Tag Archives: clock

This Tiny Retro PC Is Your Alarm Clock, Speaker, and Pixel Canvas

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Cozy desk setups have become a competitive sport. Tiny CRTs, retro keyboards, and beige plastic everywhere, usually looking very cute but doing very little beyond collecting dust and likes. Most of that gear is either pure decor or pure utility, rarely both. MiniToo leans into the 80s PC silhouette hard, complete with a CRT-style screen and chunky keyboard buttons, but it tries to earn its footprint by being a Bluetooth speaker, alarm clock, white noise machine, and pixel art display all at once.

The MiniToo Retro PC Style Pixel Bluetooth Speaker & Alarm Clock looks like a palm-sized beige desktop computer that escaped from an 8-bit office. The CRT-style screen sits on top with a thick bezel, while the sloped keyboard base sports four large square buttons and a bright orange volume knob. It measures about 3.2 by 2.4 by 2.9 inches and weighs just over 200 grams, small enough to fit between your laptop and coffee cup.

Designer: Kokogol

The 1.77-inch TFT screen runs more than seventy clock faces, from DOS blue screens with chunky pixel fonts to colorful analog dials and animated scenes. The companion app lets you design your own pixel faces, animations, and text, then sync them with a tap. You can also cast photos to the screen, turning it into a tiny digital photo frame that cycles through your favorite shots in gloriously chunky pixel form, which somehow makes even vacation snapshots feel more fun.

The audio side packs a 5-watt full-range driver with enhanced bass reflex tuned for near-field listening, good for a desk or bedside but not built to fill a room. Bluetooth 5.3 handles wireless playback, plus it supports white noise and twelve wake-up sounds. You can set alarms, play music, and fall asleep to ambient sounds, all from the same little box that looks like it should be running floppy disks instead of Spotify or whatever you streamed last night.

Built-in pixel tools include a Pomodoro timer, reminders, and simple games that live on the device. It can sit next to your laptop as a focus timer during the day, then shift to an alarm clock and white noise machine at night. The four front buttons and knob make it easy to use without always reaching for your phone, helping it feel like a standalone object rather than just another Bluetooth accessory demanding app attention.

Connectivity options cover Bluetooth 5.3, USB audio, and TF card playback, so it works with laptops, phones, or local files. The app is still required for deeper customization, but once your faces and sounds are set up, the device runs on its own. The compact size makes it easy to move between desk and bedside, or pack as a little travel speaker with personality and actual utility instead of just nostalgia.

MiniToo is clearly gift-ready, shipped in a neat box, and aimed at teens, designers, and retro lovers who want their desks to look like fun. What makes it interesting is not just the nostalgia, but the way it folds real utility into that nostalgia, giving you a tiny computer that finally behaves like the playful, expressive desk companion those beige boxes never were when they were actually new and just ran spreadsheets.

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This Curved Clock’s Sunrise Feature Actually Beats Your Snooze Habit

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There’s something oddly satisfying about a product that does exactly what it’s supposed to do, but does it with style. That’s the vibe I get from the Arc Alarm Clock by Nanu Electronics, a piece that manages to feel both futuristic and oddly nostalgic at the same time.

At first glance, the Arc looks like it belongs in a sci-fi movie set in a very tasteful future. The curved design is its defining feature, and honestly, it’s a bold move in a world where most alarm clocks are either aggressively minimalist rectangles or trying way too hard to be cute. This one splits the difference beautifully. The gentle arc creates a natural viewing angle that actually makes sense when you’re blearily checking the time at 3 a.m., which is more thoughtful than you’d expect from something you probably curse at daily.

Designer: Nanu Electronics

What really sets the Arc apart is how it approaches the whole “waking up” problem. We’ve all been there: you set an alarm, it goes off, you hit snooze approximately seven times, and suddenly you’re late for that meeting you swore you’d be early for. The Arc uses a sunrise simulation feature that gradually increases light intensity before your alarm actually sounds. It’s basically tricking your brain into thinking it’s morning, which sounds manipulative but in the best possible way. Your body responds to light more naturally than it does to a jarring alarm sound, so you’re more likely to actually wake up instead of entering that weird snooze-induced time warp.

But here’s the thing: it doesn’t sacrifice functionality for aesthetics. The LED display is crisp and easy to read without being obnoxiously bright at night. There’s something to be said for a clock that doesn’t light up your entire bedroom like a miniature sun. The controls are intuitive enough that you won’t need to keep the manual on your nightstand, which is a low bar but one that surprisingly few products clear.

