Constructed of oiled oak harvested from German forests, both the Objekten DOCK Box and Dock Tray are available in light and dark oak versions, and each providing a handsome way to not only display/view your favorite screened device, but also offering the “landing station” to keep clutter at bay and decrease the chances of “now where did I put that _____?!”

By Gregory Han

Canon T2i DSLR: It changed the way I do things. I always thought that the great point and shoots were good enough, but they really weren’t. The photography with this camera is solid and the video is sharp. This Canon opened a lot of doors and that’s what you hope technology will do for you. The lens is a Tamron 2.8 17-50. I used to think a lens like this would suck, but no, it’s solid and great. I used to worry about it’s non compactness, but you get used to it and it’s no big deal to have a camera on you these days. You never know when the alien ship will land and having a camera might be a good idea.

Apple MacBook: I need a new one badly. This might be from 2006 and it’s running slower by the day. It’s a black MacBook that’s maxed out in ram with hard drive space constantly being eaten away. The internal fan sounds like tiny people are inside working away at breaking this machine down with mini chainsaws. There was a time when I’d get a new computer every year. It’s been a while now and maybe it’s time.

Apple iMac: The ultimate brain. It has multiple hard drives connected to it and it’s all networked. It can run Final Cut and is the fastest computer I have. It’s no longer new, but it’s decent enough and gets much less usage than the MacBook. I don’t have a personal affinity towards it like I do other pieces of technology, but it’s reliable and there for the using.

Apple iPhone 3GS: After dropping my iPhone 4 outside of Giant Robot after having it for only two weeks, I found out that the non subsidized price is about $600. After pleading my case with the staff at an Apple Store, they let me exchange a broken iPhone 3GS for a refurbished one for $79. That’s what I use today. It still works but the nice photos everyone else can take with their 4S make me jealous. Instagram still works and that’s always fun. I’m user: giantrobot.

Epson 4800 Printer: The large printer is fun to use. It’s 17 inches wide and it prints clean. Of course you always want bigger. Epson makes a printer that goes 44 inches wide but printing wall papers will have to wait. The 8 colors of inks get pricey so it’s not a toy.

Hario Coffee Grinder: The payment for good coffee is the road to get there. Luckily I don’t have to pick beans or roast them, but grinding them for the pour over is a ritual nearly twice a day. The pour over funnel isn’t really tech as is the kettle, measuring cup or coffee filter, but they count too. Having even grinds is a great way to start the day.

XBox 360: Yes, Modern Warfare 3 isn’t part of a work day, although sometimes, one ten minute game of mass destruction and annihilation can help clear my mind. I don’t like guns but for some reason, I like this game. Thinking about it more, it’s the teamwork of the clan that is most enjoyable. Without that, I wouldn’t bother. Yes, I’m pretty good. I use the ACR with grenade launcher and ACOG scope and MP9 with a red dot. You can’t escape this tandem.

LA Eyeworks Eyeglasses: I’m not blind and people say there’s very little prescription in them, but when they’re off, things are blurry. I’ve had nice compliments on them. There’s people who threaten to steal these frames from me, but it’s not going to happen.

Magic Bullet: When I want something sweet, I try not to eat candy. Instead I blend an array of fruit. No dairy gets in. It’s just fruit and ice. I used to think this was a piece of junk and it sat for ages. I have no idea why. Then one day after using it, it’s been important. I’ve even blended maguro to make spicy tuna in it.

O’Keefe and Merrit Stove: It’s close to where I sit and it’s a pleasure to use this daily. Who needs something brand new when this piece of machinery can do the job just as well? Stoves get old, but fires are the same.

By Gregory Han. Photo by Mathieu Young.

MOCA Store (Los Angeles)

André 15″ Laptop Sleeve by André for Curated by Arkitip, $59.95
Andy Warhol Camouflage Shoulder Bag by Incase Andy Warhol , $149.95
Yellow Space Invader Keychain for MOCA, $8.00

SFMOMA Museum Store (San Francisco)

Retro Alarm Dock by Jonas Damon, $40.00
Red ScandiPhone for SFMOMA, $60.00
Spinner 360° Camera by Lomography, $145.00

The Shop at Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum (NYC)

On/Off Switch by Tobias Wong for Areaware, $150.00
10 Key Calculator by Ippei Matsumoto for IDEA International, $54.00
Spy Coin for The Shop, $40.00

By Gregory Han

“In your front room, Little Printer wirelessly connects (with no configuration) to a small box that plugs into your broadband router. It’s this same box that will enable our other planned products in the BERG Cloud family. There’s no PC required, your phone is your remote control. We think of BERG Cloud as the nervous system for connected products. It’s built to run at scale, and could as easily operate the Web-enabled signage of a city block, as the playful home electronics of the future. Not to mention the smart product prototypes that we work with our clients on, in the other side of our design studio.”

Right now, Berg and their BERG Cloud partners are Arup, foursquare, Google, the Guardian, and Nike, with pre-order email notification signup open for the planned 2012 launch.

• Check out the full post over at DEFINING THE DESIGNER WORKSPACE.

