I had literally forgotten about camcorders; I don’t even rightly remember the last time I used one. Since cameras on the smartphones have outdone handycams and reached near DSLR efficacy – at least with high-end models – there’s been a drastic slump in everyday usage of camcorders. Whether you want to capture family moments at home, record landscapes, or timelapse a sunset, mobile cameras are friendlier and convenient for doing it all. Chiefly because we have a smartphone on us 24/7 and an additional device is not necessary for taking pictures or recording videos.
This is why 90 Degree Instinct was an instant reminder for the moments of truth I have had with a Sony camcorder I now have lying dead in the vault. This guy is not another camcorder or a stark reminder for anyone like me that they existed. This is perhaps a utility accessory for anyone who loves capturing moments with their smartphone – especially the Samsung Galaxy Flip.
Designer: Ugly Duckling
Essentially a case for the Galaxy Flip foldable smartphone; the idea is to help home chefs, influencers, and everyday social media buffs to shoot more professional videos by transforming the smartphone into a capable camcorder. The designer has particularly chosen the foldable Samsung phone for his experimental case concept because when the Flip is placed at a “90 degrees” angle, “it resembles the shape of a… small camcorder.”
By transforming the ordinary Flip into a camcorder, user can maximize its usability for capturing videos. The case offers the phone a camcorder-esque grip for better handling, and integrates a tripod inside, to present exceptional stability without additional accessories.
The added weight of the case may be a point of contention for those who prefer a sleek device, but if you can bear the bulk – which of course is way lesser than towing a portable tripod along – you can be rest assured that the 90 Degre Instinct will not compromise portability of the phone despite the additional functions.
Designed in a range of colors, the solid case comes with point-and-shoot buttons and a tripod mount on one side, and a foldable tripod embedded on the top. The foldable tripod hinge is robust and stands out with its metallic look against the granite appearance otherwise. With the given features and their functionality, I’m impressed! Perhaps I don’t have a Flip, but if you do, you should expect the case to see the light of day.
Recycling is a great way to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, but the process itself can sometimes have some negative impact. There’s still a lot of energy and water involved in converting materials into something usable again, and there’s also some loss when the original design gets destroyed in the process. Upcycling is a more efficient and time-saving alternative, but not everything can be upcycled and not everything that can be upcycled can be used in newer and better ways. Sometimes, it takes a bit more creative thinking to transform one thing into a completely different thing, like how factory seconds from skateboard manufacturers are turned into these understated yet elegant wall lamps.
Designers: Michael and Mariel Upton
Skateboards are objects that bring up images of speed, tricks, and devilish stunts. They’re hardly associated with warmth, subtlety, or even light. Of course, these associations aren’t inherent in the shape of the skateboard’s wooden deck, which makes them open for reuse and reinterpretation, as the case of this trio of wall lamps demonstrates, providing stylish lighting that hardly gives a clue to their origins.
Considering the long oval shapes of skateboard decks, not to mention their upward curved ends, you definitely wouldn’t be able to guess that these wall lights are exactly made from those wooden parts. That’s because these pieces of 7-ply maple wood are taken from factory rejects, decks that obviously didn’t make the cut. Since the shapes of these boards are too specific for general use, they often end up simply being discarded. They’re thankfully made from wood, so they’re biodegradable and have fewer harmful effects on the environment, but they’re still waste and, more importantly, wasted opportunity.
Upton thankfully has the wonderful idea of using those boards to provide ambient lighting as well as a piece of minimalist wall art. The discarded decks are cut to create a shorter and straighter oval shape and then paired with lighting hardware on the back. Each of the three variants, namely, Heru, Cuna, and Mara, get a square piece of original art that becomes the visual center of the entire fixture. With this, even if the light is off, the designs act as decorative pieces that enhance a room’s ambiance in a subtle way.
When the light is on, however, you get a warm ambient halo of light that sets a calming and relaxing mood in any space. The light is emitted from the back and is reflected on the mounting surface, making it look softer and avoiding painful glare when you look in its direction. The wall lamp projects a character of calm and warmth, definitely not something you’d expect from a speedster skateboard that it would have become in some other lifetime.
With the Ford’s and the Chevy’s reigning supreme in the country, the Americans love their pick-up trucks. No wonder then that Elon Musk wants to test the waters. He wants to, but not in a routine manner, however, with an angular-designed, stainless-steel Cybertruck instead, which has been more in the controversy than Tesla would want to derive from its immediate and rigorous promotional agenda. Anyway, the Cybertruck launch is a given and we are – like it or not – going to have a, if all is as vouched for, pick-up capable of towing 11,000 pounds on a 340-odd-mile drive on a single charge.
If you’re someone who doesn’t care about what’s said and wants to take the Cybertruck for a spin on arrival, you’d probably want an accessory that would let you stay overnight in the wilderness with your ride that made heads turn on the way. Of course, it would be difficult to trust an aftermarket accessory with a deal like this; Tesla reckons the fact! It is therefore taking orders for a Cybertruck Basecamp Tent, which would turn the Cybertruck bed into a delightful camp on the way.
