Tag Archives: productivity
Slack’s revamped mobile app puts key features within easy reach
Microsoft now protects Office 365 users against ‘reply all’ email storms
Microsoft To Do adds features the day Wunderlist shuts down
Todoist’s latest feature helps you better organize upcoming tasks
Microsoft 365 is now available worldwide
Slack adds Microsoft Teams video call options
It seems more of us than ever are relying on video calling apps to chat with friends, family and colleagues. Slack, for example, has seen a huge increase in calls made and received through its app in the last month amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Startin...
Office 365 is turning into Microsoft 365 as it moves into your life
Microsoft wants you to think about its Office 365 subscription service in a whole new light. So on April 21st, the company is renaming the service to "Microsoft 365," as it adds more AI and cloud-powered tools to make you more productive. The pricing...
Products designed to help procrastinators work better from home!
What actually happens when we procrastinate? I believe each and every one of us has big dreams along with to-do lists, phone reminders to even life goals. We all want to be more productive, be the best version of ourself and be the next Elon Musk, but procrastination ties us down. Jokes aside, procrastination has been linked to self-doubt, anxiety and even depression! Behavioral psychology research has revealed a phenomenon called “time inconsistency,” which refers to the tendency of the human brain to value immediate rewards more highly than future rewards (that explains us blazing through those infinite viral lists and quizzes!) With work from home looking like the immediate future, it is of utmost importance that we get our wandering mind under control and be our productive best. This list brings you products designed to enhance your work experience, giving you the perfect work-life balance in these trying times.
This portable armrest makes working on computers much more comfortable! The Mouzen by Gašper Kumprej cantilevers right off your table, giving your forearm a place to rest comfortably, instead of hovering in space. The platform retrofits easily onto the edge of any table and takes not more than 10 seconds to fasten. The platform comes with a freely moving armrest that sits on top of it. Using a patented ErgoFlow mechanism, the armrest moves and rotates in any direction with near-zero friction, giving you the ability to freely move your hand around as you switch from mouse to keyboard and back, typing, clicking, scrolling, etc. Built to take up to 50 lbs (21 kg) of weight, the mechanism has multiple shock absorbers and silencers built in to ensure the Mouzen works smoothly and silently.
Yes, we tend to procrastinate and fidget, but what if we have a more creative outlet to our energy rather than just mindlessly scrolling on our phone? Meet the Logifaces Puzzle, a little like the tangram meets the jigsaw meets the third dimension, the Logifaces puzzle by Logideez is a nice visual and mind exercise. The puzzle comprises a series of triangles of the same size, but different heights (at each vertex), and the only rule is, “Create a form by placing the prisms next to each other to build a continuous surface”.
The TimeFlip2 Interactive Time Tracking Device is a great way to get started with being more mindful. This time tracker features twelve sides, so you can have a wide variety of tasks assigned to it. And it comes with stickers so you can customize it to your specific needs. You’ll have an embedded green LED light for visual cues of your times status, and it has a Pomodoro timer to split work into sprints for maximum efficiency. Are you feeling like Monica Geller already?!
The Altwork desk claims to be the ultimate in productivity and ergonomics….and I agree. This desk encourages productivity by molding itself to any position that you feel your best in. There is a demographic that may have health problems which makes it hard for them to sit at a conventional desk and chair in an office. This causes them to lose out on many job opportunities that they might excel at simply because there wasn’t a solution for “How will they sit in the office?” but, thankfully, technology today has given us the ability to work from anywhere and this desk’s shape-shifting form makes it a part of the inclusive design world which caters to the needs of differently-abled. However you like to work, this chair will meet your expectations!
Just a simple tinted transparent acrylic cube, the Fume by Hakan Gürsu of Designnobis acts as a rather beautiful pen-stand for your alcohol markers (something designers swear by). Its design doesn’t just have them laid out in an interesting format, it even allows you to segregate them by hue into three zones! Although designed mainly for markers, this compact organizer is a great space-saving device to store all your pens, pencils, markers and more. Not to forget, the sense of satisfaction when you see all your stationery color-coordinated and lined up.
The beautiful Focus Journal by L’Atelier helps you concentrate on the tasks that matter. Inside the book, you will find uncluttered pages that offer useful prompts. The pages help you to prioritize urgent to-dos and find time for longer projects. Furthermore, you can time and track bigger tasks to see proof of your hard work. There are no rules you have to follow, but the journal provides a framework for structuring your thoughts. As an added bonus, with your task mapping happening on paper, you have no excuse to check your phone!