By Gregory Han.

Lexmark Genesis This scanner doesn’t rely on a slow moving cathode lamp, but instead, it works with a 10 megapixel camera, that will rip a 300 dpi image in few seconds and after it’s done, it will send it to your computer via its built in WiFi. And guess what? the Lexmark Genesis also works as a printer, churning 33 pages per minute and 4″x6′s” in only 26 seconds.

NeatDesk Scanner This automatic document feeder will help you declutter your desk with very easy to use one button scan/archive. You can scan up to 10 receipts, business cards and documents at once or your choice of one big 50 page document. We love that, when scanning business cards, it will automatically populate your address books.

Doxie Document Scanner This one wins on the portability race. It’s so simple to use that even a cave man could do it. We love that it makes sharing your photos and images super easy. It scans directly to the cloud, sending your images directly to Flickr, iPhoto, Picasa and even Tumblr and much more. The price point of $149 makes this, a very affordable alternative to the bigger ones.

By Joel Pirela.

It’s all too easy to get distracted from work on the computer. But there’s a simple technique to help regain focus: create a new User account, one specifically designed for getting work done. That means creating a desktop stripped of extraneous bookmarks, applications, music and movie files, plug-ins, extensions…unless they’re designed for task management or your work related projects. Think of this desktop as your work persona. Creating a dedicated account for work related tasks is like having a work outfit compared to the comfy-cozy sweatpants of leisurely online time.

Creating a new user account space on your computer to logged into offers several advantages, but also comes with a few inconveniences and backdoors too. First off, the User account is only effective if you log into it; the bare bones account could just be avoided entirely and lost to the same procrastination that hampered you prior. Secondly, a bare bones setup still can lead you astray if you have a web browser, the ultimate time killer, so consider leaving online access unless required.

The key to this technique is willpower and it is definitely easier said than done. Cutting out specific Applications/Programs is a good start. Removing distracting visual and and extraneous distracting layers off the desktop can also aid in the focus department. Keep applications and tools with the sole purpose of focus. For example, Omm Writer is an excellent example of a bare bones application which aids in focusing on a single task:

Although individual preferences vary, we find creating a minimalist workspace can be effective in completing tasks more efficiently for almost every type. Removing task bar programs and replacing the desktop with simplistic wallpaper leaves the mind calm rather than vulnerable to jumping from thought to thought. Full screen programs are especially useful, but may be difficult to adjust for those of us prone to jump from one window to another.

Personal tasks should be left for personal time. Leave a note or memo if anything comes up for later, but relegate games, videos and entertainment for breaks or downtime (note: taking breaks throughout the day can actually help you stay focused, so switch into your personal account for 30-60 minute lunch breaks or breathers).

A summary of how to create a focused work environment:
1. Create a new system log-in account for work hours. Here’s how to do this for OS X and Windows 7.
2. Strip this account of any extraneous applications, files, or browser bookmarks that aren’t related to work.
3. If possible and if your work doesn’t require online access, leave out any browser. Stick with email.
4. Replace your desktop with a minimal wallpaper like these. Remove as many icons as possible from your desktop and launcher/start menu.
5. Use full screen mode in applications to prevent jumping unnecessary jumping around.
6. Turn off your smartphone and keep it in a drawer on silent mode.
7. Permit yourself allotted and regular breaks; this is as important in keeping focus as any of the tips above

By Jason Rodway

1. ZAGG Keyboard Case
This case is made of anodized aluminum so it looks like it was made for your iPad. Once you take your iPad out it can sit in the case in horizontal or vertical position and the case is then usable as a wireless keyboard. No more lugging around a separate keyboard in its own case.

2. Sceltevie Bag Hanger
This purse hanger, which looks like a pair of sunglasses, a guitar or a bow, doubles as a smart phone stand. It’s small enough to keep in your bag or pocket and is sturdy enough for both purposes.

3. Oona
One of the coolest projects on Kickstarter, the Oona is a multipurpose smartphone stand. It lets you stick your device basically anywhere with a flat surface: on the fridge, as a gps stand in your car, while working on a white board. The part we really like is the threaded hole in the bottom that allows you to use a tripod with your phone. It’s also made of airplane grade aluminum so it’ll take beating.

4. The Minimalist
We like carrying the least amount possible. We ditched our wallet for a credit card holder a while back. Soon we’ll be able to ditch everything for Google Wallet, if they include our bank and more merchandizers that is, but until then the Minimalist is a great option. It marries our credit card holder with our iPhone case meaning less stuff floating around in our pocket.

5. Logitech Tablet Speaker
The speakers on most tablets are ok. The sound isn’t exactly high fidelity (that’s why you have nice headphones right?) and sometimes we don’t want to wear headphones or attach a scoop just to hear at a louder volume. The Logitech tablet speaker not only gives you better sound for any tablet with a headphone jack, but it also acts as a stand, making the on screen keyboard that much easier to use (below).

What’s your favorite multi-purpose device accessory? Tell us in the comments.

By Jeff Heaton.