Designer: Tesla
Created in collaboration with Heimplanet, the Basecamp Tent is Tesla’s solution to make the Cybertruck into a well-crafted camping vehicle. It is made to mount snugly over the truck bed so you get a space for sleeping without it affecting the vehicle’s dive range when you are on the move through rugged terrains.
The Basecamp Tent is made from Kaleidoscope nylon material featuring an ultra-lightweight geodesic airframe design. When you’re at the camp destination of your choosing, you can effortlessly inflate the Basecamp, in minutes, using a provided manual pump and the tent is ready without the installation of any poles or extensions. Within this gray cover crafted with screen windows, you get a mattress for cozying up and access to a truck bed outlet to keep your gadgets juiced up.
The fascinating aspect about the Basecamp still is its extendable awning, which would allow you to spread your living space under a stary night. If the idea of camping in the back of the Cybertruck gets you going, it is the right time to take home the $2,975 Basecamp Tent home. And then to sit back and wait until the Cybertruck hits the market someday!
Design awards exist to reward great ideas… not create them. A competition with a difference, the SHAPL Design Contest helps fund great ideas into great products. The process? Designers submit their concepts online and people on the internet vote for their favorite ideas. The best ones get selected to win the SHAPL Design Contest’s cash prize and are brought to life by being turned into real products that can have a real impact on users around the world.
The process is simple: design your idea, upload it to SHAPL’s competition dashboard, and let it undergo evaluation by both a discerning jury and eager consumers. This dual evaluation process adds a human touch, ensuring the most market-ready, desirable products are chosen. Simultaneously, the jury assesses designs based on practicality, aesthetics, and overall appeal. Winning participants reap impressive rewards. Not only do their concepts become reality, but they also secure substantial cash prizes, with rewards totaling an impressive $13,000.
Now in its 7th edition, the SHAPL Design Contest invites all designers with free entries until October 30th, 2023. Use this month to refine your brilliant product idea, from consumer electronics to home decor, fashion to child-care products. SHAPL assists with production and material choices, fostering collaboration.
If your designs have been featured on Yanko Design, your chances in the SHAPL Design Contest are even better. And the best part? It’s free to participate! Entries are open until October 30th, 2023. Give your designs the spotlight they deserve, enhancing your portfolio’s credibility. As you contemplate this exciting journey, take a moment to explore some of the exceptional past winners below!
Click Here to Submit Your Designs Now! Last Date for Submission: October 30th, 2023.
Winners of the 6th SHAPL Design Contest
PANO Beam Projector by Hwang Byung-ki
Derived from the word Panorama, the PANO was designed as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, helping people bring the joy of cinema theaters to their homes. Drawing inspiration from the sleek silhouette of an SUV, PANO exudes a sense of style and minimalism. Its name, derived from “panorama,” subtly alludes to the emotional connection of camping in nature with cherished companions. This concept beam projector seamlessly blends a clean, box-like design with a streamlined interface, featuring only essential buttons and controls. The front showcases a lens on one side, while a fabric panel elegantly conceals the speaker.
Yuanye Outdoor Barbecue Pan by Wang Yu-Biao
While it’s a common practice to take a break from the chaos of city life and run away to mother nature for a while, some urban comforts are difficult to renounce… food for example. Yuanye is an innovative outdoor barbecue dish that combines a gas tank, roasting pan with meat and vegetable partitions, fire source, and oil storage module. Its standout feature is its exceptional folding structure, which allows for maximum portability and convenience. Taking inspiration from fashionable suitcases, Yuanye’s design not only prioritizes functionality but also showcases individuality and a beautiful aesthetic.
Wipelock by SOI
Here’s an example of an idea so clever, no wonder it gathered as many votes from the public as it did. If you’ve seen enough spy movies, you’ve seen the routine where the protagonist dusts a keypad for fingerprints to know exactly which keys to press to unlock a vault. Wipelock cleverly avoids that problem by just installing a small sponge on the handle. Once you type your password in and rotate the handle, it effectively wipes the fingerprints off the keypad, keeping it as good as new. Simple, effective, and just sheer genius!
Cassette Cooker by Mr. Treasure
Yet another example of a compact way to carry our urban luxuries to the tranquil spaces of nature, the Cassette Cooker (contrary to what its name would have you believe) is a compact, portable cooker that uses ‘gas cassettes’ that can be plugged in to give the cooker its fuel to operate. This particular design by Mr. Treasure comes with a stacked design including an elevating grill that lifts the stove off the ground so you can plug the gas cassette in. Once ready to use, the stovetop can be paired with existing vessels or even the Cassette Cooker’s own saucepan (not shown in the image above) that stacks perfectly onto the cooker’s cylindrical form factor, giving it a homogenous appearance.
Ocelli The Split Speakers by Shantanu Maheshwari
Although it may remind you of the Pill speaker by Beats by Dre, the Ocelli is, in fact, twice as better… Why, you ask? Because it gives you two speakers instead of one! Designed to separate from its central hub, the Ocelli has individual left and right speaker halves that can either be used together, or detached and placed at different parts of the house for multi-room listening or for better stereo widening. The design comes from Shantanu Maheshwari, who just wanted to create a speaker more capable of adapting to one’s needs. The central section of the Ocelli acts as a magnetic charging hub for the two speakers, and even sports a touchscreen interface for controlling playback. The individual speakers, on the other hand, are compact enough to be carried around with you anywhere… even in your backpack!