The Arc also works as a bedside lamp, which makes it genuinely useful beyond its alarm clock duties. It’s one of those features that seems obvious in retrospect but that most alarm clocks skip entirely. You can adjust the brightness to whatever suits your needs, whether you’re reading before bed or just need a gentle glow to navigate your way to the bathroom at night without fully waking yourself up. Sound quality matters more than you might think for an alarm clock. The Arc’s speaker is decent enough for casual music listening or podcasts, though audiophiles will probably still prefer their dedicated speakers. But for morning news, white noise, or just having some background sound while you get ready, it does the job without sounding tinny or cheap.

From a design perspective, the Arc fits into that sweet spot where it’s distinctive enough to be interesting but neutral enough to work with most decor styles. It comes in a few color options, so you can match it to your aesthetic whether you’re going for modern minimalist, cozy maximalist, or something in between. The curved form factor also means it takes up less visual space than a traditional rectangular clock, even though its footprint is similar.

Is it going to revolutionize your life? Probably not. But it might make your mornings slightly less awful, and in this economy, we’ll take small victories where we can get them. The Arc Alarm Clock proves that everyday objects don’t have to be boring or purely utilitarian. Sometimes the things we interact with most frequently deserve a little extra thought and care in their design. If you’re in the market for an alarm clock that looks good on your nightstand and might actually help you wake up like a functional human being, the Arc is worth considering. It’s the kind of purchase that feels slightly indulgent but practical enough to justify.

The post This Curved Clock’s Sunrise Feature Actually Beats Your Snooze Habit first appeared on Yanko Design.

Time Gets a Remix with This Hypnotic Spinning Clock

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There’s something oddly satisfying about watching things spin. Maybe it’s the smooth rotation, the predictable yet mesmerizing motion, or just our collective fascination with anything kinetic. Whatever it is, designer Germain Verbrackel has tapped into that feeling with Clock&Roll, a timepiece that turns the simple act of checking the time into a visual experience you can’t look away from.

At first glance, Clock&Roll looks like a minimalist sculpture that belongs in a modern art museum. Two aluminum rings form a sleek torus shape, suspended vertically on a clean rectangular base. But this isn’t just eye candy for your desk or shelf. Those rings? They’re actually moving, gliding independently on precision bearings, each one tracking time in its own hypnotic rotation.

Designer: Germain Verbrackel

The genius here is in how the clock communicates time without numbers, hands, or a traditional face. Instead, small colored bands mark the hours and minutes on each ring. An orange segment on one ring, a blue one on the other. As external rollers built into the base push the rings into motion, these colored markers shift positions, creating an ever-changing display that’s equal parts functional and meditative to watch. It’s like someone took the mechanical beauty of old clockwork and gave it a sleek, contemporary makeover.

What makes Clock&Roll particularly interesting is how it challenges our relationship with timekeeping. We’re so used to glancing at digital displays or traditional clock faces that instantly tell us exactly what time it is. But this design makes you pause for a second, observe the position of those colored bands, and actually engage with the object. It’s a small moment of mindfulness in a world where we’re constantly checking our phones for the millionth notification of the day.

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The materials play a huge role in the overall vibe. Aluminum gives the rings that perfect industrial-sleek look, somewhere between high-tech gadget and designer object. The finish has that subtle matte quality that catches light just right, while the white rollers and base provide a clean contrast that keeps everything balanced. And those pops of orange and blue? They’re not just practical markers but also inject personality into what could have been an entirely monochrome piece.

Verbrackel clearly had fun with the mechanics too. If you look closely at the base, you can spot the gears and motor system that drive the whole operation. Instead of hiding the machinery away, the design embraces it, showing you exactly how this kinetic magic happens. It’s honest engineering meets aesthetic appeal, which is pretty much the sweet spot for anyone who appreciates good industrial design.

Clock&Roll also plays with scale in an interesting way. It’s substantial enough to be a statement piece, something that commands attention in a room, but not so large that it overwhelms your space. You could see it living happily on a modern office desk, a minimalist living room shelf, or even in a creative studio where it would fit right in with other design-forward objects. There’s also something inherently playful about the name and concept. “Clock&Roll” obviously riffs on rock and roll, complete with the little hand gesture emoji, and that rebellious spirit comes through in the design itself. This isn’t your grandmother’s mantel clock or even your standard smartwatch. It’s time reimagined for people who appreciate when everyday objects get a creative twist.

