Yanko Design’s new podcast, “Design Mindset,” is quickly making waves across the creative world. Now in its sixth episode, the show is carving out a space for conversations that go beyond the surface, tapping into the ethos, mindset, and lived experiences of the world’s leading designers. Each episode, which premieres every Friday, explores how design thinking shapes products, brands, and even the future of culture itself, offering both inspiration and insight to listeners ranging from students to seasoned professionals.

Episode 6 brings a compelling guest to the mic: Pratap Bose, Chief Design Officer at Mahindra Group and a trailblazer in Indian automotive design. Bose’s resume is formidable; he’s led design at Tata Motors, shaped Mahindra’s global aesthetic, and developed a design philosophy that melds Indian identity with global relevance. In a candid and illuminating conversation with host Radhika Seth, Bose explores how authenticity, cultural intelligence, and collaboration are transforming what it means to design for the world from India.

Designing Without Apology: Embracing a Bold Indian Identity

Pratap Bose speaks directly when he describes the crossroads faced by Indian automotive designers. “You can create Indian cars that sort of are almost an apology for being Indian or you can create cars that were proudly Indian, confidently Indian, as good or better as anything else you find in the world.” This represents more than a matter of style; it’s a mindset shift that challenges decades of design tradition. For much of its history, Indian automotive design was informed by a sense of catching up, of blending in with global trends rather than setting them. But Bose’s approach is to flip that narrative, creating vehicles that are unmistakably Indian in spirit yet world-class in quality.

What sets his philosophy apart is an insistence on substance over superficiality. Bose warns against the temptation to rely on obvious or stereotypical motifs to signal “Indianness.” He points out, “It’s not about painting something yellow, even though everyone says India is such a colorful country. In vehicles, it’s white and silver. That’s it.” The challenge lies in understanding why certain cultural elements resonate and how they can be woven seamlessly into a product’s DNA, rather than tacked on as afterthoughts. The result? Cars that exude confidence and authenticity, resonating just as deeply with global customers as with Indian ones.

The Designer’s Dilemma: Navigating Cultural Identity at Home and Abroad

Bose’s insights stem from personal experience rather than theory alone. He recounts a pivotal moment during his stint at the Mercedes-Benz advanced design center in Japan. As a designer steeped in Indian culture, working for a German brand in Asia, Bose found himself grappling with the question: Was his work “German enough?” The pressure to conform to a brand’s national identity can be immense, especially in globally recognized companies where heritage is both a strength and a creative constraint.

This anxiety, Bose explains, is a microcosm of a broader challenge faced by designers everywhere: how to honor the DNA of a brand or culture while avoiding cliché or appropriation. The temptation to “rely on stereotypes” is real, particularly when time is short and expectations are high. But Bose’s career is a testament to the power of pushing past these easy answers. By confronting these dilemmas head-on, he’s learned that the most meaningful design happens when you move beyond surface-level decisions and dig into the deeper narrative and values that define a brand or culture.

Heritage Over Hype: How Brand Provenance Shapes Authentic Design

One of the most nuanced sections of the conversation addresses the difference between brand ownership and provenance. “Jaguar Land Rover is Indian-owned, it remains a British company, and Volvo, owned by Geely, is still Scandinavian,” Bose explains. For him, Mahindra’s identity is bound up in its Indian heritage, but authenticity comes from embodying the company’s role in India’s growth and nation-building, letting those values naturally infuse every design decision.

This perspective is especially relevant in an era when multinational ownership blurs the lines of national identity. Bose is adamant that authenticity has more to do with a brand’s intrinsic values than with overt symbols or marketing campaigns. “It is more important for products to reflect the brand’s intrinsic values rather than superficially representing its country of origin,” he notes. For Mahindra, this often means letting Indian identity emerge organically, rather than forcing it; an approach that, ironically, makes the connection to home all the stronger.

Breaking the Mold: How Local Context Drives Global Innovation

India’s automotive market is famous for its unique challenges, most notably the sub-four-meter tax rule that incentivizes compact vehicles. Many see such regulations as obstacles, but for Bose, they are opportunities for innovation. “India’s unique market conditions, such as the sub-four-meter tax rule, have spurred innovation, leading to the creation of vehicle types (like sub-four-meter sedans) that are unheard of elsewhere and pose significant design challenges.” These constraints have forced designers to rethink proportions, engineering, and even the very definition of what a car can be.