Cockcrow breakfast machine by Yifeeling
The Cockcrow Breakfast Machine reminds me of a certain Michael Scott who wanted to be woken up to the aroma of freshly cooked bacon. While Scott relied (rather foolishly) on a George Foreman Grill, the Cockcrow Breakfast Machine is more innately suited for the job. Designed to run on electricity (so there’s a lesser chance of a fire), the device sports two burners that allow students to easily whip up a breakfast of soup, sandwiches, omelets, bacon, or anything that a youngster would need to power through a long day at university.
Era Planet by ShengYang
“Era-Planet” is an innovative wooden toy that combines intelligence and modularity, specifically designed for children aged 6-8 years old. By incorporating augmented reality (AR) technology, this toy aims to make learning about Earth’s development and fostering ecological awareness a fun and engaging experience for children. It also encourages imagination and creativity in young minds. With “Era-Planet,” children can explore and assemble various topographic modules representing eight different periods in Earth’s evolution. Through the use of AR, they can actively discover and learn about the unique biological features of each period.
GLORA – Urban Electric Skateboard by Wang Jia Wei
As urbanization continues to progress, the issue of the last mile in cities has become a prominent topic of discussion. The failure of bike sharing has further highlighted this problem, leading to chaos in many areas. Additionally, as the younger generation matures, skateboarding has emerged as a popular transportation solution. The GLORA is an urban electric skateboard with a design inspired by the hull of a ship. Its purpose? To transport its user “through a sea of steel and concrete” that we call the city!
“O” Smart High-Speed Hair Dryer by Li Wenkai
The “O” intelligent high-speed hair dryer is a cutting-edge hair dryer that offers high-speed drying with intelligent features. Its non-ergonomic design makes it possible to hold in any format and point anywhere for easy handling and control. With a powerful built-in motor capable of reaching 110,000 revolutions per minute, this hair dryer ensures quick and efficient drying. The cylindrical handle provides convenience and comfort during use. Equipped with two control buttons, simply press any ball key to turn the hair dryer on or off, and easily adjust the temperature and angle by sliding. The upper button allows for left and right sliding to control the rotation of the head, offering a maximum angle of 360 degrees. The lower button is dedicated to temperature control, with a maximum temperature of 100 degrees. The operation of the hair dryer is highly sensitive and smooth, with a default constant temperature of 35 degrees upon turning it on.
TONO by Wu Wenjing, Tang Hao, Zhou Chen
As pet-owners and working individuals, it can sometimes be difficult to give your pet dog the quality time it needs. Dogs go through ‘zoomies’ because of all this excess energy that they find themselves with because they aren’t stimulated through the day. Designed to help pets get their daily dose of activities, the Tono is a tennis ball launcher that your furry friend can use to keep itself engaged. The dog simply needs to drop the ball into the Tono’s upper surface and the launcher catapults it out through the front for your pet to fetch. The Tono is compact, making it perfect for all households, and even comes in the same shade of green as the tennis ball!
Submit Now
Click Here to Submit Your Designs Now! Last Date for Submission: October 30th, 2023.
Ever found yourself in a situation where you needed to type in a different language from a keyboard but had no clue where specific letters or accents were located? Perhaps it was a requirement for your job, or maybe you were just passionate and wanted to extend your bilingual skills. Well, it’s not just you! Jorge Paez found himself in a similar predicament upon starting a new job in a foreign location.
Most of us face this challenge yet not many think about a solution. We look for alternatives on the market or hold up with DIY solutions like sticking letters onto the keyboard or downloading language-specific keyboard apps. But Paez wanted a comprehensive and innovative solution to bridge the language gap.
Designer: Jorge Paez
To break down language barriers and foster smoother typing in any language you like, Paez has conceptualized the ADAPT keyboard: a true marvel that can make life specifically easy for multilingual typing. How, you ask? By integrating an Ultra Short Throw projector right at its core, this keyboard takes your typing game to a whole new level.
The ADAPT cutting-edge keyboard is designed with tech-savvy multilingual individuals in mind. It uses the integrated Ultra Short Throw projector to project any language onto the bottom of the keys to instantly transform the keyboard into a bilingual powerhouse.
For instance, you’re sitting at your desk, and want to switch between typing in English and Spanish. With the ADAPT keyboard, you simply select your desired language on your computer, and the projector beams the corresponding keyboard layout onto the keys, illuminating them with the necessary characters and accents.
So, with the ADAPT keyboard typing or switching between languages is a breeze, enabling you to communicate fluidly and effectively regardless of the language. No more fumbling around with sticky notes or navigating through language-specific keyboard apps, with the ADAPT concept, the experience of typing is going to become elegant and classy. In addition to being an effective tool for pros, the keyboard can also serve as an interactive exercise, helping the novice to familiarize themselves with different keyboard layouts and characters.
