Tag Archives: portable

Foldable keyboard is actually a powerful pocket PC that just needs a screen

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Small-form computers are becoming quite the fad these days, and not just the mini PCs that sit on our desks or hidden behind monitors. There are, of course, handheld gaming PCs like the Steam Deck and ASUS ROG Ally X that are full-fledged computers in their own right. Even the latter, however, might have some trouble being called portable because of their large sizes, at least compared to the sleek and thin Nintendo Switch. There are compromises to be made, however, the smaller you want the device to become, but this rather intriguing design eschews the part that you least expect. Masquerading as a thick and hefty foldable keyboard, this literal pocket PC will let you work or even play anywhere, as long as you have a monitor with you as well.

Designer: Linglong

It’s pretty amazing how far computing technology has gone when it comes to minimizing the space taken up by components. Handheld gaming PCs, for example, have hardware that you’d normally only find in gaming laptops from a few years back. Despite that, there’s no escaping the laws of physics, especially if you have to make room for things like a small display and controls. But if all you really want is a computer you can take with you anywhere, then this foldable keyboard PC is probably the way to go.

It’s small enough to fit in your back pocket, presuming you have very large pockets or don’t mind having a large bulge on your behind. It looks like and behaves like those typical single-fold foldable keyboards, except it’s quite thick and heavy in comparison. There’s a reason for that, of course, and that’s because it’s hiding an almost complete PC package, processor, memory, and even battery. All that’s missing is a screen.

It runs on an AMD Ryzen 7 8840U processor, the very same chip used by powerful gaming handhelds, with up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. These pieces fit inside one half of the keyboard, along with a fan and cooling system to keep the tiny computer running smoothly without burning up. The other half houses a 60W battery, advertised to run for up to 10 hours of light computing, presuming you don’t have a screen attached.

Unless you’re some kind of technomancer, you will, of course, want to connect it to a display, but that’s where the fun starts as well. That display doesn’t have to be a traditional traditional monitor after all. It could be a portable monitor, a pen display, or, better yet, smart glasses like the Xreal Airs. With a tiny touchpad and the built-in battery, this could very well be the perfect setup for these XR glasses, though the limited availability of this China-only device will have some probably just dreaming of better days.

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Mobile power bank concept can be used horizontally or vertically to maximize space

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It’s almost comical how we’ve become so attached to our electronic devices that we start to panic whenever our batteries go red. That’s why there’s a large and thriving market for all kinds of portable battery solutions, ranging from pocket-sized blocks just for your smartphone to hulking boxes for a few night’s stay outdoors. The latter, while portable, aren’t exactly space-efficient, especially when it comes to the horizontal space you need to use them. This concept for a portable power station literally turns the design on its head by letting you use the large battery standing up, except for one or two cases where you’ll need it to lie down anyway.

Designer: Real Design

The design convention for large power stations is horizontal boxes as these are definitely the most space-efficient shapes. You can easily stow them in cabinets, trunks, and other storage solutions while allowing you to pack other objects beside or even on top of them. When in use, however, that horizontal orientation can actually be wasteful, especially if you don’t have much space on the ground or on the table in the first place.

The SJPB-400 Mobile Power Bank is designed with a dual orientation in mind, allowing you to stand it up and put it down on the ground beside your table. You can still have easy access to its most important ports since they’re located not in the “front” of the box but off to one side, which becomes the “top” of the power bank in that position. Other boxy power stations can probably be put up like that as well, but not only are their vents blocked, the ports become harder to use as well.

Admittedly, this flexible design does have its disadvantages, even in the case of the SJPB-400 concept. This mobile power bank has a wireless charger on its longer side, so you can’t use it while it’s standing up and vertical, not unless it uses MagSafe or similar technologies that will keep the phone from falling. Regardless, the lone AC outlet on the opposite side of the USB ports will remain inaccessible, so it’s something the user will have to consider on a case-to-case basis.

One design feature of this concept that goes against its space efficiency is the handles on each side. They do improve the power bank’s portability and ergonomics when carrying it, but it comes at the expense of compactness and simplicity. You won’t be able to put anything on top that doesn’t fit between those handles, so packing will become a puzzle game of trying to fit pieces together.