Speck iGuy Not only is this case incredibly adorable it is also really durable. This is the case you want if your child is going to be using the iPad. Built with the iPad 2 in mind, the rear camera is usable and the arms on the case make it easy the easiest to shoot video with out of any case that we’ve tried. The case fits both versions of the iPad and has a plug to close up the camera hole if using the device with a first generation iPad. Available in 3 colours. $39.95

Speck HandyShell We love this case because it is one of the few that we’ve found that works equally well when used vertically or horizontally. It also has this handle which is great for hanging in the kitchen when we cook with the iPad as our companion. The handle is strong and brings much versatility to this case. The case like most of our favourite iPad 2 cases also has made accommodations for the rear camera. $54.95

Speck CandyShell Wrap While we are not enamored with how the wrap works, this case shares the same issues as the Speck PixelSkin HD Wrap, we do love the way it looks. The shiny black exterior looks quite nice and has a sort of futuristic look. This case does not inhibit the use of the rear camera on the iPad 2 in any way and provides a snug fit to the device. $54.95

Ork DODOcase After we wrote about the collaboration between Ork Posters and DODOcase we were so eager to have one for ourselves. We get many compliments on this case thanks to the eye catching Ork San Francisco design on the cover and the only negative thing we have to say about this case is that the rear camera is not accessible which seems like a big oversight for a case built for the iPad 2. $89.95

Happy Owl Studio Leather Shell We seriously cannot sing the praises of this back loud enough. Unlike some of the other backs that we’ve tried that are made to work with the iPad 2 in a Smart Cover, this one does not diminish the look of the iPad clad in a leather Smart Cover in the least. The back feels luxurious and fits like a glove on the device. Like all Happy Owl Studio products for the iPad 2, it accommodates the rear camera. Bonus, because it is so thin we had no issue using it while docking our iPad. $39.99

Happy Owl Studio Clutch for iPad 2 To say that we used our Clutch for the first generation iPad often would be a massive understatement. We found that case to be absolutely invaluable when walking the conference floors of CES and MacWorld and have been eagerly anticipating when the version for the second generation iPad would arrive. It’s finally here and it is everything we hoped for. We were worried about how well the case would work when using the rear camera but it turns out there is no reason to be worried. Like the Leather Shell from Happy Owl, the iPad fits snugly which makes accessing all ports and using the rear camera a snap. The other great thing about this case, in addition to it doubling as a purse of course, is that it supports the iPad 2 sleep on close feature just like a Smart Cover! $79.99

By Joelle Alcaidinho

Electree Charging Station – This unique charging station was created by French designer Vivian Muller. Each of the Electree’s 27 leaves are solar panels that charge a 13,500 mAh battery. The battery (located under the panel of the tree) fully charges in less than 36 hours of sunlight. The Electree can be used to charge all of your small devices like your mp3 player and smartphone via USB.

Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 for Mac – This is the Mac version of Logitech’s solar powered K750 keyboard. On one full charge it lasts for at least 3 months, even in the dark. The Logitech unifying receiver easily works with other compatible wireless mice or keyboards so you won’t have to deal with the hassle of multiple USB receivers. Available in silver, black, blue, green and pink.

Samsung NC215S Solar Netbook – The NC215S is a new netbook from Samsung that features a solar panel on the lid. It has a 10.1″ matte finish screen (good for outdoor use) and 1024 x 600 resolution. Includes a 250GB HDD, 1GB of RAM and Windows 7.

Tascam’s TC-1S Guitar Tuner – This little device is the world’s first solar-rechargeable tuner. It reaches full charge in 25 minutes. It works for 6 hours with constant use and lasts for an impressive 7 years of standby charge in the dark. The TC-1S features a built-in microphone, 1/4″ input for guitar/bass and includes a nylon strap and clip. The tuner is wrapped in shock-proof silicone and is available in 6 colors.

Spark Tablet Case – This case will charge not only your iPad but most other tablets, smartphones and digital cameras. The battery stores over a full iPad charge in 10 hours of direct sunlight. The solar panels generate 8.0 watts and are waterproof and lightweight. This nifty bag also features interior mesh pockets to store your cables and adapters.

By Vivian Kim.

Powerbag This is a soon-to-be-released (this month) project that comes as a backpack, a sling or even a tablet bag. It’s got a built-in, rechargeable 3000 mAh or 6000 mAh battery (depending on the model) that can be plugged into a standard wall outlet. Plus it detects when a device is connected to one of its four ports. It’ll be available at Best Buy, OfficeMax, FYE, and other retailers.
$139.99

V-dimension Optical Messenger Bag This bag has a ton of adapters: iPod/iPhone, mini-USB, Samsung, LG, Nokia, and Motorola. Cell phones charge in about 2 hours and the battery will hold up to 2 full charges. It also has space for a 15.4″ laptop and a bunch of other pockets to stash your stuff. The solar panel is relatively small compared to the other bags on this list but it’s got plenty of adapters on the other end so if you’ve got a wide range of devices this might be your best bet.
$129.95

