Tag Archives: work from home

Top 10 Ingenious Work From Home Gear Every Remote Worker Needs On Their Desk

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Whether you’re working from home, or in a corporate office, the one thing that’s pretty much consistent in both these scenarios is a desk! A desk is probably one of the most important pieces of furniture in our modern lives, only because we spend the majority of our day on it. You may be typing away to glory, munching away on a snack, or simply fidgeting with a random object – you do end up spending hours on your desk. And hence, it’s really important that your desk be neat, tidy, and uncluttered. Not only will this improve your work routine and productivity, but it will also help you maintain a clearer and more streamlined mindset. And, I’ve discovered that adding limited, quality, and innovative products to my desk setup can help me in achieving these goals! The desk accessories you place on your desk are an integral part of your home/corporate office. From a unique handcrafted stoneware lamp for your desk to a mechanical keyboard made from recyclable materials – these ingenious desk accessories are all you need to achieve your desk setup goals!

1. Altar I Mechanical Keyboard

London-based electronics startup Electronic Materials Office launched its first product made from sustainable materials. The keyboard is crafted from post-consumer waste-derived plastic and features a unibody aluminum framed peripheral with both U.S. and U.K. layouts with 78 key and 77 key layouts.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Altar I’s keycaps are also forged out of recycled polymers, thereby making it a sensible accessory that doesn’t harm Planet Earth. The accessory is designed for touch typing and can be utilized on two devices simultaneously, which is suitable for those who switch between their laptop and tablet frequently.

What we like

  • Crisp and minimalist font
  • Built using recyclable and earth-friendly materials

What we dislike

  • No info on the pricing and availability for now
  • Seems to be available only in black, no other color options

2. Everlasting All-Metal Pencil

Designed like a Wacom stylus, this everlasting metal pencil features a tip that never has to be replaced, nor does it need to be sharpened much. It allows you to focus less on the lead, and more on your precious creative process!

Why is it noteworthy?

The pencil features an octagonal shaft made of aluminum which houses a special alloy core. Knowing that, you might think that all it will do is leave heavy grooves on your paper, but your mind might be blown away when it draws like a real pencil without seeing the tip wear down even after dozens of marks.

What we like

  • It utilizes metal for the core rather than the usual clay or charcoal, so it wears down so slowly that you might think your all-metal pencil will actually outlive you

What we dislike

  • It doesn’t smudge or smear the way normal graphite does. That might be a bummer for those who use smudging techniques

3. The Echo Desk Lamp

The Echo Desk Lamp is designed by Simon Busse for the German brand Caussa. It is inspired by the shape of a tuning fork and is equipped with a rounded LED light source that can be rotated at 360-degree angles for a whole variety of lighting options.

Why is it noteworthy?

The head of the lamp can be adjusted along a two-pronged stand, allowing you to change the height of the lamp. The two-pronged stand of the lamp is quite interestingly shaped like a tuning fork.

What we like

  • Features a hidden gesture control that enables users to turn the lamp on and off and dim the light via a simple hand movement

What we dislike

  • Will occupy a substantial amount of space on your desk

4. The Blocco Calculator

Called the Blocco calculator, this aesthetic and functional calculator is no ordinary calculator. It perfectly merges grace and precision in a sincere and minimalistic design, that will be a visually appealing addition to your desk.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Blocco calculator features a universal and ergonomic design that is suitable for both left-handed and right-handed users. It features an angular chamfered surface that supports quick and effortless typing and enhances visual appeal.

What we like

  • Directly projects calculations onto paper further enhancing its user-friendliness
  • Aesthetically and visually pleasing looks

What we dislike

  • Feature a portable design, but its usage is limited as it needs a flat surface to project the equations clearly

5. Nebula Desk Lamp

COG Design Studio partnered up with lighting brand Bonakia to create the Nebula Desk Lamp, which is designed by building a basic form of lighting through repetition, transformation, and a unique combination of diverse geometric shapes.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Nebula Desk Lamp was designed by giving a subtle and formative beauty to flat shapes using three-dimensional changes in the form of direction and bending. This creates a refreshed and interesting form for a lighting design, by simply playing around with various geometric figures, and imparting them with an emotional aesthetic.

What we like

  • The brightness and light of the first element contrast beautifully against the second darker element giving the impression of a nebula in space, in turn resulting in the name of the design

What we dislike

  • There is no option to change/customize the design as needed

6. The Forest Tidy

The Forest Tidy is a neat and adorable set of containers that have been carved from rosewood. They bring a whole new level of organization and tidiness to your workspace while creating a connection to the wooden nature of furniture in your home.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Forest Tidy kit splits and divides your workdesk into different categories. It provides space for stationery, tech, EDC, and cables, and also has a dedicated stand for your monitor, with nifty stowaway space for your keyboard and mouse.