This drive to solve for local realities often results in products that are better suited to India and surprisingly relevant to global markets as well. The process of working within and around these constraints becomes a crucible for creativity, pushing Indian designers to develop solutions that are both original and exportable. For Bose, this is the real magic of designing in India: “What works for India usually works in global markets, but it’s not the other way around.”

Beyond Stereotypes: Building Authenticity Through Collaboration

Bose is a vocal advocate for collaboration as a path to authenticity. He describes his partnership with South African designer Thula Sindi as a model for how cross-cultural projects should be run: by working side by side to truly understand and express the local context, rather than applying familiar patterns or motifs. “Collaborating with local designers creates authentic products, which is much more meaningful than superficially applying cultural stereotypes, such as zebra prints or misusing traditional designs like the Kolhapuri chappal,” he says. The key, he believes, is to capture the “essence” of a culture, which is often felt rather than seen.

This approach extends beyond aesthetics. Bose points out that a German car’s “solid engineering feel” or the “sense of British luxury” in a UK-made vehicle are less about explicit references and more about the deep-seated values and craft that define those cultures. By focusing on these intangibles, designers can create products that feel authentic to both local and global audiences, celebrating cultural richness while sidestepping the pitfalls of appropriation.

The New Measure of Success: Designing With Cultural Intelligence

In the automotive world, every detail is loaded with cultural meaning, from the curve of a panel to the color of the paint. Bose insists that the only way to navigate this complexity is with cultural intelligence: a deep, ongoing engagement with the communities and histories that shape the market. “How authentic are you being, versus how superficial is something in its appearance. Authenticity is what culture truly is. And if you respect that culture and want to be authentic, then I think that’s top of mind,” he says. For Bose, the question centers on what something means and how it fits into people’s lives, rather than just what it looks like.

He encourages designers, whether in automotive or any creative field, to “research the roots, understand the meaning, engage with the communities, immerse yourself there and always ask whether your work contributes to the cultural appreciation or is just an extraction.” This mindset represents good ethics and good business, driving lasting connections and global success for brands that dare to go deeper.

Tune in to Design Mindset every Friday for more conversations that challenge, provoke, and inspire, showcasing the world’s top designers as they redefine what it means to create with purpose, passion, and a deep respect for culture.

The post Cultural Neutrality is Dead: Why Pratap Bose Says Cultural Intelligence is the Future of Design first appeared on Yanko Design.

Yanko Design’s latest foray into storytelling and design thinking arrives in the form of the new podcast series, Design Mindset, premiering every Friday. This series is dedicated to exploring the journeys, philosophies, and creative risks behind the world’s most influential designers and innovators. Each week, listeners are invited to peel back the curtain on the mindset that fuels exceptional design, with in-depth interviews that dig into both career highs and the pivotal moments of reinvention that define creative leadership.

The fifth episode features none other than Robert Brunner, a true titan of industrial design. Brunner is renowned as the founder of Ammunition Design, the studio behind the iconic Beats by Dre headphones, as well as collaborations with Polaroid, Ember, Square, and many more. His career has spanned from co-founding Luna Design in the early 1980s to serving as Apple’s Director of Industrial Design, where he established the company’s influential internal design organization and even championed Jonathan Ive as his successor. With works housed in MoMA’s permanent collection and a spot on Fast Company’s list of most creative people in business, Brunner’s influence on the design world is undeniable.

Designing Your Destiny: How Brunner Prototypes His Life

Robert Brunner’s storied career is a masterclass in what he terms “prototyping your life.” He approaches each major pivot not as a leap of faith, but as a calculated design project, complete with research, testing, and iteration. This mindset reframes a career path from a linear progression into a dynamic series of experiments. “I’ve always had some sort of underlying plan in what I wanted to do, but really sort of working through how I wanted to design that plan to happen,” Brunner explains. “Opportunities come up and how you address them is key… that is an example of prototyping your life, really sort of thinking about that and testing it and then finally implementing it.”

This philosophy was never more apparent than in his decision to leave Apple. At a time when the company was on the cusp of astronomical growth, Brunner walked away not because he was pushed out, but because his creative mission felt complete. “I don’t think I could have stayed. I probably would have been fired because I just wasn’t enjoying it anymore. So it was time to do something else,” he reflects. The subsequent, unexpected offer to join Pentagram as a partner was his next prototype, a move that prioritized creative fulfillment over a potentially lucrative, yet stifling, corporate trajectory.