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Flat-packed accordion-style house can be easily deployed in emergencies

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While a permanent mode of residence is always ideal for most people, there are times when that is a luxury that they can’t afford. This can happen in times of natural disasters like floods or earthquakes, military deployment in remote locations, or even shelter in a tourist or pilgrimage spot. Temporary housing, on the other hand, feels nothing like a house at all, especially since they’re often made with low-quality designs to make it cost-effective and easy to tear down when no longer needed. A better and longer-lasting solution would be a portable home that can be extended, set aside, and reused as needed, such as this housing concept design that takes inspiration from flat-packed furniture that can easily be set up even by just a handful of people.

Designer: Komal Panda, Suyash Chavan

There has always been a need for portable or easy-to-assemble housing, even outside emergencies and disasters. Being able to put up a roof over people’s heads in a quick and efficient manner never goes out of fashion, and there is an almost never-ending number of attempts to make that practical and cost-effective. Prefabricated housing is one such possible solution, but it still takes a lot of time and effort to put the house together. These types of houses can’t be easily moved once they’ve been built either, which makes them less ideal for less permanent abodes.

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Baadi is a concept that takes the popular flat-pack furniture design to houses, though you don’t exactly assemble one from disparate parts. Instead, you pull out one side of the house, and the rest of the walls expand and unfold like an accordion. This mechanism allows a house that’s big enough for two to four people to be collapsed down to a very flat structure and moved around as needed. The design also makes it possible to deploy multiple houses quickly with only a few people involved, which is a key element when the houses are indeed needed for emergencies.

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Just like flat-packed furniture, however, there is a connotation of such designs being soulless and dry, especially from lack of customization options. Baadi, however, is designed to be modular and flexible, such as in how many panels can be used to extend the size of the housing, as well as colors for the panels. The latter aspect is actually critical when the houses need to be very visible even from a distance, in case identification and location are needed during natural disasters.

Admittedly, the concept doesn’t leave much room for using different materials, though it’s not that hard to imagine how the design can be extended to support a wider variety, as long as they meet the requirements of durability and resilience. After all, such a housing system places greater emphasis on portability and flexibility, while still providing the necessary protection and comfort when regular houses are near impossible to have.

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Logitech Keys-to-Go 2 portable keyboard hides a few gems in its slim body

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Phones and tablets are made for touch, whether that’s swiping through social media or typing messages. The latter, however, has become more complicated thanks to more powerful devices and more sophisticated activities. Typing up an email, posting on social, or even writing a novel on the go would require not only a keyboard but one that you can bring with you anywhere. Logitech has a wide variety of portable keyboards available, but it seems to have really gone out with its latest design. Combining powerful features, a slim body, and sustainable design, the new Keys-to-Go 2 aims to go where no mobile keyboard has gone before.

Designer: Logitech

There are plenty of portable keyboards in the market today promising comfort and portability, but many of them end up sacrificing one for the other. Foldable keyboards, in particular, are notorious for really being compact when not in use, but their ergonomics and accuracy leave a lot to be desired. Truth be told, it’s not easy to strike a balance between these two seemingly opposing ideals, but the new Logitech Keys-to-Go 2 probably comes close with a few special features to boot. It’s still going to be more cramped than regular desktop keyboards, but its wider body provides a more comfortable spread of keys compared to the first Keys-to-Go.

Unlike most wireless keyboards, the Keys-to-Go 2 comes with a built-in cover to protect the important keys while inside your bag or when exposed to the elements. You flip it all the way to the bottom of the keyboard when you’re about to use it so you don’t have to worry about losing the cover. Unfortunately, it’s a missed opportunity to have the cover also function as a makeshift stand for phones and tablets, so you’ll have to pull out your own stand when working outdoors.

Logitech also takes a stronger sustainability stand with the Keys-to-Go 2, using as much as 36% (Pale Gray, Graphite colors) or 33% (Lilac color) post-consumer recycled plastics for this iteration, while also employing renewable energy when producing the keyboard’s aluminum bracket. Surprisingly, Logitech opted to go with replaceable coin cell batteries rather than the common built-in rechargeable type, promising to keep the keyboard running for up to three years and lower the carbon footprint from repeated charging.

Unlike its predecessor, the Keys-to-Go 2 supports pairing with up to three devices simultaneously, and switching between these three is as easy as pushing a button. Aside from the rare lilac color, the keyboard’s design is pretty typical of Logitech’s style, simple yet also pleasing to look at. At only $79.99, the Logitech Keys-to-Go 2 becomes a very tempting option that almost gets that balance between comfort, convenience, portability, and sustainability just right.