What we like

  • The containers are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, tailor-made to your tabletop belongings
  • Features a dedicated phone stand that allows you to dock your phone either in portrait or landscape

What we dislike

  • The phone stand doesn’t come with a channel for a cable pass-through, which means it won’t function as a charging stand

7. The Spot On Desk Lamps

The Spot On Desk Lamps are unique, colorful, and playful lamps designed to add a whimsical element to your mundane workdesk. They create an amusing and whimsical environment in the workspace they’re added to, adding a fun component to brighten up your day.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Spot On Desk Lamp features three distinctive parts that are all derived from the circle. These intriguing circular shapes give the impression that the lamp is ready to fall and roll away any second, which is, of course, simply a fun illusion, since the lamp is extremely stable and steady.

What we like

  • Individually handcrafted from stoneware
  • Eight interesting color options to choose from

What we dislike

  • The lamp has a very rigid design, not allowing for any change in its lamp head size, its lamp stem size, etc.

8. The Reck_Cone

This concept design is called the Reck_Cone, and it merges different products into one single artful piece. It is a handy headphone holder, although it doesn’t look like one at first glance, because of its unique shape.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Reck_Cone isn’t like traditional typical holders, it hangs the headphones down and allows them to wrap around its almost conical form. It looks as if the headphones are hanging from a person’s neck, allowing it to have a more natural appearance.

What we like

  • The Reck_Cone’s form is eye-catching, and even without the headphones, it displays an unusual shape that looks like a vase with a “wing” on its back

What we dislike

  • The form is bulky and not effective on a small desk setup

9. Lifestyle Tool File Organizers

Called the Lifestyle Tool File Organizers, this collection of ingenious and unique organizers is a great addition to your workdesk. When they’re closed, they look like regular nondescript file binders from the outside, perfectly merging with your workspace.

Why is it noteworthy?

Once you open up the organizers, you’ll find that they have an ample amount of space to store all kinds of tools and supplies. You need to pull one out using the typical ring hole, open it up, and you can easily access and find whatever tool you need at that moment.

What we like

  • The organizers are made from hard paperboard and are a sustainable solution to the evergrowing number of plastic products on your desk

What we dislike

  • Keeps products hidden away from sight and stored away neatly, providing a clean and tidy setup for those who don’t like to display their items and products

10. Flash back

The Flash back is a conceptual product designed to be a digital photo frame that showcases one or more photos, from your smartphone’s gallery. The device is locked to a very specific presentation mode, unlike typical digital frames.

Why is it noteworthy?

Flash back slowly scrolls through the photos sideways, creating an interesting film reel rather than a slideshow. The curved shape of the device is a tribute to the physical medium, providing it with an old-school feel while maintaining modern functionality.

What we like

  • Multifunctional design that also serves as a pen holder, with a basin for clips and small items that would otherwise litter your desk

What we dislike

  • It’s a concept, not a real tangible product, so we don’t know how smoothly or efficiently it’ll work in actuality

The post Top 10 Ingenious Work From Home Gear Every Remote Worker Needs On Their Desk first appeared on Yanko Design.

This sit-stand desk perfectly fuses the good looks of traditional writing desks with modern ergonomic comfort

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I spend a substantial amount of my day on my desk, typing away to glory. Most of the time I also end up eating my meals on it! And binge-watching on Netflix as well. And I’m sure that’s the case with most of us, since working from home became the new norm, and our home offices became our new hang-out spots. But having a great desk is really important! Simply a ‘good’ desk won’t do either. A great desk helps us work comfortably and effectively. It puts us in the right mindset, helping us achieve our daily productivity goals and checkmark all the tasks on our to-do list! Not only should our desks be clean, but they should also sport an ergonomic and functional design! And good looks are an added bonus. And finding a desk that does all of the above can be a Herculean task. But worry not, I’ve found the perfect desk for you – the Croft Sit-Stand Desk!

Designer: Jamie Hoyle and Katherine Mathew of Koda Studios

Designed by Yorkshire-based furniture studio Koda, the Croft Sit-Stand Desk is a height-adjustable desk for home offices. The elegant and chic-looking desk was designed by the studio’s managing director Jamie Hoyle and creative director Katherine Mathew. The duo was inspired by traditional writing desks while designing the Croft Sit-Stand Desk, and they integrated a touch-screen console that enables users to change the desk’s height from seated to standing positions.

Built using American Black walnut, the desk was designed to be a sophisticated and sleek addition to home offices, functioning as a modern furniture piece that is the “perfect fusion of form and function”, equipped with angled drawers that offer sufficient storage and provide a unique geometric quality to the desk. Besides being exceptionally good-looking, the desk also offers ergonomic comfort and value.

“This walnut design is defined by statement bold lines and sleek angles. Boasting plenty of storage, the desk has a geometric profile with angled storage compartments that are perfect for keeping loose stationery and filing in place,” said Koda. “We draw inspiration for our custom furniture designs from the artistry of interior design and architecture,” added Hoyle.

The post This sit-stand desk perfectly fuses the good looks of traditional writing desks with modern ergonomic comfort first appeared on Yanko Design.

