Tag Archives: vegan leather

Origami-inspired Bluetooth mouse turns a mundane device into a fashion statement

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As odd and unnatural as the computer mouse might be, it has become the standard input device second only to the keyboard. For decades, however, the design of the mouse has changed very little except when modified in the name of ergonomics. There has been a recent spate of concepts that try to breathe new life into mouse design, but many of those remain in the conceptual realm only. This peculiar design almost looks like one of those, but it’s surprisingly a product you can really get your hands on, figuratively and literally. It’s definitely unlike any Bluetooth mouse you’ve ever laid eyes on because when it’s not in use, it can fold so perfectly flat that you can even slip it into your pocket and make it look like a part of your fashionable attire.

Designer: Horace Lam

We’ve actually seen quite a few mice that can fold or lay completely flat, but few have ever made it into production because of the surprising complexity of mouse design. Origami, the ancient Japanese art of paper folding, might be great for paper, but not for something that needs to withstand the wear and tear of daily use, not to mention being carried around in bags or even pockets. That’s the rather impressive feat that the myAir.0 OriMouse claims to have achieved, offering a wireless mouse that is flat, functional, and fashionable.

In its flat and deactivated state, the OriMouse has a “V” shape with a faceted surface. Covered in vegan leather or textile, it doesn’t even look anything like a mouse. Weighing only 40g and less than 5mm thin, it looks and feels more like an art object that you carry in your pocket or in your bag. But with a simple pinching gesture that joins the two divergent ends together, the OriMouse rises to the occasion, literally, to become an essential tool for productivity.

Using the same principles that give origami designs innate stability, this foldable mouse can withstand a lot of pressure from your hand without buckling from the weight. At the same time, however, a simple push at a specific and strategic spot disengages the two neodymium magnets and collapses the structure back to its flat state. In addition to this shape-shifting trick, the OriMouse promises a more ergonomic design thanks to the polygonal structure inspired by the folds and facets of an origami object.

Although the various options available make use of textured materials to give the mouse an even more tactile experience, the OriMouse’s foldable design also lends itself perfectly to more artistic expressions. In fact, one model even has a graffiti graphic printed on its surface, and it’s not hard to imagine branding opportunities for such a design. Granted, the actual ergonomics of such a mouse will probably be a matter of debate, but if you are looking for a highly portable Bluetooth mouse, it won’t hurt to take a hard look at something that’s also so unique and beautiful that you will easily become the envy of the crowd around you.

The post Origami-inspired Bluetooth mouse turns a mundane device into a fashion statement first appeared on Yanko Design.

Moto G Power 5G (2024) is a budget phone with surprising tricks up its sleeve

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Although a lot of the attention, and probably sales, are poured on high-end premium smartphones, the range of devices and designs is far wider than what you might see represented in media. There are, of course, products designed to be more affordable, though they unsurprisingly have to cut some corners when it comes to features. Sometimes, however, there are a few that seem to rise to the challenge of providing more for less, incorporating designs and features you wouldn’t expect from their price tags. The new Moto G Power 5G (2024) seems to be one of those, packing a few pleasant surprises that could put the device on people’s maps.

Designer: Motorola

The Moto G has been Motorola’s budget line for many years, and that family has a few members designed to cater to very specific needs. The Moto G Power, as its name suggests, is focused on delivering solid battery life, at least more than your average smartphone. The 2024 iteration of this phone isn’t any different, bearing a 5,000 mAh pack you’d only see on more expensive models, but that’s only half of its appeal.

A large battery would normally mean longer charging times, which is why a 30W TurboPower charging feature is more than just a nice-to-have; it’s a necessity. This year, however, Motorola went the extra mile and added 15W wireless charging for convenience. It’s definitely not the fastest wireless charging technology, but how many $300 smartphones can you name that even have any wireless charging support at all? That immediately makes the Moto G Power 5G (2024) more notable than any of its peers, but it doesn’t stop with the hardware features either.

This new Moto G Power also comes with a faux leather back, an attempt to make it look stylish despite its price point. Granted this synthetic leather can sometimes look tacky, though it seems to be simple and elegant, at least based on Motorola’s marketing materials. Again, it’s not exactly a groundbreaking feature, but one that is rarely seen on budget designs.

That said, the phone doesn’t have much to boast about when it comes to performance, though it’s not exactly an underdog either. It packs a 2.2GHz MediaTek processor with 8GB of RAM, a 50MP main camera paired with an 8MP ultra-wide shooter, and perhaps to audiophiles’ delight, a 3.5mm headphone jack. And if the Moto G Power 5G (2024) is still a bit too much for your wallet, Motorola is also launching the $200 Moto G 5G (2024) with slightly less powerful features, no wireless charging, but the same fancy faux leather design.

The post Moto G Power 5G (2024) is a budget phone with surprising tricks up its sleeve first appeared on Yanko Design.

This slim laptop sleeve doubles as a portable desk mat and wireless charger

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Working from home might no longer be a buzzword these days, but sitting down anywhere with your laptop has always been a thing even before 2020. That is also why there will always be a thriving market for accessories that help make working anywhere more pleasant, even if you don’t have all the comforts and conveniences that your office or home desk may offer. But if you can’t be at your desk, why not bring your desk with you? That’s the proposition that this slim and minimalist laptop sleeve tries to make, allowing you to set up your personal working zone anywhere while also letting your phone and earbuds charge as you type your way to productivity.

Designer: Journey

No matter how durable laptops may be, you are undoubtedly tempting fate if you don’t put some protection around it before you stash it in your bag or carry it in your hand. That’s especially true for laptops with elegant covers and finishes that will undoubtedly get scratched one way or another. A laptop sleeve is a simple yet effective solution to that problem, but it serves no function other than to take up space once you’ve started using the laptop.

NEXA is a laptop sleeve that offers value beyond just protecting your laptop, although it also does that well with multiple layers of protection for those heart-stopping accidental drops and bumps. Even with that kind of durability, however, the sleeve remains slim and sleek, sporting a vegan leather outer skin that gives it a stylish character even when it’s doing nothing. You might even be tempted to just carry your laptop by hand instead of putting it inside your bag, just to flaunt the beautiful sleeve that holds it.

NEXA’s function, however, doesn’t stop there. Once the laptop is out of the sleeve, you can rest it on the table and put your laptop on it, transforming it into a stylish desk mat not unlike what you might have on your desk. Not only does it give added protection to your laptop’s bottom, it also helps demarcate your working area, which is especially useful in public spaces. And whether you’re at your desk or outside, you can still use the sleeve in some manner, functioning as a large mouse pad for buttery smooth movement.

That’s not the end of its bag of tricks, though. The flap discreetly hides two wireless chargers, a 15W MagSafe-compatible one for phones and a 5W charger for earbuds like the Apple AirPods. All of these features come at no expense to the product’s simple and lightweight design, making the NEXA laptop sleeve a dream for laptop users who always find themselves settling down in coffee shops and public places to get work done.

The post This slim laptop sleeve doubles as a portable desk mat and wireless charger first appeared on Yanko Design.