Juice Bags These are made by Reware and contain removable, water resistant solar panels. They come in backpack, messenger, beach tote, briefcase and daypack (slightly small than backpack). It’s also made of recycled 2-liter bottles so if green’s your thing there’s a good chance this bag is for you. The only odd thing is that it uses a female car charger adapter so if you want to charge your stuff you’ll have to use the car parts. That means it’s less limited, however, sense they make car chargers for just about everything.
$199-$399

Samsonite Solar Laptop Messenger/Backpack These two bags are made by the luggage/bag maker Samsonite and luckily carry their famous warranty. It’s also made from recycled PET plastic and uses a female adapter like the Juice Bags, but has somewhat of a lower profile if you’re concerned about having things stolen. The solar panel putts out 4.5 watts and the bag accommodates a 15″ laptop.
$134.99

DIY Solution
We always like to provide a way for you to get it on the cheap, and this is no exception. NPR actually ran an article on this subject and as usual Instructables has a few ways of making them. If you’re making one be sure to consider how many things you need to charge and all the ports they require.

By Jeff Heaton

RFY Established in 1962, this Japanese company offers an array of well-designed, modern supplies, accessories and other useful objects for work. Pictured here: INNARE designed by PLANE. This desk caddy comes in white, gray and silver and features layered compartments that open and close for sleek and easy storage of various desk necessities. Available at RFY in Fall 2011.

Colors Tokyo These hand crafted iPhone cases are formed in a traditional Japanese technique called “lttoh-bori,” meaning carved by single traditional carving knife. Several fine-selected Japanese wood finishes are available. Expect to see cases for the new iPhone models this fall at colorstokyo.com.

Sweet Bella Probably one of my favorite items from the fair, this long knitted scarf is actually a calendar. Just pull the thread little by little to take away the days until the year is over. To order a 2012 calendar, visit sweetbellausa.com or call Top Hat, their lower Manhattan shop at 212.677.4240. Click here to see a video of the calendar in action.

By Mat Sanders.

Mobile News Aggregators

Pulse: Due to its incredible ease of set-up and use, Pulse is one of our favorite aggregators for both iOS and Android. Add the ability to read and save articles from within the app, and you have one of the best RSS readers for whenever you are on the move.

Flud: Much like Pulse, Flud is a stylish news aggregator for both iOS and Android. What makes Flud so useful is its deep integration with other services such as Read It Later, Instapaper, and Google Reader. Additionally, the visual separation of your feeds proves to be very useful.

Flipboard: Unlike the other two news aggregators, this app is unfortunately only available for iOS. What separates Flipboard from the others is how it gets its styling cues from a magazine. But instead of being a magazine designed for the masses, it prides itself on being a magazine that is personalized for each individual reader.

Web and Desktop News Aggregators

Google Reader: Easily one of the most popular news aggregators in the world, Google Reader has prided itself on its simplicity and accessibility for its users. Available from anywhere you can connect to the internet, Google Reader is not only the most popular of the bunch, but is also one the easiest for most to get started with due to its integration with other Google products.

Mixtab: This OSX only app does an amazing job of bringing a well designed RSS reader to the desktop. While we wish this was available on Windows and Linux as well, the OSX-only Mixtab is the perfect solution for those looking for a well designed desktop news aggregator.

By Jesse Leikin

1. Always Keep at Least 5 GB Free
A computer needs about 10% free disk space at any time. One thing we’ve noticed on our machines is that anything less than 5GB is going to land us with problems. Essentially, computers need breathing room. Without that free space, there’s nowhere for temporary files to be stored. Also, when the RAM gets full, it will start swapping things in and out of memory by using your hard drive. If it’s full, then not only can you not save stuff, but your computer has no where to dump stuff from RAM. To top it all off the worst thing that can happen as a result of a drive with no space? Data can get corrupted. Want to find out what applications are taking up a bit of space? We love using DaisyDisk for this purpose. This application is by far the nicest and easiest way of seeing what files are taking up your space on any drive. As you are cleaning out your files, just make sure not to delete any files or folders with the name “Library” in as they normally contain settings and can result in you losing contacts and other media depending on the file. Another great application we love is Xslimmer. Xslimmer gets rid of Intel/PowerPC code and additional language files that your machine doesn’t use/need to free up space and improve performance and load times.

2. Really Remove Applications
Since not all applications come with an uninstaller, it’s important to really delete the applications you want to remove. For a majority of applications on the Apple side, generally moving them to the trash works well but often they leave other files lying around on your system. To really remove an application on a Mac, Drag and drop an application into a program like AppZapper and it will find all the associated files and remove them for you. It’s branded as “the uninstaller that Apple forgot,” and we are pretty big fans. For PC users, CCleaner will do a similar job and will also take help take care of #5.

3. Leave Your Computer on Overnight
Would it surprise you to learn that your computer tunes itself up overnight? For example, between 3-5am Mac OS X will run scripts to clear out cache files which in return improve performance. Many of the “tune up” applications that are sold are just running these scripts on demand.

