All posts filed under: Things for Working

Padlette

Published by

Padlette is a new handle for your tablet that works like a fancy, wide-mouthed rubber band; you simply stretch it around two opposite corners of your device and you are done. Available in a rainbow of colors, Padlette is lightweight and fits iPads and other similarly sized tablets. One thing I noticed during my Padlette test drive was that if you are using the iPad2, you can’t put your Padlette on first and then put your Smart Cover on top of it. However, you can put your cover on first and then put the Padlette over it to pin down the cover to keep it from flapping open. While I think the handle is pricey for what it is (it retails for $19.99 on Amazon), it could be a great solution for those who lack the dexterity to handle a tablet comfortably, including children and those with arthritis. Two new versions are launching at this week’s CES show in Las Vegas, so stay tuned for more handy products from this company. 

D’E-Light Lamp by Philippe Starck

Published by

In addition to being an awesome ’90s house band, D’E-Light is a new task lamp from the Italian lighting manufacturer Flos that houses a USB socket above the light diffuser to charge and display an iPod, iPad, or iPhone. By combining a charger with a high-efficiency, polished aluminum lamp, designer Philippe Starck helps clean up the desktop and bedside surface areas that are getting a bit crowded these days with electronics. Retailing for $396 USD, D’E-Light will be available next month in limited quantities in the United States through the company’s New York City showroom at 152 Greene Street.

RAD AND HUNGRY: The Something Mighty Collection

Published by

There is something so niche, so obsessive, so old school about The Something Mighty Collection from Seattle-based RAD AND HUNGRY. Launched late last year, this monthly series includes a carefully curated and packaged group of travel-inspired, locally sourced stationary items found by RAD AND HUNGRY founders (and unabashed consumerists) Sam Alston and Hen Chung. According to the team, “We’re taken by the concept that simple, daily items are given new meaning through travel. It transforms the mundane into something inspired.” Each new supply kit is based on a different country and includes a writing instrument, paper good, mystery item, and other surprises. Previous kits have included treats such as Mexican pencils, Korean white out tape, and German paperclips. Starting this month, the Panama Kit comes with a colorful Cuaderno Balboa (notebook), two Facela triangular pencils, and an eraser protector, wrapped up with obvious care in brown kraft paper. Kits are $16.00 a pop, or you can set up a quarterly or yearly subscription. You aren’t just paying for the goods themselves, as fun as they may …

Yill Mobile Energy Storage Unit

Published by

You get to the office and manage to just avoid that chatty woman from accounting in the parking lot. Before heading to your desk, you stop by the charging station in the hall to pick up your assigned Yill and roll it to your cubicle. You sit down, plug your computer into it, and start checking your emails. A typical day in your near future? A winner of a 2011 reddot design award, Yill is a mobile energy storage unit designed by Werner Aisslinger’s Berlin-based design firm Studio Aisslinger for Younicos a developer of storage systems and network solutions for electricity supplied from regenerative energy sources. (Make sure to check out both the Studio Aisslinger and Younicos sites — the designs are fantastic). Able to power a workstation for two to three days without cords or cables, Yill stores energy in a rechargeable lithium titanium battery, which Younicos claims is better than conventional lithium ion technology because it is safe, recharges quickly, and has a long operating life. It’s a power source you can take with you outside …

Adlens Universal Eyeglasses

Published by

When people can’t see clearly, it is more challenging for them to work, study, or drive; their entire quality of life suffers. I know how disconnected I feel when I have misplaced my eyeglasses even for a few hours; I can’t imagine what it would be like to not be able to afford those glasses in the first place. Adlens adjustable glasses respond to the need in developing countries for affordable eyeglasses by allowing users to adjust their lenses for near and far distance vision correcting. A finalist for the 2011 INDEX: Award to be announced in September, Adlens Universal glasses contain fluid-filled lenses (protected by durable, easy to clean polycarbonate cover) that change focus depending on the amount of fluid inside the lens. Designed by Rob Stevens and the U.K.-based Adlens Design Team, these low-cost eyeglasses can be fitted by health workers in a matter of minutes and correct up to 85% of refractive errors, the number one cause of poor vision globally. Affordable, practical, and stylish to boot in a choice of five colors, these glasses are truly …