The MOFT Z by MOFT Studio comes with the ability to prop your laptop at three angles, but that’s not all. The MOFT Z even transforms your sitting setup into a standing one, elevating your laptop up by as much as 10 inches (25 centimeters). The MOFT Z does this using an innovative Z-shaped folding system along with its signature PU and fiberglass material which allows the laptop stand to have a high strength to weight ratio while being thin enough to slide right into a Manila envelope. So in case sitting at one spot and working makes you angsty, MOFT Z can transform your desk into a standing desk. No more excuses for taking those 5 minute breaks that stretch into a 50 min snooze sessions!
Determined to never have random loose wires corrupt the visual balance of his spaces, Andrew Ferrier designed the Cable Cradle, a simple, innovative twist on the plug-point. Ferrier’s redesigned plug-point comes with an extended lip that gives you a channel to wrap your spare wires around. Almost like a thread and a spool, the wire can be looped as many times as needed to make your space look neat, and to prevent you from accidentally tripping over that pesky little wire that’s aimlessly strewn across the floor.
Working from home can get taxing and caffeine is our relief! Tap and Drop by designers Jeonghyun Ahn, Donghong Seo & Jo Gwanghee aims to revolutionize how we get our fix, making efficiency and simplicity the key features. The satisfyingly smooth curves used for the top of the device guide the coffee beans into the machine, eliminating the possibility of the beans from getting stuck, and making the filling process far smoother. Although, you may not have long to admire the elegant design as the coffee-making process can begin before you are even downstairs; an equally as beautiful mobile application allows for the selection of the desired drink from anywhere, and an array of parameters are available so you can ‘make’ the perfect drink! No more waiting for that perfect cuppa and wasting time!
If noise and phone distractions are your kryptonite, the Helmfon by Hochu Rayu will be your savior! A portmanteau of the words Helmet and Phone, the Helmfon isn’t just a noise-canceling device, it’s also an elaborate pair of headphones. Equipped with a system board, microphone, speakers, accumulator, magnifier and space on the inside for a smartphone, the Helmfon enables wearers to watch videos, organize Skype conferences and even make calls from within the helmet. Sure, it looks like you’re wearing a giant helmet, but if it helps you focus and finish up work effectively, then I am all for it!
Ukrainian product designer Julia Kononenko created the ‘Eco Pot’, an intriguing little product that organizes your desk and adds a pop of green to it! The multipurpose desk accessory is basically a flower pot with an integrated pen holder. So give your eyes a much-needed break by talking to your green friends and get back to work asap!
The School of Life presents the Phone Detox. A palm-friendly, phone-sized book that contains insights, ideas, and meditations that help you get over your heavy dependency on your phone, social media, and validation addictions. The book covers relevant topics like Addiction, Monasticism, Poetry, Nature, Dating, Utopia, and even Death. Its aim is to allow us to take a step back, breathe, and contemplate a little, rather than simply consuming content the internet keeps throwing at you.
The Bedchill by Constant Ducos will revolutionize how you both work and relax in bed as the fully-fledged design has all of the bases covered! The roll-over table rapidly transforms the bed into a plush office with vast desk space. If it’s even more usability you are after, then the Bedchill Plus is the one for you; it is kitted out with power outlets, USB ports, adjustable mood lighting, and even Bluetooth speakers to ensure that the innovative workspace can cater to your needs! Being in bed is no longer a reason to not be working!
Keyboard Designs that improve ergonomics in your workplace!
Given how much we use and abuse our keyboards every day, we never really reinvented the wheel on that design. Or did we?! Keyboard designs are a fundamental building block of our workday setup and whatever your style, we have a keyboard here that will solve your woes you did not know you had. A wave-shaped keyboard that lets you rest your palms in a more natural format to a keyboard made for designers to help them switch between software with ease – we have a keyboard here that will solve your woes! Happy working from home.
Say hello to the Kolude KD-K1 by Jeremy Lin, a sleek external keyboard with a pretty interesting twist. With circular keys that sit within a machined aluminum base giving it a neo-retro vibe, the Kolude KD-K1 keyboard is a visual treat with tactile scissor-switch keys that make it a great keyboard to type on too. Designed to be the sleeker brother of Lofree’s keyboards, the Kolude KD-K1’s twist lies right above those keys. Built right into the back-face of the KD-K1 is a USB hub, complete with USB-A and USB-C ports, an HDMI port, and two card-reader slots.
