Yanko Design - Form Beyond Function

Baby optical mouse, Adult optical mouse!

Posted: 02 Feb 2017 12:00 PM PST

I’ll just say that I’m in complete love with this mouse. It does the two things it’s supposed to do, be clunky, and be flat. They contradict each other, right? That’s the problem, really. Mice need to be voluminous so they fit well into our palms. That’s ergonomics. However, if you want to carry your mouse with you in a laptop sleeve, bulky doesn’t work at all. That’s where you need sleek.

The Samsung mouse manages to pull off both those requirements with its compact, telescopic/collapsible design. A matte plastic outer sleeve holds the small electronic mouse module on the inside. This works just fine because plastic feels good to touch (honestly, the metal feel is overrated. I choose comfort over premium) and therefore comes right under your palm while the electronic part slides outwards, manifesting itself under your fingers. The entire design is arc shaped, giving it a definitive curve that allows for easy gripping (bulky), but when the mouse collapses into itself, it becomes half in curvature, almost becoming a sleek, flat, highly carry-able computer peripheral!

Designer: BKID Co.

Hypnotic Illuminated Timepieces

Posted: 02 Feb 2017 08:33 AM PST

Leap into the future with Tempus! This eye-catching kinetic artwork cleverly doubles as an illuminated timepiece that brings a sense of theatre to the simple act of telling the time.

The design was inspired by designer Ben Rousseau’s love of science fiction film sets and automotive design. Instead of rotating hands, a futuristic clock face operates with state-of-the-art digital LEDs that illuminate three different segments: seconds, minutes and hours, in sequence to represent a 12-hour time path.

Bespoke options, including personalized hour, minute and second segment shapes and a variety of surface materials (luxury metal, exotic timber, Corian®, carbon fibre and acrylic) are all available with an almost infinite color palette controllable via a discrete switch to alternate between pre-set colour programs and light patterns.

Designer: Ben Rousseau

Less Phone, More Music!

Posted: 02 Feb 2017 04:49 AM PST

For those times you just wanna get your face away from the phone, there’s the Waterspeaker! Unlike other standalone speakers, it doesn’t require pairing with your phone, a memory card, or any other external device. Instead, it sports its own digital, widescreen interface where you can scroll through your downloaded playlists and favorite artists or music sharing apps. You can even search for new tunes and rate songs directly on the device without fumbling with your phone!

Designer: Onurhan Demir

A Must-Have for Frequent Biz Flyers!

Posted: 02 Feb 2017 01:47 AM PST

Those who travel for work know the struggle is real when it comes to finding a comfy place to use your computer. With SMARTOO, you never have to worry about it again! This foldable desk clamps onto the pull up handle of any carry-on luggage piece, instantly transforming it into a mobile working desk.

Made of durable, lightweight engineered plastic, it’s strong enough to hold up a 15” laptop or any device in between. It also has a removable 4,200 mAh power bank that can charge laptop and mobile devices. Better yet, it can even be used as a standing desk when you’re sick of sitting!

Designer: Simon Yan

The most convertible car ever

Posted: 01 Feb 2017 04:00 PM PST

Convertible is one word to describe the Volkswagen XLAero, but probably a more apt word is Modular. Get this… the entire upper hood can be swapped with another hood design to create an entirely different car. Even the seating gets rearranged too, with one variant being a solo car (for the weekends), and another being your weekday commute (with seating for up to 2 people). What an incredibly out-of-the-box idea! This may sound like salesman-speak, but you’re literally getting two cars for the price of one! You’ve really got to marvel the freshness of this concept car’s approach!

Designer: Adrien Séné