How a standing desk uses technology to recommend when to take a break from work

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I spend a substantial amount of my day on my desk, typing away to glory. Most of the time I also end up eating my meals on it! And binge-watching on some Netflix as well. And I’m sure that’s the case with most of us, since work from home became the new norm, and our home offices became our new hang-out spots. But having a great desk is really important! Simply a ‘good’ desk won’t do either. A great desk helps us work comfortably and effectively. It puts us in the right mindset, helping us achieve our daily productivity goals and checkmark all the tasks on our to-do list! Not only should our desks be clean, but they should also sport an ergonomic and functional design! And good looks are an added bonus. And finding a desk that does all of the above can be a Herculean task. But worry not, we’ve found the perfect desk for you – the Charcoal Desk.

Designer: Charcoal

American electronics brand Charcoal launched an innovative standing desk called, well, the Charcoal desk. The standing desk features a built-in light that recommends to users when to take breaks to “maintain their 9 am energy throughout the day”. The Charcoal desk features a sleek design that is meant to improve and enhance the user’s well-being and provide an effect similar to that offered by regular exercise or a healthy diet.

“[The desk] calibrates breaks for crucial moments in the day when the brain is wired to refuel and clear metabolic waste. Breaks taken during these healing windows essentially ‘reset the brain’, enabling users to maintain their 9 am energy throughout the day,” said Charcoal. The desk has been equipped with a small light in one corner, which lights up and informs the user when it is time to take a break.

“The emphasis was on creating a better desk, not a smart desk. To maintain an honest evolution, we balanced the design between creating a sense of comfort and reflecting the state-of-the-art technology,” said Charcoal’s chief design officer Drishti Desai. The Charcoal desk has a clean and minimal form and is available in two sizes. It features a slimline tabletop supported by two upright columns equipped with telescopic mechanisms – to enable the user to adjust the desk’s height to a standing or seating position.

The post How a standing desk uses technology to recommend when to take a break from work first appeared on Yanko Design.

Olson Kundig designs a small railroad-inspired workspace/retreat extending from an existing home in Seattle

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Designed by Olson Kundig Architects, the Maxon Studio is a private workspace designed to function as a sidekick to a pre-existing house. The workspace and the home are tucked away in the forests of a rural area outside Seattle. It is a two-story steel tower, that has been mounted on a fifteen-foot-gauge railroad track and is designed to be a seamless and effortless extension of the main house, while also functioning as an independent structure.

Designer: Olson Kundig Architects

Designed to be a workspace, and a retreat to relax and unwind in, the Maxon Studio features the same materiality and views as the main home. While the main house is horizontal, the studio is vertical, creating an interesting yet cohesive contrast between the two structures. The architects drew inspiration from the local region’s rail industry legacy, and the excavation site’s discovery of steel cables and railroad spikes while they were constructing the main house. Mimicking a traditional caboose, the lower storey of the studio functions as a primary workspace with a built-in desk, and multiple shelves for storage and display.

The workspace is surrounded by a steel-clad wall which allows visually stimulating materials to be easily replaced, to create different themes and assignments. The upper level can be accessed via a steel ladder and serves as a zen retreat to restore yourself and explore your creativity. ‘This level functions much like a cupola on a train’s caboose, a high vantage point to look out across the landscape,” said the architects.

What makes the Maxon Studio even more interesting is that it has wheels, making it a portable workspace! This also signifies the influence of train and railway design on the structure. The door of the studio has been painted in the DuPont paint color of the striping on Great Northern trains. The interiors have been clad in wood, and authentic wooden railroad ties repurposed from a Great Northern Railroad relay line have been used. The studio also includes a stabilizing bar to ensure the tower doesn’t tip during an earthquake – this was inspired by Japanese high-speed railways. The studio’s control panel was also originally installed in the Burlington Northern locomotive.

The post Olson Kundig designs a small railroad-inspired workspace/retreat extending from an existing home in Seattle first appeared on Yanko Design.

Top 10 desk designs every workaholic needs to amp up their productivity

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I spend a substantial amount of my day on my desk, typing away to glory. Most of the time I also end up eating my meals on it! And binge-watching on Netflix as well. And I’m sure that’s the case with most of us, since working from home became the new norm, and our home offices became our new hang-out spots. But having a great desk is really important! Simply a ‘good’ desk won’t do either. A great desk helps us work comfortably and effectively. It puts us in the right mindset, helping us achieve our daily productivity goals and checkmark all the tasks on our to-do list! Not only should our desks be clean, but they should also sport an ergonomic and functional design! And good looks are an added bonus. And finding a desk that does all of the above can be a Herculean task. But worry not! We’ve curated a collection of innovative, highly functional, and aesthetically pleasing desk designs, that will end your hunt for a great desk once and for all! From an IKEA-worthy minimal foldaway desk to a convertible standing desk that doesn’t use motors to change forms  – there’s a perfect desk in here for everyone.

1. Flow Wall Desk

The Flow Wall Desk is a great piece of office furniture for those spaces that aren’t quite large. It’s the kind of furniture piece that is both functional and decorative, but at the same time maintains a rather simple design philosophy and is sustainable as well!