The Courage to Start Over: Risk is Not a Four-Letter Word

Risk is a constant thread in Brunner’s narrative, but it is always tempered with profound introspection. He argues that before any significant change can be made, one must confront the difficult questions about their core motivations. Making a massive life change, whether leaving a stable job or starting a new venture, demands an unwavering sense of purpose. According to Brunner, this requires a deep “willingness to endure hardships, accept setbacks, and make sacrifices. Without this commitment, failure is likely.”

For those paralyzed by the fear of starting over, Brunner’s advice is both pragmatic and empowering: “Have courage. But lean on the people you know. Lean on your family, friends, and career associates. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice.” It’s a call to leverage your network not as a crutch, but as a vital feedback loop in your personal prototyping process. True reinvention, in his view, is not a solo act but a collaborative effort built on a foundation of support and honest conversation.

Beats, Culture, and the Myth of the Audiophile

The interview provides a fascinating look inside the creation of Beats by Dre, a product that became a cultural phenomenon by intentionally defying industry conventions. Brunner reveals that the goal was never to win over the audio purists. Instead, the team focused on capturing a feeling and connecting with a generation that had been overlooked by high-end audio brands. “Audiophiles were not our audience, right? So we didn’t really care if an audiophile gave us a poor review,” Brunner states. “What mattered was…the kid wearing the headphones listening to their favorite hip-hop song was feeling it. That was the thing.”

The unprecedented success of Beats stemmed from this unique intersection of design thinking and raw cultural intuition. Brunner credits the synergy between himself and music moguls Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre, who understood the emotional power of music better than anyone. “There was this connection and respect…they viewed me as an artist the way they viewed themselves as artists,” he says. This mutual respect allowed them to create a product that wasn’t just about sound specifications; it was about identity, status, and the pure, unadulterated feeling of the music.

The Un-Design Skill You Can’t Live Without

When pressed to name the single most important skill for navigating major life transitions, Brunner’s answer is simple and has nothing to do with aesthetics or methodology: “Resilience.” This quality, he suggests, is the engine that drives progress through the inevitable friction of change. It’s the ability to absorb setbacks, learn from them, and continue moving forward, even when the path is unclear. His mantra is refreshingly straightforward: “Just keep your feet moving forward, one step at a time.”

This ethos beautifully complements his design-centric approach to life. While prototyping provides the framework for change, resilience provides the fuel. Life, much like a complex design problem, is not solved with a single dramatic breakthrough but through a series of small, persistent steps. “Life transitions don’t have to be dramatic leaps into the unknown,” Brunner concludes. “They can be designed, prototyped, and tested just like any other design problem.”

The Next Iteration: What Brunner is Prototyping Now

Never one to rest on his laurels, Robert Brunner is already working on his next iteration. He reveals that he is channeling his insights and experiences into a new book, tentatively titled ‘Making Great,’ which promises to explore the confluence of leadership, design, and product excellence. This project signals a shift toward sharing his knowledge on a broader scale, as he also increases his focus on public speaking and mentorship.

For those inspired by his journey and eager to follow his work, Brunner remains accessible through his personal Instagram, @robertdbruner, and the official account for his firm, @AmmunitionGroup. As the premiere episode of Design Mindset demonstrates, the most important product any of us will ever design is our own life. And with another episode dropping next week, the series is poised to continue exploring the minds of those who do it best.

Design Mindset continues next week with another leading voice in design, delivering more insights on the creative process and the courage it takes to reinvent both work and self.

The post Robert Brunner on Prototyping Your Life, Leaving Apple, and Forging Beats by Dre first appeared on Yanko Design.

Yanko Design’s new podcast, Design Mindset, is fast becoming a Friday ritual for design enthusiasts around the world. With a mission to uncover the principles and personalities that shape our built environment, the show doesn’t just scratch the surface. Each episode peels back the layers of the design process, revealing the values, dilemmas, and cultural forces that drive the world’s most influential designers. Whether you’re a student, practitioner, or simply a fan of thoughtful innovation, Design Mindset offers insight that goes beyond the glossy final product.

For its latest episode, the podcast welcomes Luca Nichetto, one of Italy’s most celebrated contemporary designers. Born on the glassmaking island of Murano and now leading Nichetto Studio between Venice and Stockholm, Luca has become synonymous with a rare blend of poetic craft and Scandinavian rigor. His work, ranging from traditional Murano glass to global furniture icons, has been exhibited and produced worldwide, but what truly sets him apart is his relentless focus on empathy. This conversation reveals how Nichetto’s roots, experiences, and worldview have shaped a philosophy that places people, not just objects, at the heart of design.

