Each 1m thick stainless steel plate is sharpened diagonally left, diagonally right, and horizontally. This process is performed six times on both sides of the nail file to impart with durability, fineness, and smoothness.
Contrary to popular belief, bags aren’t about storage… they’re about access. You see, every bag offers storage, it’s how you use and access that storage that makes a difference. Now most backpack makers recognize that the laptop is perhaps the most critical part of bag design (it needs to have a padded sleeve with a quick-access design), but what about those bags that AREN’T designed for laptops? Well, that’s where things get murky because then bags start becoming vague. They offer storage and expect you to figure out how to store and access your belongings. A sling bag’s design really doesn’t focus on anything, it offers an oddly triangular storage pocket that isn’t specifically designed for anything, and can be annoying to access quickly. A camera bag, on the other hand, is tailor-made just for cameras… not gaming gear or drones. With bags either focusing too much on specific storage or not enough, the ISHO-X5 boldly creates an all-purpose sling bag that shapeshifts to suit your changing demands. Designed to store (and organize) your gear, whether it’s cameras and lenses, drones, gaming tech, or even EDC, the ISHO-X5 doesn’t just offer versatile storage, it offers versatile access too, with clamshell ingress, side-access, and a unique X-Wing divider that lets you segregate your gear efficiently so that you can quickly take them out when you need.
Designer: Gideon Balloch
Click Here to Buy Now: $143.65$169 (Use coupon code “YANKO15” to get an exclusive 15% off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!
The sling format is a unique one because it can be carried in multiple ways. You can either wear it across the front like you would a camera bag, letting you access the contents the instant you see something worth photographing, or across the side or back, sort of like a conventional sling or messenger bag. The ISHO-X5’s rectangular design also lets it easily fit into larger backpacks or travel bags, offering modular storage in ways those ridiculous triangular sling bags can’t.
What the ISHO-X5 gets absolutely right is the idea that bags are about access. The sling offers ample storage, but also lets you access its storage in a variety of ways. The main door opens partially so you can dig in for stuff, or opens fully in a clamshell style so you can actually take your gear comfortably. The bag’s strap attachments actually let you quickly flip the main flap to face upwards, bringing the main door to the top so things don’t fall out as you open the bag. Additionally, the bag also rotates to face a side door to the top, giving you quick access to pull a camera or drone out in an instant, without having to fish other items out of the way.
The ISHO-X5’s compact design packs a surprisingly spacious 5.5L interior, allowing you to carry 80% more gear compared to similar-sized slings. The cuboidal shape of the bag does a remarkable job of being space-efficient, while the compact padding lets you easily store items without worrying about them bumping up against each other. The X-Wing divider helps you further segregate your spaces to suit your gear perfectly. Think of it as bubble wrap that fits in between your items, shapeshifting depending on whether you’ve got a DSLR or a drone or even a Nintendo Switch. The design team sought inspiration from Richard Neutra’s concept of “The Changing House,” a modernist piece of architecture designed with an adaptable multifunctional format, and open layouts. The bag’s cube shape and ample access points pay homage to its architectural inspiration, and the X-Wing allows you to create over 12 different layouts to perfectly organize your specific gear.
If that wasn’t enough, the bag comes with a removable/adjustable strap, external accessory-carrying straps, and a 9-pocket mini panel on the main flap for all your small gear from your passport and AirPods to every single memory card. The outer cover is made from a combination of a high tenacity 100% recycled Nylon 6,6 fabric with a weatherproof carbonate coating, and a diamond ripstop Nylon reinforced with Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE). If that sounds like too much jargon, here’s all you need to know – the ISHO-X5 is weather-resistant and abrasion-resistant, so a thunderstorm or a tumble downhill won’t do anything to the bag or the items inside. Yes, the bag also features YKK zippers to keep everything up to code.
Although designed to be used independently, the ISHO-X5 pairs wonderfully well with your existing backpack or travel case too. Designer Carry Cubo also makes its own bags and backpacks, all with the same materials, aesthetics, and attention to detail as the ISHO-X5. The smart sling bag comes in 3 color options and starts at $169, although YD readers get a 15% discount with the coupon code YANKO15.