Why is it noteworthy?

The Flow Wall Desk is something that might be able to fit all of those requirements for a piece of furniture. When “stored” and folded up, it looks like a piece of art on your wall with its minimalist, geometric shapes. Initially, it’s a flat canvas and when you unfold it, it looks like a “spiraling caterpillar” and you realize that it is turning into a desk where you can work, read, or write in your journal.

What we like

  • Multifunctional design
  • Sustainable
  • Features a flatpack form

What we dislike

  • Folding and unfolding the desk whenever you need to use it means we can’t have a constant setup

2. The Alada Desk

Designed by Daniel Garcia Sanchez for Woodendot, the Alada folding desk is a nifty space-saving desk that doubles up as a super cute decorative shelf. Within seconds you can transform the Alada desk into a display shelf that can hold your favorite souvenirs from picture frames to even potted little plants.

Why is it noteworthy?

Sanchez designed the Alada desk, as he witnessed an ever-growing need for smart and flexible desk designs for working at home. Since work from home is a pretty common norm nowadays, it’s important to have a transformative and space-saving workspace at home – one that can be neatly tucked away when your workday ends!

What we like

  • The multifunctional desk has also been equipped with hidden storage spaces when it is folded up, to provide neat hiding spots for your laptop and notebooks

What we dislike

  • Not suitable for people who prefer larger and more elaborate desks

3. The Axis Concept

With this more mechanical standing desk concept, you can enjoy the benefits of a healthier working lifestyle without breaking your back or your bank.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Axis concept uses a simple axis mechanism, hence the name, to move the larger desk surface up or down as needed. As a bonus, part of the desk actually remains in position and is a good place to put items you’re less likely to move, like supplies or desk organizers. It can even be a temporary bookshelf that stays in the back of your desk when sitting or beneath the table when standing.

What we like

  • The simplicity of this system means that manufacturers can keep the number of parts and materials down to a minimum
  • Sustainable materials can be used since it has no need for electronics or even plastics
  • Replacement parts could be easier to purchase, too, presuming owners themselves can’t make those out of standardized design

What we dislike

  • We run the risk of object falling/rolling off the desk when we transform the desk

4. in.water

This desk is striking in its minimalist beauty. The piece of furniture is flat-packed and easily assembled, composed of nothing more than two pairs of aluminum legs and a plexiglass tabletop.

Why is it noteworthy?

The table has a translucent gradient that goes from blue to frost white, creating an interesting visual even when it’s devoid of anything on top. The choice of color is, of course, intentional, and it is meant to convey the image of a clear body of water partially reflecting the blue sky.

What we like

  • It can be made from 100% recycled plexiglass and aluminum, and its flat-pack design produces less carbon footprint during transportation

What we dislike

  • Showcases no way to add drawers, cable management setup or any accessories to the glass top

5. teenage engineering Field Desk

Modular furniture, however, also brings its own kind of complexity, especially since it might lock you down into a specific way of doing things or storing your stuff. teenage engineering, better known for its funky-looking electronic music products, is offering a solution that its own workforce uses, providing nothing but the framework to which modules can attach later on as the owner sees fit.

Why is it noteworthy?

This table is the very same table that teenage engineering uses, so there has to be some trick to its simplicity. That trick is what it calls its “field rail system,” an open-ended range of interconnecting aluminum rails that enables attaching modules or additional parts to a piece of furniture like the field desk.

What we like

  • Allows their employees to design their own workspace according to their needs and tastes
  • All rails and clamps are made with 75% recycled aluminum by Scandinavian manufacturer Hydro

What we dislike

  • The aesthetics are very industrial in nature, not allowing much visual customisation

6. The Kabinett

Conceptualized by Stockholm-based designer Alexander Lervik and manufactured by Finnish furniture manufacturer Adea, the Kabinett is a minimal and sturdy cabinet designed for modern home offices…that also doubles up as a work desk!

Why is it noteworthy?

Kabinett is a part of Adea’s Smartwork range, and it aims to function as an ergonomic set-up for home offices. While functioning as an efficient work table, Kabinett also serves as a rather stylish and elegant dresser.

What we like

  • Multifunctional + ergonomic design
  • Its minimal aesthetics are a plus point since this allows the furniture to seamlessly merge with all kinds of home offices

What we dislike

  • Bulky + space-consuming design, not ideal for small homes

7. The Flip Desk

An excellent desk is imperative for a productivity-conducing office space. Not only should our desks be clean, but they should also sport an ergonomic and functional design. And with the space constraint issues that most modern houses face today, we can also add ‘space-saving’ to the checklist. And one such design I recently came across is the Flip Desk!

Why is it noteworthy?

The issue of space constraint is really a major one in the contemporary apartments of today. Hence, having a dedicated workstation that not only amps up your everyday productivity but also manages to consume a minimum amount of space in your home. And this is where the Flip Desk jumps right in. Designed by Zurich-based designer Charles O. Job for the Dutch design brand Vij5, this minimal and sturdy desk promises to take up zero floor space.