4. Defrag
While this tip is not applicable for Mac users since OS X does defrag automatically in the background, this tip is an important part of the Windows users experience. Check out these posts for more info on how to defragment your hard drive.

5. Remove Unnecessary Login Items
It may not come as a surprise to you that removing unnecessary login items will help your computer run better. Lots of applications will try and make themselves run at startup and this dramatically slows down boot times and also uses up memory which you may need for something else (also it is kind of a nuisance). To remove these on a Mac, go to System Preferences -> Accounts -> Login Items. Ignore the hide check boxes and just click on the login item you want to remove and click the “-” button underneath. Next time you restart, they won’t automatically launch. A good rule of thumb is to leave anything printer related and iTunes Helper as login launch items. Without iTunes Helper, your computer can’t auto-launch iTunes when you plug in an iPhone or iPod and this can also disable automatic iOS device backups.

Backup, Backup, Backup!
As we’ve said before, the importance of backing up cannot be stressed enough. Hard drives are consumable parts, just like your battery (if you have a notebook computer). They have moving parts, the platters/discs inside usually spin at 5,400 or 7,200 RPM, which wear out over time or from your computer being knocked/dropped. Regardless of whether it’s a PC or Mac, the hard drives are the same. Just like how cars or washing machines can break down because of moving parts, drives can do so from any point from within the first month or possibly after 6 years. Your warranties like AppleCare will cover this (and other faults) up to three years (compared to the standard 12 month warranty) and while that is great for the cost of replacing the drive, it does nothing for recovering the lost data.

What are some of your tips to keep your computer running well?

Name: 

Location: South Slope, Brooklyn

Size/Room: 125 Sq Ft of office space + built-in closet

Years lived in: 3 months (rent)

Brooklyn-based master typographer Nick Keppol shows us how form truly follows function in his beautiful home office that’s bursting with modern details. Terrariums that add an organic detail, library stacks of creative reads, and enough Herman Miller gear that’ll bring a tear to your eye – everything screams style (or perhaps even slightly obsessive on the curation front, depending on who you ask). Now, jump on in and indulge with us as we take a look at one fine, style-packed home office.

My style: Organized, Functional and Modern

The inspiration for my home office: Form follows function. I knew what I needed from my space functionally and tailored its design to my needs. In my previous apartment, my “office” was the corner of my bedroom where an IKEA Jerker desk functioned as my art table, dining table, and computer desk for years. Having to clean up my desk every time I switched its function from art table to computer workstation, became a speed bump in the creative process. After a while, I noticed I was avoiding the setup and breakdown almost entirely and was barely sketching anymore. Not good when pencil sketching and hand lettering is essential to my workflow.

When designing my first home office I knew I wanted to be able to have room to spread out. It was important for me to have a dedicated art table where I could leave things I am working on and a separate area for my digital workstation. This allows me to stay focused on the task at hand and return to the other station exactly where I left off. I had originally planned on building a L shaped desk until I came across a great deal on a, basically new, Herman Miller Airia Desk on Craig’s List. This had been my dream desk since its release but far over my budget for a desk. But at over 60% off retail I jumped on it. This was the first real furniture purchase for the office and it influenced the overall (walnut and white) aesthetic a great deal.

Favorite element in your space: The magnetic strips above the desk I use to hold sketches, inspiration and even supplies has been very helpful. However I’d have to say the double desks because they drastically improved productivity. It’s hard to imagine working any other way now.

Biggest challenge in designing my space: Creating a sophisticated design aesthetic with a few statement pieces on a modest budget in a small space while remaining flexible enough to still work for me when I eventually move out.

What friends say about my space: I haven’t had many friends over yet to see the space yet but the most common comment online has been “Where did you get the desk?” Although I’m sure most of your readers are familiar with the Airia Desk.

Area where there is room for improvement/future projects: I’ll probably add walnut tops to the IKEA EFFEKTIV units and maybe matte red/black vinyl or plastic, al la Eames Storage Unit, on the inside top shelf to hide all the screw/shelf holes (Photoshoped out in the pictures).

Proudest DIY (do it yourself) project: The terrariums. They are so easy to make and add a nice organic feeling to the space. The earthiness of the plants and walnut contrast well with the boxy white pieces.

Biggest indulgence with respect to my space: Having a real home office is a big indulgence for me. For furniture the Embody chair was my biggest indulgence . Before this, I had been using a $29 Office Depot Chair I used until the wheels literally fell off. I am lucky enough to have an Aeron at my day job so over time the benefits of a high quality ergonomic task chair became obvious, especially after I came home to my OD chair. The Aeron seemed like the way to go until I saw the Embody. For me, the softer fabric seat of the Embody and easier adjustable levers and knobs made it more suitable for the home office. I try and buy high end furniture used but these chairs are really hard to come by second hand, especially if you want specific options. If I wanted one I needed to buy new. I waited for the Herman Miller sale and bought from a site with free shipping and no tax. It’s pretty easily justified when you account for its 15 year warranty backed by a reputable company offering some of the best ergonomics technology available to date. It works out to be less than a quarter a day for the next 15 years. I think it’s worth it.