Click Here to Buy Now: $143.65$169 (Use coupon code “YANKO15” to get an exclusive 15% off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!
Contrary to popular belief, bags aren’t about storage… they’re about access. You see, every bag offers storage, it’s how you use and access that storage that makes a difference. Now most backpack makers recognize that the laptop is perhaps the most critical part of bag design (it needs to have a padded sleeve with a quick-access design), but what about those bags that AREN’T designed for laptops? Well, that’s where things get murky because then bags start becoming vague. They offer storage and expect you to figure out how to store and access your belongings. A sling bag’s design really doesn’t focus on anything, it offers an oddly triangular storage pocket that isn’t specifically designed for anything, and can be annoying to access quickly. A camera bag, on the other hand, is tailor-made just for cameras… not gaming gear or drones. With bags either focusing too much on specific storage or not enough, the ISHO-X5 boldly creates an all-purpose sling bag that shapeshifts to suit your changing demands. Designed to store (and organize) your gear, whether it’s cameras and lenses, drones, gaming tech, or even EDC, the ISHO-X5 doesn’t just offer versatile storage, it offers versatile access too, with clamshell ingress, side-access, and a unique X-Wing divider that lets you segregate your gear efficiently so that you can quickly take them out when you need.
Designer: Gideon Balloch
Click Here to Buy Now: $143.65$169 (Use coupon code “YANKO15” to get an exclusive 15% off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!
The sling format is a unique one because it can be carried in multiple ways. You can either wear it across the front like you would a camera bag, letting you access the contents the instant you see something worth photographing, or across the side or back, sort of like a conventional sling or messenger bag. The ISHO-X5’s rectangular design also lets it easily fit into larger backpacks or travel bags, offering modular storage in ways those ridiculous triangular sling bags can’t.
What the ISHO-X5 gets absolutely right is the idea that bags are about access. The sling offers ample storage, but also lets you access its storage in a variety of ways. The main door opens partially so you can dig in for stuff, or opens fully in a clamshell style so you can actually take your gear comfortably. The bag’s strap attachments actually let you quickly flip the main flap to face upwards, bringing the main door to the top so things don’t fall out as you open the bag. Additionally, the bag also rotates to face a side door to the top, giving you quick access to pull a camera or drone out in an instant, without having to fish other items out of the way.
The ISHO-X5’s compact design packs a surprisingly spacious 5.5L interior, allowing you to carry 80% more gear compared to similar-sized slings. The cuboidal shape of the bag does a remarkable job of being space-efficient, while the compact padding lets you easily store items without worrying about them bumping up against each other. The X-Wing divider helps you further segregate your spaces to suit your gear perfectly. Think of it as bubble wrap that fits in between your items, shapeshifting depending on whether you’ve got a DSLR or a drone or even a Nintendo Switch. The design team sought inspiration from Richard Neutra’s concept of “The Changing House,” a modernist piece of architecture designed with an adaptable multifunctional format, and open layouts. The bag’s cube shape and ample access points pay homage to its architectural inspiration, and the X-Wing allows you to create over 12 different layouts to perfectly organize your specific gear.
If that wasn’t enough, the bag comes with a removable/adjustable strap, external accessory-carrying straps, and a 9-pocket mini panel on the main flap for all your small gear from your passport and AirPods to every single memory card. The outer cover is made from a combination of a high tenacity 100% recycled Nylon 6,6 fabric with a weatherproof carbonate coating, and a diamond ripstop Nylon reinforced with Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE). If that sounds like too much jargon, here’s all you need to know – the ISHO-X5 is weather-resistant and abrasion-resistant, so a thunderstorm or a tumble downhill won’t do anything to the bag or the items inside. Yes, the bag also features YKK zippers to keep everything up to code.