What we like

  • Space-saving design
  • Minimal and contemporary aesthetics
  • IKEA-inspired aesthetics

What we dislike

  • The desk does not offer any aesthetic solutions for when the desk is closed

8. Pipeline Desk

There are ways to give a piece of furniture a bit more character without going overboard with extraneous embellishments. This peculiar desk, for example, definitely makes an impact with its pipe-filled body, almost creating a visual metaphor for how desk designs could help or impede your productivity, a.k.a. your flow.

Why is it noteworthy?

Metal pipes have always been associated with an industrial aesthetic, leaving no ambiguity to their utilitarian purposes. Stacking these many and creating a whole piece of furniture from them definitely helps send that message across.

What we like

  • The pipes bend away from the others, creating nooks and slots to hold bags, books, and other items. There are also longer “deviations” that serve as shelves for computer peripherals or even a space for a furry friend

What we dislike

  • It’s a style that’s not going to appeal to everyone, and some might even feel uncomfortable looking at the ribbed surfaces everywhere

9. The Program

Named the “Program” this modular desk is ideal for creative individuals who love the freedom of organizing their desks as per their needs. Depending on the task at hand or the kind of tools required, the desk comes equipped with various cubbyholes and hanging spaces for you to get creative, literally!

Why is it noteworthy?

The different storage modules can be suitable for storing files, documents, or even your favorite magazines or sketches. In addition, the desk has a large storage box and a two-part table to further extend the modularity aspect. I find the design an eclectic mix of structure yet chaos – it has enough options to create an organized workspace or to embrace the chaos – it gives you the freedom to make your desk setup work for you.

What we like

  • Multiple and innovative storage modules
  • We can collapse the Program’s desk section and make it a display for all your hanged memorabilia

What we dislike

  • Limited to only creative individuals

10. Zedo Desk

Not only should our desks be clean, but they should also sport an ergonomic and functional design. One such desk I recently came across is the Zedo Desk.

Why is it noteworthy?

Designed by Paolo Pampanoni for the workplace furniture brand Narbutas, the Zedo desk is great to bring some personality and character into a dreary old corporate office. It can be used as an individual desk or linked together with multiple other Zedo desks. The flexible desk system has distinct metal parts, and colorful accessories to help you create a desk space according to your personal taste and requirements.

What we like

  • As ideal as Zedo is for office space, it could also work great in your home office
  • You can team it up with the Polytone-L chair, which is also by Narbutas

What we dislike

  • The aesthetics of the Zedo Desk are strictly minimal – adding individuality will be a task

The post Top 10 desk designs every workaholic needs to amp up their productivity first appeared on Yanko Design.

This minimal IKEA-worthy folding desk doubles up as a decorative shelf

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I spend a substantial amount of my day on my desk, typing away to glory. Most of the time I also end up eating my meals on it! And binge-watching on Netflix as well. And I’m sure that’s the case with most of us, since working from home became the new norm, and our home offices became our new hang-out spots. But having a great desk is really important. Simply a ‘good’ desk won’t do either. A great desk helps us work comfortably and effectively. It puts us in the right mindset, helping us achieve our daily productivity goals and checkmark all the tasks on our to-do list! Not only should our desks be clean, but they should also sport an ergonomic and functional design. And good looks are an added bonus. And finding a desk that does all of the above can be a Herculean task. But worry not. I recently came across a super cool desk called the Alada folding desk.

Designer: Daniel Garcia Sanchez for Woodendot

Designed by Daniel Garcia Sanchez for Woodendot, the Alada folding desk is a nifty space-saving desk that doubles up as a super cute decorative shelf. Within seconds you can transform the Alada desk into a display shelf that can hold your favorite souvenirs from picture frames to even potted little plants. All you need is one swift movement! Sanchez designed the Alada desk, as he witnessed an ever-growing need for smart and flexible desk designs for working at home. Since work from home is a pretty common norm nowadays, it’s important to have a transformative and space-saving workspace at home – one that can be neatly tucked away when your workday ends!

Sanchez hopes that with the Alada folding desk users will be able to efficiently distinguish between their work time and private home, allowing them to strike a perfect work-life balance, even while they’re working at home. “Separating your personal time from your work time when doing home office can be challenging. The need for that closing time, for that literal act of saying ‘work is over for today’ was something I couldn’t find no matter how much I looked. This is where the idea for Alada was born. What if you could just close your workstation and forget about it until you need it again?” said Sanchez.

The multifunctional desk has also been equipped with hidden storage spaces when it is folded up, to provide neat hiding spots for your laptop and notebooks. It can be mounted onto any height, and since it occupies a minimum amount of space it’s a great design for homes with space constraints. The desk is available in a natural or white lacquered finish, as well as in ash wood with an option of white or black lacquer.

The post This minimal IKEA-worthy folding desk doubles up as a decorative shelf first appeared on Yanko Design.