Vinicius Araújo has designed a gorgeous keyboard to aid in the transition between each Adobe program, saving the user hours of switching between Photoshop to Indesign to Illustrator to Lightroom. Accented with stylish LED colors and eye-catching material changes, the Adobe Keyboard is the designers’ must-have.
The Off keyboard by Marko Oljaca comes with soft, rounded keys that are elevated on independent “stems” rather than recessed into a solid surface. Not only easy to clean, but it also prevents the buildup of dirt and residue. Better yet, its seamless design makes it spill-proof and water-resistant. Its organic form is also ergonomically adapted to maximize wrist comfort.
The Aura by Vince Wang functions without a screen and that’s all down to the rather clever Eye-tracking Infrared Illuminators that locate eye-details and reflection patterns to project the image directly onto the user’s retinas! The futuristic technology doesn’t end there; in addition to the lack of screen, there is also a concave keyboard with Glow Thru keys that’s been paired with an adaptive input service for maximum productivity!
A combination of a keyboard and tablet, Slide, as its name implies comes with a ‘sliding’ element. The tablet can be easily pulled out or pushed in, enabling it to hide sneakily below the keyboard. When you’re only using the keyboard, the tablet snugly remains a part of it. Designer Cheolsu Park added a lock button to the product, pressing it prevents the keyboard from sliding up and down, keeping it firmly in position. The edges of the product have been centered using a weighty material, ensuring that the product does not tilt in its extended form, especially when you’re typing on the keyboard.
The Hidekey keyboard by Yeong Seok Go has a secret! Its number pad is in hiding. Tucked away on the backside of the keyboard, a quick sliding movement reveals the number pad. The pad can be easily pulled out whenever needed. Once it has been used, you can effortlessly slide it back in. This ensures you always have a number pad at your disposal, improving the efficiency of your work, without taking up too much space.
The first thing you notice when you see the ERGO K860 is its camel-hump, or as Logitech calls it, the WAVE. Logitech’s design team states that when completely relaxed (like your muscles would be if you were floating underwater), your hands don’t lay completely flat. They relax at a slight outward angle. The ERGO K860’s wave detail gets your hands to rest in that exact same angle to deliver a more natural typing experience. The split-keyboard layout guides your hands into a spread-out shape too, so you’ve got each key covered by your fingers. The keys, rated for a 10 million keystroke lifespan, come with a slightly scooped concave shape, allowing you to orient your fingers better and type more confidently.
The Lofree Four Seasons is quite similar to the Mac built-in keyboard, so it won’t be a drastic change for Apple users. However, the keyboard is compatible with iOS, Windows, and Android. The keys are supported by Gateron blue switches, which reduce pressure on your fingers as you type, preventing the risk of developing Repetitive Strain Injury. It can be used wirelessly and with a wire, so it’s quite easy to carry around. Equipped with an LED backlight, you can adjust the lighting of the keyboard which comes in three levels, so you can easily use the keyboard no matter where you are. The Lofree Four Seasons allows you to connect and work with three different devices, your smartphone, laptop, and tablet.
Modern technologies and retro styling collide and create a nostalgic piece of kit with Azio Designs’s Retro Keyboard. The timeless design may be what grabs your attention, but it’s the beautiful integration of modern technology that will keep it; ‘Blue’ mechanical keys offer tactile feedback that is both hugely satisfying and reminiscent of typewriters back in the day! LED backlights gently illuminate the keys, adding to the beautiful blend of modern and retro design.
Royole’s RoType is a neat, rollable keyboard. Unlike those hideous flexible silicone/TPU keyboards that you now find on novelty gadget shops, the RoType is slick, professional, and classy. With a miraculously transparent keyboard that embraces and becomes the surface you place it on, the RoType feels sort of like typing on air.
If you’ve ever tried to text in the cold, you know that your fingers tend to lock because of the low temperatures… so imagine trying to type on a keyboard in the cold. Whether you’re working or gaming, the Breez desktop hand-warmer keeps your fingers toasty as you clack away at the keys of your USB or wireless keyboard. The horizontal radiator design uniformly warms your hands as you type, covering the entire keyboard so there’s never a cold-zone near the Numpad.