Although designed to be used independently, the ISHO-X5 pairs wonderfully well with your existing backpack or travel case too. Designer Carry Cubo also makes its own bags and backpacks, all with the same materials, aesthetics, and attention to detail as the ISHO-X5. The smart sling bag comes in 3 color options and starts at $169, although YD readers get a 15% discount with the coupon code YANKO15.
Click Here to Buy Now: $143.65$169 (Use coupon code “YANKO15” to get an exclusive 15% off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!
Repetitive daily tasks at a desk can often feel monotonous and uninspiring. Whether it’s answering emails, crunching numbers, or attending meetings, the routine nature of these activities can drain one’s enthusiasm. However, what if there was a way to instill some excitement and freshness into these mundane tasks? This is where Plat comes into play.
Plat cleverly blends everyday tasks with the art of cooking. Imagine the joy of preparing a delicious meal in your kitchen – the aroma of spices, the sizzle of sauce, and the warmth of the oven. Plat seamlessly incorporates these elements into desk-mounted products, bringing a breath of fresh air to the daily grind. I personally don’t really cook, but anything related to food would definitely excite me.
At the core of Plat’s design philosophy lies the fusion of familiarity and novelty. By infusing elements from the kitchen, such as the interaction of the opening water in the sink and the scent and light of the oven, Plat reconstructs them into innovative products that redefine the desk experience. The name “plat,” meaning “cooking” in French, perfectly encapsulates the brand’s identity and mission.
One of Plat’s standout features is its custom typography logo, inspired by the diverse shapes of kitchen cutlery. The logo’s geometric sans design blends soft and sharp edges, creating a cohesive and organized visual identity. Additionally, Plat’s graphic elements draw inspiration from common cooking experiences, simplifying forms such as sprayed sauce, stacked plates, and water vapor into sleek and functional designs.
Plat offers 2 desk products designed to enhance productivity and comfort.
1. Wireless Charging Dock:
This multifunctional cradle serves not only as a wireless charging station for smartphones but also as a trigger for initiating work sessions.
The interaction begins with the lifting of the cradle, which activates an ambient light, signaling the start of focused work. As the user settles into their tasks, the identity timer embedded within the interface architecture comes into play. Drawing inspiration from the gradual heat buildup in cooking, this timer employs color interactions that intensify over time, subtly guiding users to recognize the passage of time. It also has additional wired charging ports at the back with a loop to keep the cables safe from damage.
Moreover, Plat’s Wireless Charging Dock goes beyond mere functionality, offering efficient task management tools through its intuitive dashboard interface on the smartphone. Users can effortlessly track urgent goals and sub-tasks, monitor weekly work time and concentration levels, and access detailed analysis reports for insightful self-assessments. The inclusion of a storage box at the bottom ensures organizational ease, accommodating essentials such as pens, chargers, and stationery, while a charging inlet and cable loop prevent clutter and damage.
2. Desk Lighting:
In a nod to the comforting ambiance of a kitchen after a satisfying meal, Plat’s Desk Lighting draws inspiration from familiar culinary motifs. This innovative light fixture features upper indirect lighting that illuminates workspaces during task-oriented sessions. However, its functionality transcends mere illumination.
Upon completion of work time, the indirect lighting gently fades, signaling a transition to rest and relaxation. Simultaneously, a diffuser at the bottom releases subtle scents, evoking a sense of calm and prompting users to take much-needed breaks. Operational usability is paramount, with a labeled button allowing for easy brightness adjustment and a base that accommodates smaller items like phones or stationery.
The lighting fixture boasts 60-70 mini LED lights strategically spread across the top pallet, ensuring uniform illumination. Additionally, a connection inlet at the bottom ensures seamless integration with power sources, offering convenience and flexibility.