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ASUS ROG Mjolnir power station promises uninterrupted gaming for an hour

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It seems that the gods of Asgard are truly smiling on brave digital warriors. After two months of debate and speculation on whether they’re just pulling a long hoax, ROG has proven that there is, indeed, a real Mjolnir power station, or at least one working unit shown off to the public at Computex 2024. And it is as massive as you might have expected, but also had a few surprises we didn’t see coming. It probably won’t satisfy outdoor adventurers, but for the avid collector, comics fan, and loyal ROG gamer, the ROG Mjolnir will definitely be one to keep an eye on, at least when ASUS finally spills all the beans.

Designer: ASUS Republic of Gamers

The ROG Mjolnir is a huge box, perhaps too big for the 768Wh battery it packs inside. Exact dimensions and weight aren’t available yet, but it’s definitely not something you’ll be carrying around a lot despite the “portable” in its name. And you’ll definitely not want to lift it by that handle sticking out from the top because you won’t be able to. And it’s not because you’ve been deemed unworthy.

As speculated, that stick is actually the torch that ASUS teased in April, but it doesn’t work the way you might expect it to. The light is actually on the top end of the stick, so you have to lift it rather than pull it up like you would when trying to pick up a hammer. The opposite end that has a flat disc is actually a magnetic connector that attaches to the magnetic wireless charger on the top of the box.

Yes, there is a 16W wireless charger and it’s compatible with both MagSafe and Qi 2.0. There’s a telltale sign of a charging coil smack in the middle of the Mjolnir’s top, and it’s a bit raised so you can feel the spot with your hand if it’s too dark to see. Of course, you could just use the torch handle to light up the space since you’ll be removing it from its spot anyway. One design oversight, however, is that there doesn’t seem to be any other way to attach the handle so you’ll have to make sure it doesn’t roll off or get lost while you’re charging your smartphone.

Apart from its majestic design, the ROG Mjolnir is pretty average as a power station and is clearly aimed at computer users more than travelers. There are two USB-C ports capable of 65W and 100W of output, two USB-A ports, and four AC outlets with a total maximum load of 1200W. There are no DC barrels or car chargers, it can be charged via solar panels if a direct power source is unavailable.

That’s pretty much a standard for portable power stations but its main purpose is really to provide an uninterruptible power supply in a sudden power outage that should last one hour at 700W or 30 minutes with the max 1200W load. With a fast switchover of 10ms, you’ll have enough time to safely shut down your PC or, better yet, finish your battle before finally going down with the power. There is no word yet on when the ASUS ROG Mjolnir will descend on stores, but expect it to have a price tag worthy of a god when it does.

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Handheld printer and scanner concept sticks to tried and true methods of document handling

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We live in a world filled with apps, multimedia content, and digital data, but there are and will always be things written on printed on paper. Official documents are still printed, receipts are still physical, and some people still prefer writing on notebooks and notepads. The gap between physical and digital isn’t that easy to bridge for people who want or even need to have the best of both worlds, even though there are, ironically, a handful of products claiming to offer the perfect solution. As some say, there is no perfect answer, but the best one might actually be the simplest and most straightforward. This concept device, for example, offers what looks like a traditional printer and scanner combo, except it’s something that you can easily store and take from your bag whenever and wherever you need it.

Designer: John Branca

There are quite a few product designs these days that try to unify physical and digital documents, from notebooks and pens that can record your handwriting to smartphone apps that can convert printed or even handwritten text into digital ones. The former doesn’t exactly work for digitizing what’s already printed, while the latter puts the burden on the person taking a perfect photo of the paper. These solutions also don’t work in the reverse, like turning digital files into their physical form, especially when you’re out of the office or not at home.

Scribe is a concept design that combines two things that already exist today, a portable printer and a portable scanner. In a nutshell, it shrinks 2-in-1 printer and scanner combos into a compact design that you can even carry in your hand if necessary. It has an industrial-inspired aesthetic that moves away from the predominant minimalist style, making it distinctive and memorable. It also has a large touch display that makes operating the device simple and intuitive without having to fumble on your computer or phone.

The device uses a feed-type mechanism where a piece of paper slides through the box to get printed or scanned. This does have the limitation of accommodating certain paper sizes only, though that will most likely be the most common use case for scanning receipts and printing out notes. That said, you won’t be able to scan any bound material like notebooks and books, so forget about taking this to the library. Due to size constraints, there’s also only room for a single black inkjet cartridge. ZINK technology might be more compact, but that also requires using special, non-standard paper.

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Scribe is definitely an interesting break from all the app-based, smartphone-centric solutions out there, though it still raises the question of whether it’s more convenient or not. Then again, you can’t print from your phone either, so if you’re going to bring a portable printer with you, might as well have something that can also scan those documents as well.