Best advice about organizing or incorporating tech into the home: Have a place and purpose for everything and hide as much as you can. Plan for a “catch all” drawer or cabinet, it’s inevitable — embrace it. If you’re designing a tight space it can be helpful to make a scale blueprint of the room and your furniture to get a basic idea. Especially if you are buying furniture. You can do this pretty easy in Photoshop or Illustrator. It’s easier than moving furniture around, but of course, some things you just need to be in the room to see.

Dream source for stuff: If money wasn’t an option? For office furniture, anything from the Herman Miller catalog. For tech gear a shopping spree at B&H. For pens and drafting pencils I love JetPens.

Enter Nick Keppol’s Office Tour

By Anthony Nguyen

iOS App Discovery With hundreds of thousands of apps available through Apple’s App Store, finding the best measurement convertor can be a daunting task. AppShopper helps by not only providing recommendations, but also showing update history, reviews, and even price changes. AppShopper also has an iOS app along with RSS feeds so you never miss a chance to discover the next great app.

Android App DiscoveryBecause of the “open” nature of the Android platform, there are quite a few more resources that allow for more robust discovery on Android. AppAware is an application that allows users to find new apps by tracking installs, updates, and removals. AppAware goes a step further by adding location into the mix. This provides great exposure for local apps who thrive based on usage in a specific area rather than around the globe.

Chrome Web App Discovery Playing off the fact that there really is an app for almost everything, the Google Chrome extension – aptly named There’s a web app for that – provides users with app suggestions based on their browsing history. No need to randomly guess if there is a an app that could replace your web browsing. Now just browse normally and this extension will search for you.

If none of these work for you, or if you are looking for a more curated way to discover apps, the be sure to check out Unplggd’s Weekly App Recommendations, where we cover everything from mobile, to desktop, to web apps.

By Jesse Leikin

When he decided to move outside, Mark decided to do without a lot of his regular office frills. Temporarily transporting your own home office outside will give you the same de-cluttering benefits. Much like The Closet Trick shows you what percentage of your wardrobe actually gets worn, a summer office will show you exactly what tech, tools, organizers and furniture you truly need in your space.

As you work outside, you’ll have to pop back in to your year-round office to grab the necessities as you need them. When the end of the summer rolls around, clear out everything that’s been left untouched in your indoor office space—it shows you really don’t use or need that stuff as much as you thought.

By Taryn Fiol

Flickroom (Windows, Mac, Linux): Unlike GeeMail, Flickroom does not mimic the user interface of its web app counterpart. Instead, Flickroom takes an opportunity to enhance and redefine the user interface for Flickr. Just like Flickr, you can view and search for photos, but Flickroom adds a nifty and well designed photo stream for enhanced viewing. With Flickroom you have all of the functionality of Flickr on the web with an enhanced and redesigned interface.

GeeMail (Windows, Mac, Linux): Needless to say there are a lot of GMail users out there. And while having your email in the cloud is great when you are not at your own computer, its always nice to have a native client that doesn’t require sorting through multiple tabs just to find your email. GeeMail is a free application that gives Gmail a home one the desktop. With zero configuration and the same user interface as the web based version of Gmail, this desktop app is sure to be a hit for any avid email user. Also, with offline support, no need to remember to send that draft later. Hit send while offline and next time you have a connection, GeeMail will automatically send your email for you.

NoteSync (Windows, Mac Linux): Google Docs is great for storing documents in the cloud. But if you want to just take a quick note and save it to your Google Docs for later it s a pain. Typically you have to log in to open your browser, login to you Google Account, and go to Docs before uploading or typing what was supposed to be a quick note. With NoteSync you can now quickly open up your native app, type the note, and then it automatically syncs to your Google Docs for viewing and editing later.

Desktop apps that are extensions of your favorite web apps can be very useful and powerful. If you have a website that you would love to use as a desktop app then check out Fluid or Mozilla Prism for a quick and easy way to create native apps.

By Jesse Leikin.

Design Star season 5′s Michael Moeller adorned a gray wall with a contrasting red-orange cord for maximum color pop.

The shape of this cool arrangement by XBMC, via Lifehacker, draws attention to and complements the techy style of the mounted TV and Playstation 3.

When you’re dealing with a visible cable that you can’t move, draw inspiration from this simple and minimal DIY design.

Would you embrace visible cables using one of these solutions? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

By Laura E. Hall

DropTunes: Playing audio files from your Dropbox account is already something that can be done. However, DropTunes takes the pain out of clicking each individual file and creates playlists from the music folders that you store in your Dropbox. Additionally, DropTunes give you a nice user interface to adjust volume, pause, and even click forward and back tracks.

Host A Website: One of the more clever ways to use Dropbox is as a free hosting service. All you have to do is copy an HTML file into the Public folder of your Dropbox. Once you do this, right click with the mouse on the file and select “Copy Public Link.” Now you can paste the web address into the browser and you now have a live website hosted for free. This is a great way to test simple sites before investing in a real host. And if this simple Dropbox site is enough, then you can simply purchase a domain name and forward the address to the link for easier to remember URLs.