Since most of us check the time on our phones or smartwatches, a dedicated clock needs to justify its existence. Clock&Roll does exactly that by offering something those digital displays can’t: a tactile, visual, almost sculptural experience of time passing. It’s functional art that happens to tell you when you’re running late for your next meeting. Whether you’re a design enthusiast, a lover of kinetic art, or just someone who appreciates when familiar objects get reinvented in unexpected ways, Clock&Roll is the kind of piece that makes you rethink what a clock can be. Sometimes the best designs are the ones that take something we see every day and spin it in a completely new direction.

The post Time Gets a Remix with This Hypnotic Spinning Clock first appeared on Yanko Design.

5 KeyShot Renders With Lighting So Perfect, You Wish They Were Real Products

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There’s something magical about watching a design concept come to life before it ever physically exists. That’s the power of KeyShot Studio, the rendering software that lets designers test their wildest ideas, play with materials and lighting, and present their visions with stunning photorealistic clarity. For those of us who obsess over beautiful objects and dream about perfectly curated spaces, KeyShot renders are like candy for the eyes: they show us what could be, all wrapped up in gorgeous visuals that make us think, “I need that in my life right now.”

This collection of KeyShot-rendered concepts proves that the best designs don’t just look good; they solve real problems with style and wit. From furniture that fits in a suitcase to clocks that respect your rental deposit, these five concepts showcase how designers are reimagining everyday objects through a minimalist lens. Each piece started as an idea, was meticulously crafted in KeyShot, and emerged as something we’re genuinely excited about. Whether you’re a design collector, a function-obsessed minimalist, or someone who just appreciates when smart meets beautiful, these concepts will make you fall in love with the art of possibility.

Create your own Aesthetic Render: Download KeyShot Studio Right Now!

1. Carousel Chair by Alessandro Pagura

When I see that a piece of furniture needs to be assembled if I buy it, I immediately back away because I am not the brightest when it comes to following instructions and using various tools. But if the promise is that it’s as easy as building a Lego set (which isn’t always that easy TBF), I might reconsider. The Carousel Chair concept by Alessandro Pagura promises that all you need is an Allen key to set it up and that it’s actually pretty accessible.

The pieces are made from standard plywood and off-the-shelf hardware, and once put together, you get a simple and minimalist chair with clean, rounded lines and a distinctive segmented backrest. The curved seat design is probably meant to make your tush a bit more comfortable even when sitting on it for a long time. This isn’t just eye candy for your space but ingeniously practical. The entire chair breaks down and tucks neatly into a suitcase, requiring only an Allen key for assembly. No complex instructions, no specialized tools, no stress. It also brings the spirit of DIY accessibility, democratizing furniture design and making it more open and shareable through open-source CNC plans.

2. Wall Clock by Marc Senar

Say goodbye to wall damage and hello to effortless style with this genius suction-mounted wall clock concept. Crafted from smooth, durable plastic with an organic, pebble-inspired silhouette, this timepiece is a renter’s dream and a perfectionist’s best friend. No screws, no drill holes, no dust clouds, and definitely no noise: just peel, press, and you’re done. The innovative suction system adheres securely to any smooth surface, making it perfect for bathroom tiles, kitchen backsplashes, or glossy bedroom walls where you’d never dare break out the power tools.

Envisioned in soft, sophisticated colorways including crisp white and warm amber orange, this concept clock brings a playful yet refined touch to any space. The clean face features easy-to-read numerals with contrasting hands (love that pop of orange!), while the gently curved form adds sculptural interest without overwhelming your aesthetic. Whether you’re decorating a rental apartment, refreshing a spa-like bathroom, or simply avoiding another DIY disaster, this design concept shows how functional pieces can respect both your walls and your sanity. Time-telling has never looked this stress-free.

3. RW Tea Candle by Design in Depth

Roll the dice on ambiance with this clever candle holder concept that takes the gamble out of mood lighting. Inspired by the iconic shape of a gaming die, this sleek metallic cube features the classic dot pattern on its sides while the top surface holds three tea light candles in perfectly positioned wells. Crafted with a sophisticated matte finish, it’s a playful nod to chance and risk, but the only thing you’re betting on here is creating the perfect cozy atmosphere. No odds, no stakes, just pure flickering flame and conversation-starting style.