Top 10 desk accessories to enhance your daily work productivity in 2023

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Whether you’re working from home, or in a corporate office, the one thing that’s pretty much consistent in both these scenarios is a desk! A desk is probably one of the most important pieces of furniture in our modern lives, only because we spend the majority of our day on it. You may be typing away to glory, munching away on a snack, or simply fidgeting with a random object – you do end up spending hours on your desk. And hence, it’s really important that your desk be neat, tidy, and uncluttered. Not only will this improve your work routine and productivity, but it will also help you maintain a clearer and more streamlined mindset. And, I’ve discovered that adding limited, quality, and innovative products to my desk setup can help me in achieving these goals! The desk accessories you place on your desk are an integral part of your home/corporate office. From a desk mat that charges your phone and hides paper to a USB docking station that has a novel way to keep your desk clutter-free – these ingenious desk accessories are all you need to achieve your desk setup goals!

1. The Tetra Puzzle

Called the Tetra Puzzle, this captivating and intriguing puzzle is a fidget toy for your hands and your brain! This 4-part puzzle joins together to create a rather mesmerizing tetrahedral mass. The aim is to separate the 4 metal pieces as swiftly and as efficiently as you can!

Why is it noteworthy?

The Tetra is a uniquely appealing desk toy that activates your manual dexterity skills, problem-solving abilities, and spatial reasoning. The 4 identical stainless steel pieces are designed to lock in only when oriented in a pre-determined pattern.

What we like

  • Serves as a pretty mysterious and eye-catching objet d’art when not being used
  • Enhances your ability to focus and explore your mind

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

2. The Levitating Pen

Much like its name, the Levitating Pen actually does seem to be levitating! It looks as if the pen is suspended in its holder at a 23.5-degree angle. Designed to be a grand writing instrument, the pen features a Schmidt ballpoint cartridge, which makes the pen rigid and super easy to hold!

Why is it noteworthy?

When done writing, you close the pen’s magnetic cap with a satisfying click and position the pen in its holder that has been magnetized to keep the pen floating in that position. To add to the fun, a simple twist leaves the pen spinning in its place for a good 20 seconds, allowing you to interact with the pen on a whole new level!

What we like

  • The pen is super fun to interact with
  • Quite easy to hold and write with

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

3. Create

Designed by Naya, Create is the kind of keyboard that will ensure you don’t need any other additional peripherals! It is highly customizable to perfectly cater to every person’s individual self-expression. It eliminates the issue of a cluttered desk, which can often occur when you constantly need to switch between different peripherals.

Why is it noteworthy?

The split keyboard with the customizable form factor and various configurable modules onboard can seamlessly fit into any workflow. Thus, it intends to become a go-to option for casual keyboard enthusiasts and serious creative professionals.

What we like

  • The keyboard is split and customizable
  • The creator in you can leverage the convenience of 9 degrees of freedom with the 3D navigator

What we dislike

  • Some users may find Create more complex to operate than a conventional keyboard

4. The Splitty Pro Gen 2 Lamps

Koncept co-founders Kenneth Ng and Edmund Ng designed the Splitty lamp which was defined by a flat, gently-curving, petal-like head. They went on to revamp the original Splitty design, and create the Splitty Pro Gen 2 lamps – which are a rather modified version of it.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Splitty Pro Gen 2 lamps have been updated with quite a few intriguing features – such as saving energy and enhancing the experience of users. The Gen 2 lamps come with more added functionality, such as tunable colors – including a warm 2700K to a cool white 5000K. These colors ensure that the lamps can be adapted and utilized for different uses and functions.

What we like

  • Features an occupancy sensor, that switches off the lamp if it hasn’t been active for 15 minutes straight
  • Can be desk or wall-mounted

What we dislike

  • May not provide sufficient light to work

5. The M/Connect 2

The M/Connect 2 is an innovative USB docking station that promises to keep your desk neat, and clutter-free. This docking station works on the principle that you will rarely remove it, once it’s plugged in!

Why is it noteworthy?

M/Connect 2 is designed like a clamp that attaches to an edge of a desk, preferably on the back, with ports above and below the table. The ports that are on the half underneath the desk are for cables and wires that can be conveniently hidden from view. The top half is practically a USB and Thunderbolt hub that provides the necessary ports for more transient devices and peripherals. This part is also modular so that the hub can be removed for repairs without having to disassemble the entire contraption.

What we like

  • This USB docking station’s solution is to actually split the ports between these two kinds of cables and hide those that don’t change often

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

6. The Amio

The Amio is an AI desk assistant that will monitor and observe your posture while you’re on your desk working away and give you real-time feedback on it. It’s a boon for those who suffer from bad posture and can’t sit upright for long periods of time, no matter how hard they try. It’s placed on a charging station, but it’s pretty easy to carry around. So you can take it with you to work, or even the coffee shop!

Why is it noteworthy?

The device has an “emotion-based” user interface so it can let you know how you’re doing posture-wise in real-time. It uses a CMOS sensor that can detect your body’s skeletal position and an infrared projector and sensor for depth perception. It can tell you that you’ve got good posture in the past hour but will also remind you to take a break soon.