Roughly the size of a key and small enough to easily become a permanent fixture on your keychain, the CRKT K.E.R.T. is a small but serious multitool that could easily get you out of a sticky situation. The K.E.R.T. (which stands for Keyring. Emergency. Rescue. Tool.) is a tiny all-metal EDC that packs a seatbelt cutter into its multipurpose design (among other tools of course). If you’re ever in an emergency, the tool could be used to cut yourself free so you can make a quick exit, or potentially help someone else who’s had an accident. Sort of like owning a fire extinguisher, the K.E.R.T. is a tool you probably won’t use often, but you’ll thank the heavens for the day you find yourself needing it. Oh, and when you aren’t slicing through seatbelts, the K.E.R.T. also doubles as a bottle opener, a flathead screwdriver, and a 1/4″ hex wrench.
Measuring a mere 2.48 inches long, the K.E.R.T. might be one of the most compact emergency tools we’ve seen. The EDC comes made from tough 8Cr13MoV steel with a neat brushed finish, weighing a paltry 0.8 ounces (22.6 grams). The design is a clear example of form following function. It packs the seatbelt cutter, flathead screwdriver, and hex-wrench in the smallest form factor possible that’s still easy to grip and maneuver. The design is ambidextrous too, which means you can use it with any hand.
The seatbelt cutter is sharp but cleverly designed so that it can’t accidentally hurt anyone. The edge sits within a groove that’s perfect for looping around the seatbelt, and the sharp steel helps the EDC slice comfortably through the tough fabric. You can use the K.E.R.T. to also cut other materials like cloth, wrapping paper, or tape, making it handy outside its obvious emergency use. The blade’s safety design makes the K.E.R.T. TSA-friendly, so you can easily travel on flights with it (after all, planes have seatbelts too). As a cautionary measure, though, each K.E.R.T. also comes with a protective vinyl cover that sits right over the flathead screwdriver just in case there’s a danger of it poking you through your pants or scratching your phone/wallet.
The handheld gaming market is currently dominated by the likes of Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch. Playtron wants to shake up this marketplace with its unique take on a gaming handheld device that unifies different game studios under one umbrella. Developed in collaboration with Mytsen Labs (one of Playtron’s seed investors), the Web3 capable gaming handheld dubbed SuiPlay 0x1 will be available in 2025 for a rumored $500.
The gaming titles compatible with the handheld will be available for purchase via the blockchain and tie some titles to Mysten’s Sui cryptocurrency. Mysten is also promising crypto-incentives and rewards as long as you keep playing and buying more games.
For now, the handheld renders look too sleek to be true. The D-pad is even flatter than the one on the Game Boy Advance SP, which was super-flat by necessity due to the console’s clamshell design. The startup is aspiring to create an Android of PC gaming, something that Steam Deck did. If the Web3 games on the PlaytronOS won’t do well, then the Steam and Epic Games Store availability on the platform will come to the rescue.
All said and done, the company is still to reveal any specs details. All they leaked was the promise of the handheld to be based on Advanced Micro Devices technology and currently, there are system-on-chip vendors interested in this unique offering. According to Playtrom CEO, Kirt McMaster, they are looking for manufacturing partners and a follow-up announcement will come in three months. You can look forward to the pre-order window once the specs are cleared up.
The open gaming handheld will offer multiple game stores, right from Sui Web3 games to the popular Epic Games Store. Every single game available will appear in a single launcher and work with a single operating system. The good news for developers is that the Playtron software will integrate stores with a program called Playtrom Select, so that small publishers can also launch their games directly on the launcher.
The most important piece of furniture in our office is our prized chair! It is where we spend hours on end. We spend the majority of our day sitting on chairs, whether we’re working in our home office or a corporate one. Hence, this piece of furniture needs to be not only comfortable but ergonomic, and aesthetic as well. For me personally, I should be able to sit on my chair all day, feeling inspired and productive, and constantly churning out good work. I know sounds like an impossible feat, doesn’t it? How could one furniture design do all this and more for us? Well, I don’t know if finding the perfect office chair is possible, but the Typo Office Chair by AMDL Circle comes pretty close. Let’s take a look!
Italian studio AMDL Circle designed this simple yet powerful office chair for the furniture brand Mara. What sets this seemingly ordinary chair apart is its playfully bent form! It is an ergonomic office chair with a light timber base and backrest, that have a gentle curve in their form. This gently curved shape sets the chair apart and serves as the ‘focal point’ of the entire furniture design.