This design concept transforms an everyday object into sculptural art that’s equal parts functional and fun. The geometric precision and minimalist aesthetic make it a stunning centerpiece for modern interiors, while the cheeky dice reference adds personality and edge. Imagine it gracing your coffee table during game night, adding drama to a bookshelf display, or bringing unexpected whimsy to a sophisticated dinner setting. For collectors who appreciate design with a sense of humor and anyone who loves when form meets witty function, this dice candle holder concept proves that the best designs know how to play.

4. Ennea Light by Have Not

The Ennea Light concept reimagines illumination as pure geometry, where nine perfectly arranged spheres create a mesmerizing grid of light and shadow. Supported by sleek chrome legs that give it an almost whimsical stance, this sculptural lamp is designed to be as versatile as it is beautiful. The genius lies in its dual personality: face it toward a wall and it becomes soft ambient lighting that bathes your space in a dreamy glow, or turn it forward to showcase those glowing orbs as a statement art piece. Available in glossy black, pure white, or luminous configurations, each sphere works in harmony to create depth and visual rhythm that feels both futuristic and timeless.

This design concept embodies minimalist philosophy through mathematical precision and balance. The name “Ennea” (Greek for nine) celebrates the power of repetition and order, where individual points of light unite into a cohesive plane that feels greater than the sum of its parts. Perfect for design collectors who appreciate the intersection of form and function, or anyone drawn to pieces that transform a room’s entire atmosphere. Whether perched on a sideboard, bedroom shelf, or modern console, the Ennea Light concept proves that sometimes the most captivating designs are built on the simplest foundations: perfect spheres, precise spacing, and the magic of light.

5. SETTIME by Design Woork

This SETTIME concept reimagines how we experience the passing of time through ultra-minimalist design that’s more art object than alarm clock. With its sleek circular profile and impossibly thin silhouette, this timer device distills functionality down to its purest essence. The face features a clean, uncluttered surface with subtle controls tucked discreetly along the side, while the overall form takes inspiration from a perfectly balanced water droplet. Available in sophisticated monochrome options of deep black or crisp white, the concept comes in packaging as elegant as the product itself, with a beautifully simple line drawing that captures the device’s graceful proportions.

Designed for those who appreciate when technology knows how to disappear into the background, this SETTIME concept would be equally at home on a minimalist desk, modern kitchen counter, or serene bedroom nightstand. The ultra-slim profile means it takes up virtually no space while making maximum visual impact, proving that timekeeping devices don’t need to shout to be noticed. For design collectors who value restraint and refinement, or anyone tired of cluttered, over-designed tech, this concept shows how beautiful simplicity can be when every element serves a purpose. Time, distilled to its most elegant form.

Create your own Aesthetic Render: Download KeyShot Studio Right Now!

The post 5 KeyShot Renders With Lighting So Perfect, You Wish They Were Real Products first appeared on Yanko Design.

Trace Line Clock Uses a Single Hand to Sketch Time as a Moving Line

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Clocks are one of the oldest design playgrounds, and yet most of us still live with the same two-hand layout we grew up with. Designers keep trying to find new ways to visualize time, sometimes at the cost of instant readability. The Trace Line Clock is a small desk piece that connects hours and minutes with a single, constantly changing line, turning the familiar dial into something that feels a little more like a drawing.

The Trace Line Clock is a minimal, 3D-printed desk clock by Hye-jin Park that uses one continuous hand to show both hours and minutes. The inner end of the line rides an inner circle for the hour, while the outer end rides an outer circle for the minute. As time passes, the line’s angle and length shift, so every glance shows a new geometric relationship between the two.

Designer: Hye-jin Park

The physical form is a white, wedge-like block that leans back slightly, with a circular recess on the front. Two concentric tracks are cut into that circle, and a single colored line spans between them. There are no numerals, logos, or extra markings, just the circles and the hand. It reads more like a small piece of graphic sculpture than a typical clock, especially on a clean desk.

The inner tip of the line points to the hour on the inner track, while the outer tip points to the minute on the outer track. It’s not as instant as glancing at a bold wall clock, but it’s also not inscrutable. With a moment’s attention, you can read it reasonably well, and the payoff is that you also get a little geometric drawing that changes every minute instead of just numbers.

Because the minute end moves faster than the hour end, the line is always stretching, shrinking, and rotating. The clock doesn’t just tick; it sketches. Checking the time becomes a small moment of noticing how the hand has reconfigured itself, not just a quick number grab. It’s the kind of object that rewards a second look rather than a drive-by glance at your phone or wrist.