DROPitTOme: If you ever need to receive file that are too large to email, then DROPitTOme is a perfect solution for you. All you need to do is give somebody the custom URL and the password encryption (if you choose) and they will be able to upload large files directly to your Dropbox. No more having to deal with email attachment limits. You know have your own private server that people can upload important files to.

By Jesse Leikin

The statistic/infographic geniuses over at Hunch polled their readers and discovered 72% of their readers keep their computer desktops tip-top and tidy, an impressive figure considering the average person’s desktop looks like someone spilled mahjong tiles. What was even more interesting was the conclusions they came to with their desktop organization findings, which may or may not apply to Unplggd readers, but gives insight about how we organize our virtual workspaces. Key findings include:

*Men are more likely to have neat desktops, but are also apt to have too many icons on their desktop (a no-no, since it slows down OS performance).

*The older you are, the more apt you are to have a messy desktop. 12% of those belonging to the 35-49 age category had a mess on their computer.

*The more education and more liberal you are, the more likely you are to have a messy desktop. Hunch’s readers tend to skew to the left, as noted in their findings, but it makes sense those who are more conservative and like order would have neater desktops.

*Those who live in urban areas have desktops that reflect their environment: “…users with messy desktops are 42% more likely than those with neat desktops to live in an urban environment.”

*No surprise, neat freaks like ourselves, have desktops that reflect their overall neat and organized tendencies. Neat types also tend to own and use external hard drives.

*Work for yourself? Your desktop is 5% more likely to be messier than the average.

*Math geeks and the scientifically minded have an irrational tendencies to chaos on their desktop, 12% more so!

*And finally, those with neater desktops place their personal priority of overall quality of life over the importance of professional work (well, maybe because the messy ones are still trying to find files while us neat freaks are quicker to find what we need!).

By Gregory Han

[Go over to Unplggd to do their desktop survey. I'd love to see Lifework reader's desktops. Mine is below. It's only this "neat" because my computer was running slow and I thought if I cleaned up it might run faster. Wrong. I think I will have to bite the bullet and get more RAM.]

Another way is to simplify as you go. Perhaps a single dry erase marker is enough – do you really need 10 different colors? Well, maybe. But if not, just take what you need and try to avoid grabbing what you don’t. It’s an exercise in self-control (although we don’t blame you for falling in love with office supplies)!

What’s your best desk organization tip?

More Desk Organization Tips:
Clear Desktop Space With a Side-Desk Paper Organizer
Do This Today: Purge Your Top Desk Drawer
Kaiju Studios: I/O desk Organizer
Home Office “Staples”: Your Favorites Around the Desk

Images: Ballou Projects

By Anthony Nguyen.

Honestly, reading the findings, we can’t really argue with the infographic. Sigh, we guess we do fit the profile (or stereotype), Limonata, bahn mi, indie films, Dwell magazine and all.

By Gregory Han

[via Mashable]

Even if your bag that you use to tote your computer around in is padded, it is still a very good idea to use a sleeve. Sleeves are great thin cases that work in conjunction with other bags or as a quick standalone. More than anything, the sleeve acts as the most important barrier to protect and extend the life of a computer. Without a sleeve, a laptop can become damaged within short order leaving you without your very pricey computer. A laptop sleeve protects a computer from more than the normal types of damage one associates with moving around a computer. One of the most important things a good sleeve does is keep small objects like coins and pens from becoming lodged in ports and other sensitive parts of the laptop while in transit. We know of an individual who ruined his optical drive because a dime somehow migrated inside while his PowerBook was loose in his backpack. Below is our list of musts for a laptop sleeve:

Convenience: Laptop sleeves must be easy to use and not frustrate the user. One we had years ago was difficult to insert our laptop into causing us to be negligent in using it…most of the time it sat at home.
Protection: Obviously a laptop sleeve should protect your gear and not just function as a piece of decoration. We are big fans of neoprene, but Timbuk2 and other companies make great sleeves from a variety of materials ranging from wool to quilted nylon.
Fit: A sleeve that is ill fitting does not protect your laptop nor is it as easy to use as it should be. Make sure to get a sleeve that is the correct size for your particular laptop.
Dust Resistant: If you ever go any place that is prone for dust, having a sleeve that can keep dust from penetrating into your laptop is a must. We have experienced this first hand while out taking photos in the desert. You may not need that feature, but if dust is the least bit possible for your, we suggest getting a dust proof sleeve.

Here on Unplggd we have also featured a large number of laptop sleeves. Below we lave listed some of our favorites.

DIY Sweater Laptop Sleeve
Eco Friendly Laptop Sleeves
Bubble Mailer
Felt Laptop Sleeve

By Campbell Faulkner

Apps & Widgets
Haven’t used AIM since Facebook and Skype came into your life? Drop it. Don’t need that desktop widget telling you the temperature outside? Get rid of it for good. Do it yourself or use software like AppCleaner (for Mac) or Revo Uninstaller (for PC).