Empathy: The Invisible Force Shaping Meaningful Design

For Luca Nichetto, empathy isn’t a marketing buzzword or a step in the design-thinking playbook. It’s the “only secret ingredient” that brings meaning to objects and unites the many hands involved in making them. As he shares, “Empathy is not just nice to have in design, it’s everything. The only secret ingredient that you can put in the project that you are doing, and if there is also fun and there is a passion, you bring people together with you to be able to create something that makes sense.” His belief is that objects lacking empathy are reduced to mere function – beautiful perhaps, but ultimately empty.

Nichetto’s approach to empathy extends beyond the user to include every collaborator in the process. He sees every project as the formation of a small, temporary community – suppliers, artisans, clients, and the eventual users. “Every time that we are designing something, we are not only designing an object, we are also able to create a little community. Most important, we are also able to create jobs,” he explains, highlighting design’s social impact. For Nichetto, empathy is the glue that aligns everyone’s efforts, creating both purpose and pride in the finished product.

From Murano to the World: Lessons in Craft, Communication, and Adaptation

Growing up in Murano, Nichetto was immersed in a culture where craft is both tradition and innovation. His grandfather was a glassblower, his mother decorated glass, and Nichetto himself began selling drawings to local factories while still a teenager. This early exposure was less about the romance of glass and more about learning the “language” of making – the necessity of trust, the need for fast, clear communication, and the humility to listen to those shaping your ideas with their hands. “Being clear, quick, and considerate enables translating vision into craft without arrogance,” he says.

Murano also taught him about the speed and risk inherent in glasswork – where a missed moment can ruin hours of effort, and feedback is immediate. This environment forced Nichetto to develop a design process that’s both decisive and deeply respectful of the craftsperson’s expertise. These lessons, he notes, have stayed with him no matter the material, medium, or scale of the project. For Nichetto, design is always a dialogue – a process of constant negotiation between vision and reality, head and hands.

Bridging Two Worlds: When Italian Storytelling Meets Scandinavian Clarity

Nichetto’s journey eventually took him from the intimacy of Venetian craft to the structured world of Scandinavian design. After moving to Sweden about 15 years ago, he faced what he calls a “crisis of identity.” Initially, the homogeneity and efficiency of Scandinavian design felt at odds with his Italian roots. “Scandinavian design prioritizes function, sustainability, recyclability, and product lifecycle, leading to homogeneity,” he observes. However, rather than abandoning his heritage, Nichetto found new strength in embracing both traditions.

He now describes his practice as a fusion of “functional rigor and storytelling.” Objects, in his view, should be both useful and full of character. “Objects must be functional and have strong character (not merely form) to build relationships with users; otherwise, no reason to design ‘another chair,’” he argues. This synthesis allows him to create pieces that resonate emotionally while meeting the demands of modern life. He resists fleeting trends and globalized sameness, drawing instead on personal memories, client stories, and cultural references, even Japanese cartoons from his childhood, to give each project its own identity.

Navigating Cultures: Empathy as a Tool for International Collaboration

Operating studios in both Italy and Sweden and working with clients as far afield as China and the US, Nichetto has developed a keen awareness of how culture shapes design. Each context brings its own expectations and norms. In China, for instance, he encountered a kind of deference that led teams to follow his instructions too literally, leaving little room for creative initiative. “I was so frustrated of that. I was almost screaming, you know, why are you not trying?” he recalls. Over time, he realized this behavior was rooted in deep respect rather than passivity. “What I learned is you need to understand the culture you are working in, to adapt your communication and expectations accordingly,” Nichetto says.

In contrast, Italian collaborators often assert their own vision, requiring him to adopt a different approach – sometimes persuading, sometimes yielding, but always listening. For Nichetto, true empathy means adjusting not only your design but also your process and your leadership style to fit the people you’re working with. This flexibility is, he believes, a prerequisite for authentic design that honors both local craft and global collaboration.

From Decoration to Problem-Solving: Redefining the Value of Design

Nichetto is adamant that an object’s beauty is meaningless if it doesn’t address a real need. “Beautiful objects are useless if they don’t solve real human problems. Empathy means understanding actual needs beyond stated wants; honoring humans strengthens aesthetics,” he insists. For him, the designer’s job is not to create eye candy or win awards, but to improve lives in tangible ways.