The clock hides a standard movement and two internal hands behind the face, using magnets to couple them to the visible line. The front stays clean and uninterrupted, with the hand floating in the recess. The choice of a single accent color for the line against the white body keeps the focus on the changing geometry, not on branding or ornament that would clutter the composition.

The Trace Line Clock is not the tool you buy if you need to read the time from across the room in half a second. It’s a small, thoughtful piece for a desk or shelf where you don’t mind spending an extra beat to parse it. In return, it turns time into a quiet, evolving graphic that feels more like a living diagram than a static display.

The post Trace Line Clock Uses a Single Hand to Sketch Time as a Moving Line first appeared on Yanko Design.

This E Ink Clock Prints Fortunes and Jokes on Paper Slips

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Time usually passes without much fanfare. Numbers flip on your phone screen, the day blurs from morning coffee to evening TV, and most minutes feel interchangeable. Clocks are background objects, functional but forgettable, doing nothing more than reminding you how late you’re running. There’s no ceremony to checking the time, no surprise waiting when you glance at the display. It’s just numbers counting down to whatever you’re supposed to do next.

Houracle by True Angle approaches this differently. Instead of treating time as something that simply ticks away, it turns each minute into a potential moment of delight. The device is part clock, part oracle, with an eco-friendly thermal printer tucked into the top that spits out fortunes, jokes, riddles, or random facts tied to the exact moment you press the button. It’s the kind of thing that makes you want to check the time just to see what happens.

Designer: True Angle

Click Here to Buy Now: $128 $213 (40% off). Hurry, only a few left!

The design is deliberately retro. A boxy, powder-coated aluminum body with rounded edges, a large orange or yellow button on the top, and an e-ink display that looks like a pencil sketch on paper. The screen shows the time and date, the weather for your selected location, and a small prompt inviting you to press print. Five icons along the right edge let you select modes, fortune, fact, joke, riddle, or surprise, each represented by simple graphics.

Press the button and the printer whirs to life, a satisfying mechanical sound as the paper slip emerges from the top. At 7:42 in the morning, it might tell you destiny took a coffee break and suggest making your own magic. At 11:15, it could mention your brain runs on about 20 watts, enough to power a dim bulb or a brilliant idea. The messages feel oddly personal because they’re tied to that specific minute.

What makes this genuinely charming is how the slips accumulate. They end up on the fridge, tucked into notebooks, or shared with family members over breakfast. Heck, you might find yourself printing extras just to see what weird fact or ridiculous joke Houracle generates next. The lucky numbers printed at the bottom add an extra layer of whimsy that completes the fortune cookie vibe without taking itself too seriously.

The e-ink screen plays a bigger role than you’d expect. Unlike the glowing blue displays most clocks use, this one reflects ambient light rather than emitting it. That makes it easier on the eyes, especially at night, and gives the whole device a calming presence. The screen updates when you interact with it, but otherwise sits quietly, blending into the background.

Of course, the whole thing runs on wall power, which means no batteries to replace or USB cables to manage. The aluminum body is built to last, assembled with screws rather than glue. Houracle also uses BPA and BPS-free thermal slips, sourced from a company that plants a new tree or restores kelp in the ocean for every box of thermal rolls purchased. True Angle designed Houracle with sustainability in mind, using recyclable materials and avoiding planned obsolescence.

What’s surprising is how much a simple printed slip can shift your mood. A clever riddle before bed, a dumb joke during a work break, or a strange fact that makes you pause for a second. These aren’t profound moments, but they add small pockets of joy to days that might otherwise feel routine. Houracle captures the anticipation you used to feel when cracking open a fortune cookie.

The device sits on your desk or nightstand, looking unassuming until you press that button and hear the printer activate. Then it becomes something else entirely, a little machine that marks time with paper artifacts you’ll probably keep longer than you should. For anyone who’s tired of clocks that just tell time and do nothing else, that small shift makes all the difference.

Click Here to Buy Now: $128 $213 (40% off). Hurry, only a few left!

The post This E Ink Clock Prints Fortunes and Jokes on Paper Slips first appeared on Yanko Design.

I Replaced My iPhone Alarm with this Literature Clock and it made my mornings 5x Stress-Free

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Your phone tells you it’s 7:23 AM and cloudy. NovellaMate tells you the same information through a passage from Dickens or Neruda, transforming raw data into something you actually want to read. The difference matters more than you’d think, because most of us have forgotten that time and weather aren’t just functional details to be consumed and discarded. They’re the backdrop to our lives, the quiet constants that shape mood, memory, and even creativity. A clock that treats them like poetry instead of spreadsheets isn’t just a novelty; it’s a quiet rebellion against the way we’ve been conditioned to interact with technology.

