I already have a document shredder that’s designed to sit atop garbage cans of various shapes and sizes using a sliding arm mechanism, but it’s a pain to use, and quite frankly, rarely works as it’s supposed. As far as I’m concerned it’s another example of where the K.I.S.S. maxim could and should have been applied, which is what studio ‘one tenth design’ clearly did for their Bridge shredder.
Instead of complicated moving parts, the Bridge simply has a narrowing body design below the slot that allows it to securely sit inside rectangular or circular garbage cans. Kind of like how you carve the lid of a pumpkin at an angle when making a jack-o-lantern so it doesn’t fall inside. And whereas my shredder has an annoying 4 foot power cord which usually requires me to dig up an extension in order to actually use it, the Bridge is cordless and instead relies on a set of AA batteries to keep it going. Sure it means it’s probably not as powerful as a corded version, nor will it last as long, but in this case I think convenience totally wins out. According to designboom the Bridge has officially hit the market, but I’m not entirely sure where you can order one just yet.
I don’t care if you’ve created the most eco-friendly, carbon neutral, animal-friendly product on the planet, if there’s a cheaper alternative made with the most environmental unfriendly process known to man, people are still going to buy it. Case in point- these Paper Pens. Each one is made from a single page of used A4 paper, so when it runs dry, save for the ink cartridge, the pen can be recycled. However, at ~$5.85(€4) each, it’s hard not to just opt for an entire box of BICS instead. No matter how many puppies were used in their creation.
Update: According to further research it turns out BIC pens are NOT made from puppies. Sorry for any confusion.
At this point standalone calculators really only serve as decorative desk accessories, and the new X-ViZ from Kokuyo totally embodies that idea. Its sleek, slim form factor not only makes it look like a prop from a 70′s sci-fi flick, but it also allows the calculator to be used single-handedly. A methodology we’re already accustomed to thanks to cellphones and the like. Available on May 11 in black or white the X-ViZ will exclusively be available in Japan for ~$64 (¥5,250).
You probably already have a paper shredder at the office for disposing of confidential documents, but since those often choke on something as small as a forgotten paperclip, you need something with a little more oomph if you hope to do the same with discarded hard drives. Like the IDEAL 0101 HDP from Duplo, which promises to pierce an unneeded old drive with up to 3 tons of force. PC Pro recently had one dropped off for testing, and they were kind enough to shoot a short video of the slow, agonizing carnage.
I wouldn’t go as far as to say the drive is left completely unreadable, I’m sure there are some data recovery facilities who could probably still pull a file or two off of it. But for the average office the damage it does is adequately fatal. I particularly like the ominous green light that comes on, the terrible cracking sounds and the fact that the now deceased drive is unceremoniously dropped into a bin below, like Sweeney Todd’s victims. At almost $3,300(£1,995) it’s not the cheapest way to destroy a drive, but at the least there’s some perverse satisfaction to watching it do its thing.
I don’t know what I find more appealing here. These clever memo pads designed to look like various types of sushi, or how impeccably neat and organized that desk looks in the product shot. I’d be afraid to tear even one sheet off the memo blocks for fear of throwing the whole thing out of aesthetic balance. ~$22(¥1,800) from Rakuten.
The novelty of those cardboard animal busts you hang on the wall in lieu of a real animal corpse have kind of worn off. But the company behind them, Cardboard Safari, isn’t resting on their laurels. They’ve taken the same laser-cut cardboard technology and created this flat-packed, build-it-yourself bowling game that comes complete with six pins, a ball and a setup guide. I think it would be a welcome addition to any office environment, since Solitaire and Minesweeper don’t give you as much a physical workout as bowling would. I mean have you seen those guys who compete in the PBA? They’re Adonises! $28 available directly from Cardboard Safari.
I like the intentions behind this clever office supply mashup known as the Stampler, but I’m not so sure if the execution does it justice.
The idea is simple enough, combine a smiley faced “Have a nice day” stamp with a stapler and leave a token of goodwill every time you bind a stack of documents together. Besides looking extremely professional, it’s sure to brighten someone’s day as well. Except for the fact that the staple is used for the actual smile, and because it lacks even the slightest curve, the face it leaves behind just looks stoic and disinterested. So instead of “Have a nice day” it’s more saying “Have a nice day, just don’t expect it to be because of me.” ~$19(£12) from SUCK UK.
Smartpens like the Livescribe have gained a lot of extra functionality over the past few years, but their core duty, the ability to digitally record and store hand-written notes, is still their greatest strength. And these official Livescribe sticky notes are the best use of the technology I’ve seen to date.
Sticky notes tend to be the catch-all for random notes or information, and even though they can be ‘stuck’ they still have a tendency to go missing. And when they do, knowing that a digital copy is stashed away safely in your pen will save you from having to frantically search for that important phone number. As an added bonus, you can add audio notes to them as well, making them a handy way to add literal comments to a document. $12.95 available directly from Livescribe.
If your home is being overrun with empty boxes from FedEx, UPS, Amazon and countless other online purchases, and you have kids, Rolobox will let you kill two birds with one stone. It might be an old joke, but I’ve never known a kid whose eyes didn’t bug out of their heads at the sight of a large, empty box. It’s like a blank canvas for an active imagination, and thanks to this Rolobox kit, they can now be used to make more than just forts and castles.
Of course a cardboard box can easily be turned into a race car with nothing more than a crayon and a crude ability to draw circles, but these Rolobox wheels will actually let your kids take it for a spin around your house. They attach to a box using a set of plastic nuts and bolts, and except for the fact that they require you to punch 4 holes in it, I don’t see why these wouldn’t be a great office accessory for moving around boxes full of files and crap. But I guess it all comes down to how much weight they can actually support and the structural stability of the box itself. $13.95 available from Amazon.
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