The traditionally minded craftsmen of San Francisco’s DODOcase (known for their quality phone and tablet cases) have just released their latest, handsome four-piece series, the );…
Continue Reading…
As the weather continues to warm up in the Northern Hemisphere, our inner-compass begins to spin, urging us onto the open road. To assist with navigation once we heed the call is the handy recordOutboundLink(this,…
Continue Reading…
In a field inundated with options, finding thoughtful and functional smartphone accessories can be an overwhelming task. Any tech-savvy driver will tell you that a dual USB charger is a must-have, filling the void where the cigarette lighter used to be (no one…
Continue Reading…
While it may not entirely feel like it in certain cities, winter is in full swing, dumping snow in many regions and offering temps low enough to fire up the snow guns in others. After introducing the Nitro T1.5 and ThirtyTwo + Crab Grab collaboration earlier this week we’ve pulled…
Continue Reading…
A creative Kickstarter project designed to easily boost the audio on your iPad
Nonlinear Studio‘s Amplifiear is a clever clip-on device designed to enhance your iPad’s sound. Stunning in its simple design and basic, low-tech construction—no batteries or wires, nor electric currents of any kind required—the Amplifiear magnifies volume by reflecting and redirecting sound forward from the iPad’s back speaker.
Nonlinear’s head designer Evan Clabots conceived the lightweight, recyclable ABS plastic ear to correct what many might see as a design flaw in Apple’s tablet: a back-facing speaker, which offers less-than-optimal sound without the reliance on other stereo devices. The intelligible Amplifiear comes outfitted with a tension clip for fitting both the newest iPad model and the iPad2, and slips onto the tablet’s top corner. Like a mini amphitheater, it draws its sound-increasing power from basic physical acoustics.
Easy to transport and instantly functional, Amplifiear is an impressive example of simplified design. The Amplifiear project will remain on Kickstarter through 12 May 2012 for funding, and once successful will be produced stateside in Minnesota.
Award-winning USB adapter reduces size of bulky British power plug design by 70%
Designed in 1947, the British plug firmly holds its place as one of the world’s largest three-pin power interfaces, escaping the grips of design innovation with the equally clunky editions continuously rolled out. Now, however, product designer and illustrator Min-Kyu Choi of Made in Mind has created The Mu—a folding USB adapter with a minimal, refined design that reduces overall object size by more than 70%.
The streamlining is achieved with a rotating central pin that allows the adapter to fold flat for travel and storage. This clever, space-saving innovation earned The Mu the title of Product Design of the Year and Overall Design of the Year from the 2010 Brit Insurance Design Awards. Even the packaging on the sleek, white Mu is slender and attractive.
Much anticipated, The Mu launches today, 17 February, for £25.
Adonit brings precision drawing to touch screens with an innovative stylus solution
Advertorial content:
The explosion of tablet computing has brought on just as many challenges as opportunities—one of them being how best to interface with touchscreens. Fingers do well enough for most tasks, but lack the precision that some users may want. Most stylus pens that try to address this issue fall a bit short either in functionality or style, many of them consisting of nothing more than a plastic stick with a foam tip that wears down over time. The Jot by Kickstarter darlings Adonit, on the other hand, answers both to aesthetic demands and functionality, separating itself from the pack in a variety of ways.
The Jot’s metal body is nicely balanced and feels more natural to hold than many smaller, less substantial styluses. This greatly increases the ease of use, as it replicates the way you’d feel holding onto a pencil or pen. Implementing a unique precision disc and ballpoint mechanism that keeps the Jot pressed firmly against the touchscreen of your tablet allows you to use the Jot at a variety of angles for significantly superior accuracy.
In this video, the Jot is put to the test by a photographer and a menswear designer who discover that using the natural-feeling tool makes their work easier to manage.
The Jot is available exclusively at Adonit’s website for $20 or $30 for the pro model.
Our favorite cashmere gadget gloves in a Cool Hunting exclusive colorway
For this year’s Cool Hunting Edition of Freehands gloves we stuck with the cashmere but added new colorways and narrowed the stripes. We also partnered up with our friends at fab.com to exclusively sell these warm and functional gloves.
The fab.com sale starts Wednesday, 30 November 2011, at 11am EST but can be previewed here. All other styles of Freehands can be found at freehands.com.
Track and manage your wellness with a stylish bracelet, iPhone app and site
We wrote about the Jawbone UP when it was announced in July, and spoke with designer Yves Behar about its many attributes. The stylish, rechargeable, accelerometer-powered device may not be revolutionary in its abilities, but like the iPhone it has brought everything together in a pretty impressive and accessible package.
The easy-to-wear bracelet keeps track of your activity and sleep, and syncs with an iPhone app and web site to help you better understand and manage your health and wellness by reminding you (with vibration) to get up and stretch or eat something. It also offers programmable challenges—exercising a minimum amount of time per day, for example—and a layer of social sharing and collaboration, similar to those you can use on Nike Plus, for motivation from friends or wellness professionals.
You can see all of the details on the UP at Jawbone, and order it directly for $100. It’s available in several colors, and we anticipate, as with other Jawbone products, that certain retailers may have exclusive colors or limited editions. Retail distribution arrives in the next few days at Apple Stores, Target, Best Buy and AT&T.
Consolidate chargers with this smart solution from Twelve South
Apple’s portable devices have become increasingly ubiquitous, with people stockpiling laptops, iPhones and iPods that seem to outnumber the world’s available power outlets. The PlugBug by Twelve South—essentially a splitter for the iPad/iPhone charger to attach to the Macbook plug for a streamlined, two-device charging operation—solves a common shortage conundrum.
A wall outlet provides a more powerful charge than the computer’s USB, so with the PlugBug your device battery will replenish faster, freeing you from the tether of plugging in and allowing for maximum mobility. PlugBug lets both gadgets charge at maximum capacity simultaneously and, because the design consolidates chargers, you’ll only ever need one plug. No need to charge your Mac? PlugBug can be used on its own as well. It’s a tidy solution to stay organized and powered-up on the go. Available for $35 at Twelve South online.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
