Yanko Design - Form Beyond Function

Classic on the outside, state-of-the-art on the inside, the Blink Smartwatch makes an incredibly bold statement for India’s premier Smartwatch from a start-up. It pits itself against the big players with features to match and even takes on traditional watches with its timeless design.

With the Blink, the user experience and interaction take center-stage. Instead of superimposing Android Wear on a classy looking watch, the Blink comes with a custom tailored Marvin OS that takes inspiration from rotating celestial objects, bringing a sense of awe every time you interact with its interface.

Marvin truly empowers users, bringing computing muscle to the watch, rather than allowing it to be a lowly extension of your phone. The OS allows you to navigate, schedule, exercise, interact directly with apps or calls, and voice input literally gives you a Jarvis on your wrist. Plus, the watch comes with its own internal memory that’s capable of holding up to a 1000 songs.

With the Blink’s design, there’s more to it than what meets the eye. A stainless steel watch body encases an AMOLED screen, which is then covered by a rotating bezel (think Samsung Gear) and a curved Gorilla Glass 3 on top of it all to make your wrist-bound computer near shatterproof. The watch comes in silver and black body variants, with the option to switch between leather, metal, and silicone straps, allowing the same watch to don different avatars while still staying incredibly classy.

Make no mistake. The Blink, even as a first attempt from an Indian start-up can collide head on with the likes of Apple, Samsung, and Motorola. It comes with abilities that outweigh its competition, and with a price tag of Rs. 15,999/- ($240), the competition better run and hide. Let’s say a prayer for all other watch brands. For now their watch has ended. *Cue in the Game of Thrones theme*

Designer: Ishaan Dass (Witworx)

Bikes are no different from scooters, but their schematic are vastly different. Scooters are leisurely automobiles. They focus on comfort and reliability and cost lesser than a motorbike. Scooters even come with a step-through frame (a deviation from bicycle and motorbike frames), making it convenient to board and de-board without lifting your legs. They’re also an absolute boon for people wearing skirts, dresses, or even a raincoat!

The Capuchin bike by Monkey Faction is the world’s first bicycle with a scooter frame and honestly, I wonder why this wasn’t done before! The step-thru style frame honestly makes for a vastly better user experience. People wearing long clothes can now sit in the front seat without worrying about the bike frame coming in the way of clothing. You’ll thank your stars when you’re stuck in the rain and you want to wear a rain-coat or trench-coat while riding! The bike frame is eye catching and incredibly sturdy. Unlike most bicycle seats, the Capuchin has a scooter-inspired seat that’s much wider, elongated, and therefore more comfortable for long rides. The wider frame allows for wider 4 inch thick tires that will take you anywhere you want to go, be it next door or uphill. Gears just add to the bike’s ability to drive on any surface. Capuchin pushes the design a bit further, with battery mounts and cable guides built right into the frame. Just pop a 350W motor on the rear wheel and your scooter-inspired bike becomes an actual scooter!

Another reason that makes the scooter style frame an absolute genius of design is the storage space underneath the seat. For decades now, the scooter has always been ahead of the motorbike because it provides a storage hatch right below the seat. The Capuchin is no stranger to this feature, and comes with a hollow space right under its seat which proves great for strapping bags or helmets.

There’s really no reason for the bicycle to look the way it does. The Capuchin’s frame goes to prove that something like a template that we take for granted, can be redesigned and made SO MUCH better. Capuchin’s frame is perfect for when you’re wearing bike-unfriendly clothing, and even if you’re not, mounting or dismounting the bike has never been easier. The new schematic changes the seat, making it much more comfortable for long rides, while even providing you with storage space right below. All of this is done without compromising on (if not improving) the bike’s ability to ride on any terrain. The Capuchin ushers a new era of design into the biking world and with their lifetime warranty, we’re all confident that it’s here to stay!

Designers: Chris Dupuis, Michael Kleinheinz & Dave Goeppner

BUY IT HERE: $379.00 $449.00

First we carried our mobile phone everywhere. Then when phones could store music, we carried earphones everywhere. Now that phones have become miniature computers, the need to carry extra batteries with you has arisen. The O2 headphones concept for Audio Technica brilliantly combines wireless earphones with a power bank in a way that make the power bank a carrying + charging case for the earphones.

The case comes as a rather dapper looking pocketable slab of matte black metal. The earphones wrap elegantly around the power bank and nestle in the two docking points on the power bank’s body. What an ingenious way to store earphones and supplementary battery power together!

Designer: Shane Li

In the best way possible, of course! They’re a part of Papaya – an interactive vacuum that transforms an ordinary household chore into a game the whole family can enjoy.

Each of the many spheres is actually a mini-vacuum, and can be controlled remotely by multiple members of the family. Roll them all around the house to achieve different objectives like seeing who can clear the most area, or even play a game of hide and seek. All while cleaning your floors of dust and debris!

When you’re finished, dock them at a compact and convenient station where they will clean, charge and be ready for round 2.

Designer: Edgar Andrés Sarmiento

Aside from the Soundsticks and their transparent glory, Harman Kardon’s design language is rather established, and easy to point out. Once you get that, superimposing their design values on any product can make it “belong” to Harman Kardon, or any brand for that matter. In design parlance, we call this the product or the brand semantic. Or in simpler terms, the visual language.

The products designed by Gary Chang encapsulate Harman Kardon’s visual style well. However they aren’t audio devices! The products in question are an aromatizer, a projector, and an AI listening assistant. Just like Harman Kardon’s signature style, these products make use of cuboidal shapes with circular elements. The achromatic color scheme is strong, with use of gray fabric, black plastic, and a hint of anodized matte metal to add a premium touch to the gadget/appliance. All that’s left is Harman Kardon’s branding!

Designer: Gary Chang

In a way, Oral B and Braun are a match made in heaven. They both push boundaries innovation, creating products that aren’t just functionally superior, they’re the most popular brands in their domain. So when I see the SuperKlar, a toothbrush concept with Oral-B’s bristle technology, and Braun’s prowess in electronic personal care products, I’m breaking the bank!

The SuperKlar comes as a complete kit that takes care of your teeth with signature efficiency and dedication. The electric toothbrush comes with a holder that can get plugged directly into a socket. This allows you to wall-mount the toothbrush + stand without really wall-mounting anything! It even comes with a horizontal screen that tells you the time (because bathrooms desperately need clocks). Another nifty bit in the design is the fact that the cover case for the toothbrush actually doubles down as a tumbler to use while brushing. Now if that isn’t some clever designing right there, kindly fax me an explanation of what is!

Designer: Jeongdae Kim