I’ll admit, when I first heard about the NovellaMate being a smart clock, my skepticism flared up like a bad WiFi connection. Another “smart” gadget for the nightstand? Another Kickstarter darling promising to revolutionize the way we wake up? But then I watched the demo video, and something clicked. This isn’t about smarter alarms or better sleep tracking. It’s about designing an object that respects the ritual of timekeeping, that understands how deeply literature can embed itself in the mundane, and that for some people, life isn’t a routine, it’s a movie or a book being played out as the main character. The kind of thing that makes you pause mid-morning, coffee in hand, because the clock just read you a line from One Hundred Years of Solitude that somehow fits the way the light is slanting through your window. That’s not a feature; that’s an experience. And in a market flooded with devices that prioritize efficiency over emotion, an experience like the NovellaMate feels magical.

Designers: Mark Chow, Jueer Lee, Stan Lee & Natto Kang

Click Here to Buy Now: $179 $279 ($100 off). Hurry, only 142 of 150 left!

The specs, when you dig into them, reveal a product that’s been thought through with unusual care. NovellaMate’s database doesn’t just pull random quotes from a generic pool; it’s a curated collection of handpicked literary passages, each tied to a specific minute of the day or a weather condition. Rain at 3:47 PM? There’s a quote for that. Clear skies at dawn? Another. The clock doesn’t just tell you it’s 10:12 AM; it finds a way to make 10:12 AM feel like a moment worth noticing. The team behind it claims to have spent over a year compiling and categorizing these quotes, working with literary experts to ensure the selections aren’t just famous but meaningful. That’s the kind of detail that separates a gimmick from something genuinely compelling, the difference between a product that gets used for a week and one that becomes part of your daily rhythm.

NovellaMate inspires us everyday.

Unlike most smart displays that shout information at you, NovellaMate leans into subtlety. The time and weather are presented through literature, either displayed in text or read aloud in a voice that’s designed to feel more like a friend sharing a favorite passage than a robot reciting data. The audio is paired with soft, adaptive lighting and ambient music, creating a wake-up routine that’s closer to a sunrise than an alarm. NovellaMate compares it to being nudged awake by a particularly thoughtful librarian, which, let’s be honest, is a vibe we could all use more of. The physical design reinforces this ethos: walnut grain, vegan leather, a warm glow that acts as an earthy antithesis to the plastic, glass, and metal boxes we associate with IoT devices today.

NovellaMate telling the time.

Of course, the elephant in the room is whether this thing actually works as a clock. The short answer is yes, but don’t expect this to replace your Swiss Chronograph. NovellaMate does tell the time, and it does so accurately, but it’s not designed for glance-and-go utility. If you’re the type of person who needs to know the exact second to time your morning sprint to the office, this isn’t for you. The device prioritizes immersion over immediacy- that’s a deliberate choice, one that forces you to slow down, which people with tight mechanical schedules will see as a trade-off, but to the target audience, it feels like being a protagonist of a book. The weather functionality relies on an internet connection to pull local data, so if your WiFi is acting up, you might get a generic quote instead of one tailored to a sudden downpour. These aren’t dealbreakers, but they’re worth noting if you’re someone who values precision over poetry.

NovellaMate telling the weather.

And sure, with time the same quotes may just become a tad bit repetitive, which is why the NovellaMate promises to constantly add newer quotes to its vast database. The team has hinted at regular updates, with new quotes and even seasonal themes added over time, which suggests they’re thinking long-term. There’s also the quote-saving feature, which lets you build a personal collection of favorites, turning the device into a kind of interactive anthology. That’s a smart move, because it gives users a reason to keep engaging with the clock beyond the initial charm. Still, the success of this hinges on execution. If the updates are sparse or the quotes start repeating too often, the illusion shatters.

What’s most striking about NovellaMate is how it reframes the role of technology in our lives. So much of what we interact with daily is designed to optimize, to streamline, to make us more efficient. NovellaMate does the opposite. It asks us to linger. It turns the act of checking the time into an opportunity for reflection, a tiny pause in the rush of the day. Given how all our devices are constantly demanding our attention, a clock that whispers instead of shouts feels like a small act of resistance, a refreshing reminder that technology can do more than just solve problems. Sometimes, it can make life a little more beautiful.