What we like

  • If security is an issue for you,  you can turn the sensor downwards and enter incognito mode
  • Helps you maintain a good posture throughout your workday

What we dislike

  • It’s still a concept!

7. Journey’s Desk Mat

Journey’s new desk mat is everything you could want and need from a desk mat! Designed to be more than just an ordinary desk mat, it has been amped with a wireless charging component that supports Apple MagSafe, which means you can place your iPhone on it and charge it while keeping it super close to you!

Why is it noteworthy?

The charging panel magnetically attaches to the sides of the mat, so you can actually move it to the left for those who prefer to pick up their phones with their left hand. Alternatively, you can even detach it completely and use it as a standalone charging mat. There’s also a groove for compatible AirPods cases, though that might not work with any other earbuds cases.

What we like

  • The two different layers of materials can actually separate, creating a space to stash loose pieces of paper like single-page documents and sticky notes

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

8. The UFO Desk Pen Holder

This innovative pen holder looks out of this world, and with reason! It holds your pen and suspends it in mid-air, making it look as if aliens are coming to kidnap your pen. The pen stands upright and straight in the holder, allowing you to easily grab it when you need it.

Why is it noteworthy?

The top of the pen holder is your stereotypical alien spaceship in the shape of a flying saucer. You could put the USS Enterprise or a Star Destroyer, too, but its irregular shape would break the illusion and remove a bit of the eerie atmosphere surrounding this design.

What we like

  • Adds an element of fun to your workdesk
  • The saucer provides illumination

What we dislike

  • It’s not a real tangible product yet!

9. The Light-Up Lamp

The Light-Up Lamp is inspired by a light switch! It was designed to inspire people to get into their ‘work mode’, as soon as they switch on the lamp. It has a rather simple and focused design, without the need for any fancy elaborations, and complex features Light-Up has little focus on changing the amount of illumination on the desk, so no disturbing color changes and odd flickers.

Why is it noteworthy?

In addition to being a productivity-enhancing desk lamp, it is also an excellent table organizer. The lamp body can allow people to hold up sticky notes on it to manage schedules or have the to-do right before their eyes.

What we like

  • Boosts productivity and keeps your desk organized
  • It’s an instant mood flipper

What we dislike

  • It’s a conceptual design!

10. The Slope

Designed to be your personal desktop whiteboard with a pen, the Slope is a pretty cool analog writing tool that you can position in between your monitor and keyboard. The Slope eradicates the need for disposable paper products in your everyday routine, enabling you to reduce the wastage of paper!

Why is it noteworthy?

It is made from bent steel sheets and is powder-coated so it’s pretty smooth and easy to use as well as giving you a premium dry-erase surface. It is also magnetic so you can attach your whiteboard markers if they’re magnetic. If not, there’s a space at the top to place them as well as space at the back to store your separate eraser. There’s a silicone phone holder if you need to have your mobile device in front of you and there’s also an opening in it so you can place your charger.

What we like

  • If you’re not using your keyboard, you can slip it under the sloped whiteboard
  • Smooth and easy to use
  • Prevents the wastage of paper

What we dislike

  • You can’t save what you were writing into the cloud nor can you digitize it if you need to save what you wrote

The post Top 10 desk accessories to enhance your daily work productivity in 2023 first appeared on Yanko Design.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 brings a no-nonsense powerhouse for hybrid workers

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Thanks to a few incidents that rocked our world, a new trend was forced upon both employers and employees. Working from home was never going to last forever, as much as some might have wished, but working at the office like before is no longer ideal either. Hybrid work setups, which saw people dividing their time between the office and any other non-office location, are now an option that some companies and workers have started to embrace. That, however, also meant that they need proper tools that support such an arrangement, particularly a laptop that’s designed exactly for such a scenario. Lenovo’s upcoming generation of ThinkPads is indeed intended to target that market, and the ThinkPad X1 Carbon X11 offers the most powerful and most traditional computing solution among them.

Designer: Lenovo

Even before ownership transferred from IBM to Lenovo, the ThinkPad brand has been one of the most trusted names among laptops designed specifically with productivity in mind. It was often seen as the standard for what specs and features should go into a work laptop, and the newly announced batch of portable computers is no different. For the 30th anniversary of the ThinkPad brand, Lenovo is aiming for the latest trend among computer users in the office, that is, working from the office, at home, or even in a public space like a coffee shop.

Of course, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 has all the basics of a modern laptop powerhouse, starting with the latest Intel Core processors, which would be 13th-gen at this point, alongside up to 64GB of speedy LPDDR5 memory and up to 2TB of SSD storage. The 14-inch screen includes options for different resolutions up to 2.8K, though there is no possibility of adding touch support to that list. The laptop utilizes Intel’s Iris Xe technology for graphics, so using it for gaming might be a little limited.