The subtle wood is contrasted by a colored metal structure which in turn creates a distinctive and vibrant silhouette. This intriguing contrast adds a lively element to the chair, taking it from an everyday furniture design to something refreshing. Mara worked with AMDL Circle to create the design, and which is the result of “unconventional fine-tuning”.
“By bending a square-section steel tube along the diagonal, the material deforms, curling and sharply creasing,” said Mara. “This detail generates the intentional and sought-after ‘error’ that is the soul of the project.” “Typo, as a typing error, is almost an accidental mistake,” concluded the brand, explaining the product’s playful name. Much like its name, this office chair is defined by what initially seems like a mistake, but is in fact an intentional detail that adds personality and character to an otherwise somber and humble wooden furniture design.
Spring is currently in full swing, and it is the perfect time to spend your days in the outdoors, taking in some fresh air, and letting the lovely spring sun soak through our skin. There couldn’t be a better time to be in your backyard! I mean, you can do a lot in your backyard! We shouldn’t underestimate our backyards, as they can be major spaces of fun, recreation, and relaxation. And a wonderful addition to your backyard could be the Cosmo Pavilion by studio AMDL Circle for the fellow Italian company Ethimo.
Studio AMDL Circile gave the classic garden pergola a contemporary and beautiful twist in the form of the Cosmo pavilion. This stunning and quaint pavilion is created to frame outdoor furniture settings while also providing protection from the elements. It brings a sense of comfort and coziness to the rough outdoors – although for rough can your backyard be? The structure is intended for the evenings, when the integrated LEDS shine upwards, away from the pavilion, scattering light across the fabric canopy, and in turn forming a warm and cozy ambiance.
The pavilion is created by joining FSC-certified teak columns, which is a typical material of choice for furniture, since it artfully weathers over time, with an aluminum upper structure, which beautifully spreads outwards to create a lovely sculptural roof. Ethimo describes the product as “a new dimension for outdoor living in harmony with nature” and makes it available in a number of sizes and configurations. “Cosmo meets a desire to create a private space, an ‘indoors out of doors’ that can be used in any season and at any time of day,” said Ethimo.
The Cosmo Pavilion makes for a wonderful addition to your mundane yard, it adds an almost fairytale-ish atmosphere to the space while functioning as a comfy and serene space to spend your evenings in. Quite obviously, it is quite a large structure, and can only be accommodated in yards with plenty of space, it isn’t a great fit, or rather will not be able to fit in small backyards.
It can’t be stressed enough that literacy is the best tool for empowerment and social change. Literacy is everyone’s prerogative but it is not available for everyone in reality. For some their economic status is a hindrance, while for some the social stigmas and lack of opportunity become an impediment. Whatever the circumstance may be, the inability to read and write can lead to issues in everyday life, with the littlest of things such as signing a document or reading the medical prescription/medication.
Literacy drives have been a common endeavor in most developing countries in the last few decades, yet the UNESC report has alarming numbers. Reportedly, some “773 million” people globally “struggle with literacy.” The World Literacy Foundation, which has been at the forefront of providing literacy to the maximum individuals possible, has collaborated with Media.Monks to create the Literacy Pen: a speech-to-text assistance device.
Literacy Pen is the first, portable education tool that can let the illiterate read and write instantly. It is a small device – compatible with any standard pen or pencil – with an onboard screen to display visual input that can be directly copied onto paper.
Designed with key literacy development aspects like visual repetition in hindsight, this user-friendly, lightweight tool comes with a microphone. The user can effortlessly slide a pen into the compactly designed Literacy Pen, and speak desired words into the microphone, which transcribes them word by word automatically onto the digital screen. From here the individual can see and directly copy it onto paper using the attached pen.
How much of that is possible in the real-world environment where individuals we are talking about would have never held a pen in their hand before? Considering this tool is inexpensive that the lowest in the economic hierarchy can own, with due practice, at least some people should be able to sign their financial documents or even land a job.