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Mobile drawing tablet looks like a toy but is actually well-designed

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When it comes to drawing tablets for making digital art and designs, Wacom is most likely the household name since it has the lion’s share of the market. That doesn’t mean, however, that it’s the only game in town, nor that it has all the answers to all the problems in this field. There are definitely plenty of opportunities for different designs, especially those that cater to specific or even niche cases. Most of the drawing tablets in the market, for example, are designed to be used with computers like desktops or laptops, but smartphones are becoming just as powerful as these, opening the doors for creating art on the go. This small and portable drawing tablet aims to solve that with a “mobile-first” design, and though it might look like a toy for beginners, it actually has some well-thought-out details that put it above its Wacom counterparts.

Designer: Mai qianzhao for UGEE

The majority of paper that we write and draw on are vertical. Computer monitors, on the other hand, are horizontal, so the tools we use to draw on computers need to follow that layout. In contrast, smartphones are also vertical by design, creating an inconsistency between a tall screen and a wide drawing tablet. This can be “fixed” by turning the phone horizontally or tweaking a setting on the tablet, but these fixes are inelegant and unpolished at best. The UGEE Q6 sets itself apart with a design that caters primarily to this very small use case but still works pretty well with regular desktops and laptops.

Unlike almost all drawing tablets, the default mode for this mobile drawing tablet is vertical, mirroring the orientation of the phone itself. However, it actually supports a few modes where the active drawing area of the tablet can be set to match the aspect ratio and orientation of the device it’s connected to, which includes very slim phones, tablets, and regular computers. The UGEE Q6 also embraces a very small and portable size that makes it easy to take it with you anywhere and connect to your phone for an impromptu sketching session.

Unlike the minimalist trend that seems to also be gripping drawing tablet designs, this beginner-friendly device doesn’t even try to hide its large, tactile buttons, making it easier for users to hit them without looking. The row of buttons can be placed on either the right or left side, supporting the user’s handedness, or even on top when connecting to a desktop or laptop. One rather interesting small detail about these buttons is that they are visually grouped in pairs, because most of the actions assigned to them are also related pairs, whether it’s undoing and redoing, painting and erasing, zooming in and out, or rotating clockwise and counter-clockwise. It doesn’t technically change their functionality, but it’s a good visual hint nonetheless.

The UGEE Q6 is also one of the very few drawing tablets that can also store its own USB cable, making it easily portable. The cable is still detachable, so you’re free to use any other if you need a longer one, for example. Again, it’s a small detail that actually has a big impact on how the design is truly made for portability and mobile use. It may look like a kid’s device, but it’s definitely ready for some serious art and design work.

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Portable AI device uses camera, projectors, sensors to make you more productive

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For better or for worse, depending on where you stand on the debate, artificial intelligence has changed and will continue changing how we create and communicate. Services like ChatGPT, Midjourney, Gemini, and Copilot are pretty popular with those who are adventurous enough to experiment with AI. We can expect that over the next few years, we’ll see more services, gadgets, and devices that can help us use the technology and integrate it into our workflow and every day lives.

Designers: Mingwan Bae, Sohyun An, Junyoung Min, Youngsuh Yoo

Lay is a concept for a portable AI device that is equipped with a wide-angle camera, a projector, and a sensing module. The 48MP wide-angle camera has a 13mm focal length and is able to recognize objects and space as well as have text recognition and upscale objects it can scan. The 4K UHD projector can project up to 30 inches screen with auto keystone and has under 10cm ultra-short throw distance and high brightness and contrast. The sensing module, which includes LiDAR, ambient light, and proximity sensors, is able to sense its surroundings in real time.

The device basically scans your surroundings and then leverage AI to make suggestions and give assistance on tasks that you can do to as you’re working, drawing, reading, scribbling, building, creating, or just leisurely browsing. It looks like a small spherical robot with a round head that moves around and that you can carry around and place on your desk or space as it helps you make your workflow smoother. It projects onto a surface which will serve as your screen as you do your different tasks. It can recognize and select text, drawings, photos, sketches and then all the content and information are updated in your real-time cloud.

The device still seems to be mostly theoretical and specific tasks you can do or that it can suggest are still a bit vague. But it’s an interesting concept for an AI-powered device that you can carry around with you especially if you’re a digital nomad. And with the speed at which some digital natives and early adapters are using and exploring AI, this can actually be a real device soon.