Lenovo is marketing its new ThinkPads as the perfect hybrid work partner, particularly because of how it can help protect your privacy and security when working out in the open. Its Lenovo View application, in particular, includes features to blur your screen or warn you if an unauthorized onlooker’s face is detected, as well as performance optimizations for video conferencing. It will even warn you when your posture is wrong or if your eyes deserve a break to encourage digital well-being as you spend more time working, even outside the office.

The new Lenovo ThinkPads also represent a step forward in the company’s sustainability commitments. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11, for example, uses 90% recycled magnesium in its palm rest, 55% recycled aluminum on its bottom cover, and 100% bamboo and sugarcane fiber for packaging. The Lenovo Commercial Vantage software also provides tips and settings to improve the efficiency of the laptop and help reduce its power consumption or prolong its lifespan. All in all, this new ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptop promises a no-frills hybrid work experience, with no extraneous features and gimmicks to get in the way of your productivity. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 launches on April 2023 with a starting price of $1,729.

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Cooler Master has killed it with the ORB X immersive pod that cocoons you for hours of uninterrupted work or play

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The furniture industry is head over heels for designing the most comfortable workstations and rigs to make sure the home-based workforce is left with nothing but to focus on their routine. With life returning to normal after three rough years of the pandemic, seclusion and privacy are going to be two concerns each of us would want employers to address. In that scenario, a semi-enclosed cockpit with just about everything one would need for hours of uninterrupted work or play is just a dream!

Enter ORB X, designed by the gaming hardware manufacturer Cooler Master, it is meant to enhance user’s experience while working or gaming. Talk about guaranteed privacy; the ORB X has an automated motorized shuttle that cocoons the users within for utmost secrecy.

Designer: Cooler Master

The motorized dome lowers from the top to bring the screens to the user’s eye level. The ORB X accommodates multiscreen: When you’re working you can use a single 34-inch display or transition into a gaming-specific with the use of a trio of 27-inch screens.

If you have a setup with an ultrawide monitor on the desk and your game time is well covered, you probably haven’t experienced a pod before. It is a stark difference we are talking about here, especially with a semi-personal cocoon approach that doesn’t completely isolate you but creates a personal zone to call your own, yet provides an incomparable environment.

The surround sound speakers and an ergonomic recliner with multiple features enhance this immersive environment. The seating comfort for gamers and professionals manifolds sitting in the recliner is made from genuine leather with lumber support, leg rest and an adjustable headrest.

For those who don’t like it cluttered, the ORB X comes with a built-in hidden compartment to store your PC and game console. Accommodating your keyboard and mouse is a desk with built-in wireless charging and USB-C, and USB-A ports. The entire setup within the Arctic White or Universe Black ORB X is illuminated with RGB lighting. It is currently available for preorder but Cooler Master has not revealed a release date or pricing yet.

The post Cooler Master has killed it with the ORB X immersive pod that cocoons you for hours of uninterrupted work or play first appeared on Yanko Design.

Microsoft Presenter+ delivers stress-free presentations, whether in person or online

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The way we work changed drastically after 2020 due to how many businesses were forced to adopt work-from-home arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though many companies have returned to normal operations by now, a lot have embraced hybrid work strategies that let people work in the office or at home, depending on the situation. During these tumultuous times, the one thing about work and even school that hasn’t changed is the need to deliver presentations. Very few people actually find that activity fun, and it can ironically be even more stressful when done remotely. There are a few ways to lessen the cognitive load when doing presentations, and one of them is by having the right tool for the job, like the new Microsoft Presenter+ remote control specifically designed for a hybrid life.

Designer: Microsoft

No matter how well you’ve prepared your slides and rehearsed your delivery, something always tends to go wrong during presentations. One of the biggest “accidents” that happen is a slide that just refuses to move forward or backward at your command. If you’re near the laptop or computer where the presentation is running, that might be easy to resolve, but not if you’re at a distance, whether in a meeting room or your bedroom.

The new Microsoft Presenter+ addresses a few of these problems and then some. With Bluetooth connectivity and a maximum range of 32 feet, you won’t have to worry about your presses not going through. Dedicated forward and backward buttons make it clear which does what, but these can even be reprogrammed to do other things if you really need some extra functionality. For in-person presentations, a screen pointer is also available to keep your audience focused on the content that matters.

The Microsoft Presenter+ is designed from the ground up for the new systems and technologies that have been adopted in the workplace, especially hybrid work arrangements. A dedicated Microsoft Teams button lets you easily join a meeting or raise your hand when you’re already in one. There is also a clearly-marked mute button, so you won’t have to scramble to click the correct icon. A helpful status indicator lets you easily see if you’re muted or not to prevent that awkward silence.

Although specifically designed with Microsoft Teams and PowerPoint in mind, the Presenter+ also works with other presentation software, including Apple Keynote and Prezi. With an easy-to-use interface and convenient shortcuts to often-used functions, this handy gadget keeps you focused on your presentation rather than on which button to press next. Availability details for the Microsoft Presenter+ are still forthcoming, and this piece will be updated once the information becomes available.

The post Microsoft Presenter+ delivers stress-free presentations, whether in person or online first appeared on Yanko Design.