The NovellaMate comes in across 2 variants – an 8GB one and a 16GB one, which determines how vast its internal database of quotes will be. The 8GB variant is priced at $179, while the 16GB costs $199 (just an extra 20 bucks). Each NovellaMate ships with a 1-year warranty, starting January 2026, so your new year can begin on a much more poetic note!

Click Here to Buy Now: $179 $279 ($100 off). Hurry, only 142 of 150 left!

The post I Replaced My iPhone Alarm with this Literature Clock and it made my mornings 5x Stress-Free first appeared on Yanko Design.

Clock Makes Hours Appear and Disappear Through Moiré Patterns

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Most clocks are content to quietly tick away in the background, marking the hours with little more than a glance from you throughout the day and night. But what if telling time could be mesmerizing instead, an experience that draws you in, sparks curiosity, and turns your wall into a living gallery worth watching? What if checking the time felt less like a chore and more like appreciating kinetic sculpture?

The Moiré Clock is a kinetic timepiece that turns the passage of time into a visual illusion worth watching throughout your day. Using overlapping patterns and continuous motion behind a striped filter, it animates each hour through optical phenomena, making time feel less like a number on a dial and more like a moment to savor. The design explores how perception and movement can create meaning beyond simple functionality.

Designers: Felix Cooper, Amber Li (STATION Design)

At the heart of the Moiré Clock is a rotating paper disc, printed with custom numerals and set behind a striped steel window that creates the optical magic through interference patterns. As the disc turns throughout the day, the moiré effect causes the hour numerals to morph, dance, and reveal themselves in a hypnotic display that changes with every passing minute behind the filter screen.

The minute and second hands ground the illusion in familiar movement while the hour appears and disappears in a mesmerizing rhythm behind the stationary filter window. The bold red second hand adds a pop of color and visual anchor, making the clock easy to read despite its unconventional hour display created by optical interference. The interplay between traditional clock elements and the animated moiré numerals creates a unique timekeeping experience.

The clock is a study in material contrasts between industrial and artisanal manufacturing traditions. Crisp white paper milled by French Paper Company in Michigan, American-made steel sourced from Pennsylvania, and a quartz movement from Takane, the last US manufacturer of clock mechanisms still producing domestically. The tactile paper face and brushed steel housing give the piece a sense of warmth and industrial substance that goes beyond typical wall clocks.

At 8.5 inches wide and just 2.5 inches deep, it’s compact enough for a home office, studio, or hallway without dominating the wall space, but bold enough to stand out as functional art that deserves attention. Setting up the clock is straightforward: add a single AA battery, set the time using the rear dial, and hang it with a nail or push pin. The paper components invite gentle handling.

The kinetic numerals and bold red second hand make each glance at the clock a small event worth experiencing, turning routine time checks into moments of visual delight throughout your day at home or in creative spaces. For anyone who wants their home to feel creative and alive with kinetic energy, the Moiré Clock brings a sense of play and wonder that traditional clocks simply cannot match or replicate with static designs.

The post Clock Makes Hours Appear and Disappear Through Moiré Patterns first appeared on Yanko Design.

This $100 Alarm Clock Finally Wakes You Up Without the Rage

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There are people who set their alarms every 15 minutes to make sure that they actually wake up but oftentimes they still hit the snooze button several times. I am one of those people. When I still lived with other people, it became a joke that the whole house wakes up from my alarms except me. And even now, this abrupt disruption to my beauty sleep doesn’t really help me adjust to a morning routine. What if there was a device, aside from a clock and my mobile phone, that can help me wake up better and healthier?

That’s the idea behind the Sunrise 1 device by Dreamegg. Not only does it look so much better than regular alarm clocks, but it is actually a 4-in-1 multifunctional device that serves as your sunrise alarm, sound machine, bedside light, and dimmable clock. The most important feature of this is that it is able to simulate a natural sunrise glow so that your circadian rhythm is not so abruptly interrupted and you wake up naturally and gently. We are not meant to be jarred out of our sleep and so this device is a wonderful option to get a more restful morning routine.

Designer: Dreamegg

The Sunrise 1 is able to simulate the sunrise so you can gradually wake up over 15, 30, 45, or 60 minutes. The light emitted from the device goes from 0% to 100% brightness before your scheduled alarm goes off. And even when you’re supposed to wake up, you can choose other sounds rather than the annoying sounds that break through our slumber. There are 29 soothing sounds to choose from: 8 nature sounds, 5 baby sounds, 2 meditation sounds, 2 brown noise, 2 white noise, 3 pink noise, and 7 fan sounds. You can also choose from 15, 30, 45, or 60 minute timer options. The sounds can also be used to help you sleep at night, to relax in the middle of the day, or to drown out unwanted noise.