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Phone-sized mini PC lets you take your computer and your work anywhere

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Our smartphones have become so powerful that, in theory, they have hardware equivalent to entry-level laptops from a few years back. But despite all that silicon muscle, they can’t really replace our everyday PCs mostly because of the operating system that’s used on most of these computers: Windows. Small, portable, and inconspicuous computers have always been a dream for both users and business owners, whether it’s for working on the go or setting up kiosks, security systems, or space-efficient workstations. This small brick tries to deliver exactly that, giving you the flexibility you need for any kind of computing in almost any context in a size that’s no larger than high-capacity power banks.

Designer: Minisforum

With the popularity of the Apple Mac Mini and, now, the Mac Studio, mini PCs have become more visible in the market. These desktop alternatives, however, are still meant to sit on a table or even on a shelf despite their small sizes. But while these small computers do offer plenty of power to support even some content creation or light gaming, that hardware also closes the door on many possible use cases that would have required them to be less tied down to a table.

The Minisforum S100 is a small, sleek box that you might easily mistake for a power bank. Ironically, it doesn’t actually have its own battery but is a mini PC that you can bring along with you or install in the narrowest of spaces. Despite its small size, it actually boasts a complete set of standard connectivity options, including Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 6.2, 2.5 Gbps Ethernet, USB-A ports, HDMI, and 65W USB-C.

The latter two are what make this design so portable and flexible. On a typical desktop, you can connect it to a USB-C monitor that supports USB-C PowerDelivery so that you don’t even have to plug the S100 into an outlet. You can connect another monitor via HDMI to have a dual-screen setup for increased productivity. And when you’re done for the day, you can pick up the palm-sized mini PC and go, maybe even work or chill in a cafe by connecting an external display and a power bank. The Ethernet port also supports Power-over-Ethernet or PoE, so you can use the S100 as the brains behind a camera security system and not have it plugged in at all.

Despite the flexibility that the Minisforum S100 offers, its performance is hampered a bit by the quad-core Intel N100 processor that runs the show, definitely not the best among the chip maker’s “mobile” processors. Its lower-power operation, however, does allow the mini PC to sip rather than chug electricity and keep thermals equally low. You definitely won’t be running heavy applications, but for $189, a Windows 11 computer you can easily slip into your bag or even your pocket might actually be worth the price.

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Bag-like portable lamp concept takes a page from traditional Korean lanterns

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Lamps are a normal part of everyday life, giving light and creating moods anywhere, anytime, even during the day. Conventional lamp designs involve fixtures placed on walls, hanging from ceilings, or even standing up from floors and desks, all of them permanent or semi-permanent. Of course, some lamps can be carried, and there was a time when these were the only kind of lamps that lit up houses and paths as what we now call “lanterns.” Most portable lamps these days take a more practical and space-efficient shapes like cylinders and boxes, but this design concept throws convention out the window with a lamp design that looks like a cross between a traditional paper lantern and a modern bag.

Designer: Hyejin Cho

Once upon a time, all sources of light were pretty much fire hazards. Metal lanterns used combustible kerosene and paper lanterns enclosed candles in, well, paper. The latter was a common design in Asia, like the Korean Chorong which used white cloth covering a wooden frame to protect the candle inside from blowing winds. Of course, we have electricity and LEDs today to make all of that safer, but there’s also a certain charm to the sight of a lantern’s fabric billowing gently in the wind.

This portable lamp design concept brings that past aesthetic to the present but with a few modern twists. The lamp, named after that same Chorong lantern, tries to capture the unique visual of the fabric-covered lighting but uses 3D-printed transparent PLA to achieve the same effect. Rather than going for a straightforward box, the shape of the container twists and bends, almost like how the cloth would have behaved in the past.

The light source itself is a white sphere with a dozen or so LEDs inside providing illumination. The lamp’s steel base not only serves as a stable foundation but also as a compartment to hide the electronics, including a rechargeable battery. This modern Chorong also deviates from the traditional design by using a handle that uses anodized aluminum and stands only on two sides of the “lantern,” namely, the front and the back. This gives the lamp an unusual appearance and experience of carrying a bag instead of a lamp.

Chorong wouldn’t be the first to try to recreate a traditional lantern design with modern materials, but it is one that isn’t too concerned about staying faithful to the original. It tries to capture the spirit of the design, one that not only illuminates but also inspires with its organic beauty, and reinterprets it in a way that shows off modern materials and techniques. That said, this design concept is more for show and might be impractical to actually use outdoors unless you’re just bringing it out to the backyard to enjoy a calm night under the stars.

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