Fonts
You don’t want to delete any of the fonts that came pre-installed with your machine (they’re probably used by your system in some fashion). But if you’ve added any addition fonts over the years, purge the unused ones. Believe it or not, fonts can eat up valuable hard drive space.

Pictures
By thinning out the pictures you have stored on your hard drive, you’ll free up tons of space. Back up the ones you want to keep, then dump everything else. Do it manually by sifting through your library, or use software designed for your machine. A Mac friend of ours swears by Duplicate Annihilator, a program that automatically thins out your iPhoto library by hunting and killing duplicate photos.

Languages
Do you speak English? Type in English? Read in English? Then there’s really no need to keep a bevy of foreign languages installed for your system. Do it manually (here’s a guide for Windows PC users), or find a program to do it for you (Like freeware Monolingual for Mac).

By Taryn Fiol.

Fluid is a free application that aims to address the biggest downside to web apps: multiple steps to launch just one web program. With Fluid, you can create a site-specific browser for any website. What this does is take any URL and converts it into a native Mac application. This application then resides in your Dock and Applications folder for easy use. It is really that simple.

While there are other similar programs out there (such as Mozilla Prism), one of the best aspects of Fluid is its deep integration with Max OS X. For more advanced users, Fluid supports client-side scripts for manually tweaking features and formatting. Additionally, quite a few plug-ins exist that add more functionality for advanced users, and enhance the experience of the newly created native apps.

To add to the fun, there is an entire Flickr group dedicated to creating icons for use with Fluid. If you find yourself going to the same sites all of the time (say, Unplggd) then be sure to give Fluid a try and let us know what you think.

By Jesse Leikin.

Details: $85.00, Jenni Bick Bookbinding, small journal measures 5 1/2″ x 7″ and large journal measures 6″ x 9″, refillable blank pages, detachable silicone strap holds the book closed and features a 4GB USB storage drive, pocket flaps inside hold the insert in place, and can also be used to store notes & receipts, can be personalized with embossing

By Gregory Han.

1. Copy your Flickr favorites RSS feed. Go to your Flickr favorites page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/(USERNAME)/favorites/. On the bottom left, you will find a “Subscribe to your favorites” link. Right-click the link and select “Copy Link Location.”

2. Create a high quality RSS feed of your favorite Flickr images by going to Flickr Feed Image Re-Sizer. Paste the RSS feed you just copied into the first field, then select a resolution by typing “Large” or “Original” into the next box. Click “Run Pipe.”

3. Right-click “Get as RSS” and select “Copy Link Location.”

4. Subscribe to RSS in iPhoto. Open up iPhone and press (command + U) to open the subscribe window. Paste your new high-res RSS feed by pressing (command + V).

5. Set the Screen Saver in System Preferences. Once it’s all loaded up, go to your System Preferences and select “Flickr Feed Image Re-sizer.” And you’re done!

By Vivian Kim

Although we’re not a user of Gmail’s Priority Inbox, they recently rolled out “smart labels,” which we’ve tested out and concluded that for certain users it can be very helpful, depending on the type of emails you receive. However, it is also easy to stay organized without the help of a smart system, here’s how:

Habits

Sort as emails come: The best way to stay organized is to start from the get-go. Don’t let emails pile up throughout the week only to try and find rhyme and reason over the weekend. As emails start to flow in, organize them with labels.

Labels: If you choose to, you can go into the Labs tab in Gmail settings and activate “smart labels” which will automatically label incoming bulk, notification and forum messages as such. Just as how we felt with Priority Inbox, we don’t feel the need to activate smart labels because we like to label our emails ourselves, but for those of you who receive mass mail newsletters or personally statements, smart labels could be helpful.

Color Categorization: Another simple way to organize but is extremely helpful is color categorization with labels. If you’re someone who works different gigs or have different groups of friends, oftentimes each gig or group you have can be associated with a color. We find categorizing labels with an associated color definitely helps in quick association.

Filters: After you’ve created labels, you can then assign emails to go directly into each label with filters. In the Settings menu, select Filters and click on “Create a new filter.” Here you’ll have to input the sender’s email address you want to filter, for example Chase Banking or LivingSocial.

Assign Actions: Next step is to direct these emails to the right labels. To avoid an inbox filled with unread messages, select both “Skip the Inbox” and “Mark as read,” and then click “Apply the label” to select the appropriate folder.

Tools

Gmail offers a wide range of tools that help you stay organized and efficient with your emails. Here is the top four we find most useful:

“Got the Wrong Bob:” We probably all know at least two people that have the same name. In order to avoid confusion, activating this trick will prompt Gmail to make sure you’ve got the right person.

Drag and Drop files: Instead of manually clicking “Attach a file” simply drag and drop files directly into the message.

Apps search: By activating “Apps search” you can extend your searches beyond the inbox into Google Docs and Sites.

Offline Gmail: Compose emails even without internet connection.

If you’re not a user of Gmail, OtherInbox, taskforce, mailPro and xobni are email efficiency tools worth checking out.

By Julienne Lin