The device can also serve as your dimmable night light as you get 9 color options that range from warm amber tones to cooler shades. You can independently control it if you don’t want to use it as a sound machine at the same time. It also serves as an actual clock with an easy-to-read clock face and adjustable brightness as well. Setting it up is pretty easy as you don’t need to connect it to your phone or another gadget. You are also able to customize both your morning wake-up routine and your night sleep routine just the way you want it.

Design-wise, it’s also an aesthetic bedside piece that beats your typical plastic gadgets. It is crafted with cotton-linen fabric which is pretty soft and gentle on the skin, in keeping with its gentle wake-up call. The sleek, rounded design can fit in with the usual bedroom decor. Because it is only 2.87 inches thick and 5.91 inches in diameter, which is around the size of an adult palm, you can actually bring it with you when you travel so you can still wake up and sleep the way you want to even outside of your house.

The way that the Sunrise 1 is designed and the features that come with it will make you feel like you’re on vacation every day and not always in a hurry to start work, school, or your chores. Our usual jarring wake up routines may be a reason why we start off our day grumpy or already tired. Having a device like this may slowly turn you into a morning person if you aren’t already. I mean, sure, you may still wake up reluctantly, but at least not angrily.

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The RGB Tube Clock Brings Nixie Nostalgia to a New Generation – Without the Fragility

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Here’s a clock that does more than keep time; the RGB Tube Clock merges vintage nostalgia with cutting-edge tech in a piece that’s part décor, part high-precision gadget. Inspired by the look of classic Nixie tubes, it mimics that retro display style but swaps out the fragile gas-filled tubes for a modern RGB spectrum. It’s a nod to mid-century tech with a fresh, colorful twist, offering the vibe of a Nixie clock without the maintenance.

The way the RGB Tube Clock works is by relying on the edge-lighting property of clear plastics like acrylic. The numbers are etched onto acrylic sheet, and as soon as a light is shone through the edge, the number glows brightly, almost as if it were illuminated. The clock has 6 channels, two for hours, minutes, and seconds, and each channel has 10 acrylic sheets stacked one behind another – one sheet for each number. The clock works by controlling which LEDs shine on which sheet, illuminating that individual number in a highly controlled fashion.

Designer: Breza

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Nixie tubes worked in a similar way, heating up wires that were shaped in individual numbers. However, while nixie tubes went out of fashion around the fall of the Soviet Union, they slowly became more of a historical relic (and an expensive one at that). This acrylic workaround feels like a hat-tip to that retro display technology, without any of the high power consumption, fragility, or expense. For those nostalgic for old-school Nixie aesthetics or new to the allure, the RGB Tube Clock brings an accessible version with plenty of flair.

If you’re wondering why a 24-hour clock has 10 acrylic sheets in its first channel (since it only goes up till 2), it’s because the RGB Tube Clock doubles as a stopwatch and timer too. If a timer is too tedious for you, the regular clock has an alarm function built-in, allowing you to place the RGB Tube Clock at your bedside and use it as both an alarm clock as well as an ambient night lamp. Thanks to the DS3231 clock chip—a high-precision piece of tech—it’s also reliably accurate, ensuring you stay on schedule down to the second. The clear interface means even these extra features are easy to navigate, whether you’re timing a workout or setting a reminder.

And here’s a fun touch: the clock includes a music spectrum display, so you can watch the lights dance along to your favorite tunes. It’s one of those features you didn’t know you needed until you see it in action, making it as much an interactive décor piece as a timekeeper. Plugging in with a simple USB DC 5V connection, setup is hassle-free—just plug, play, and let it enhance your space.

The clock comes with a fairly minimalist design, thanks to those transparent acrylic sheets that take away from the clock’s visual density. The entire gizmo measures just 10” x 1.8” x 2.75” making it small enough to sit on any tabletop surface. The clock weighs a little over a pound, runs off a USB cord, and can be configured using buttons on the side.

Whether you’re a retro-tech enthusiast or simply appreciate unique, stylish pieces, the RGB Tube Clock stands out. It combines the charm of Nixie tube nostalgia with all the convenience of modern RGB tech, reimagining what a clock can be in a way that’s visually stunning, interactive, and wonderfully functional.

Click Here to Buy Now: $71.99 $89.99 (20% off, use coupon code “Yanko” at checkout). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!

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