He describes design as a mission – a way to inspire future generations and create a legacy of thoughtful, impactful work. “I prefer work that evokes love or hate (‘black and white’) over pleasing everyone. I seek long-term inspirational legacy over short-term awards or ego boosts,” Nichetto explains. This philosophy is evident in his refusal to chase trends or dilute his vision to appeal to everyone. Instead, he strives to create objects that will matter decades from now, not just look good in this year’s catalog.

Orchestrating Complexity: The Designer as Director and Problem-Solver

Nichetto likens the role of the designer to that of an orchestra conductor, balancing an array of sometimes competing interests – sales, warehousing, customer behavior, craft, packaging, and price. He’s not afraid to challenge a client’s brief if it misses the real problem, and he’s committed to nudging every project forward, even if progress is incremental. “Designer as orchestra director balancing sales, warehouse, customer behavior, craft, packaging, price. Identifies real problems versus client’s brief and pushes improvements, even ‘one millimeter’ forward,” he says.

This orchestration requires empathy not only for the end user but for everyone involved in the journey from idea to object. Nichetto frames even difficult negotiations and compromises as opportunities for learning and growth, advocating for solutions that serve both human needs and business realities. In his view, design’s true value lies in its ability to bridge gaps – between people, between cultures, and between the present and the future.

The Lasting Message: Make Things That Matter

As the episode wraps up, Nichetto distills his philosophy into a single, actionable takeaway: “Before you worry about how something looks, understand who will use it, how they’ll feel when they interact with it, and what problem is it actually solving in their life. That’s the difference between decoration and design.” It’s a call for designers to focus less on aesthetics and more on meaning; less on trends and more on lasting impact.

For those eager to follow his work, Nichetto points listeners to NiketoStudio.com and his Instagram, with a new studio website launching soon. His career stands as a reminder that great design is not just about making things pretty – it’s about making them matter, for everyone involved.

Design Mindset continues to deliver these in-depth, thoughtful conversations every Friday, only on Yanko Design. Whether you’re designing, commissioning, or simply appreciating, Nichetto’s story is proof that empathy is the secret ingredient the world needs most.

The post “Empathy is The Only Secret Ingredient”: Why Luca Nichetto Thinks Pretty Design Isn’t Enough first appeared on Yanko Design.

Every Tuesday, Yanko Design’s new podcast “Design Mindset” goes beyond the portfolios and project showcases, diving deep into the philosophies, failures, and future-facing strategies of the world’s most influential creative leaders. Hosted by Radhika Seth, “Design Mindset” brings candid conversations that reveal not just how great design is made, but why it matters, especially when the stakes are high, and the choices aren’t easy. Whether you’re a young designer, a founder, or simply a creative at heart, the show aims to inspire and equip you to build businesses and products that serve both profit and purpose.

Our premiere episode features Ashwini Deshpande, co-founder of Elephant Design, India’s largest independent multidisciplinary design consultancy. With a career spanning 36 years, Ashwini represents a generation that transformed Indian design from an afterthought to a vital force in business and society. The conversation traces Elephant’s origins in 1989’s scarcity-driven India, reveals the philosophy that design is “not a luxury, but a democracy,” and explores how commercial success and social impact can, and should, align.

Why Choosing Between Profit and Purpose is a False Dilemma

Ashwini wastes no time confronting the age-old debate between doing good and doing well. “You don’t have to choose between profit and purpose. You can integrate both. It can come together,” she asserts with the confidence of someone who has spent 36 years proving this theory. This isn’t wishful thinking or corporate speak. It’s a business philosophy forged in the fires of India’s economic transformation, when design consultancy was virtually unknown and every project was an opportunity to prove that good design could create social change.

The foundation of this belief traces back to Elephant’s radical vision, shaped at NID (National Institute of Design), which saw design as a tool for everyone, not a luxury for the few. “Design isn’t a luxury, it’s not a tool, it’s a democracy,” Ashwini says. But democracy requires participation, and participation requires survival. “You can do good only if you survive to do that. It was important to get financial stability and have a business model that could grow, that could employ more designers, and in turn spread the impact of design.” For Ashwini, design is part of nation-building, and fair compensation is not just deserved, but essential for sustaining impact.

Building a Design Empire in an Economy That Didn’t Know Design Existed

Picture India in the late 1980s: just two car models, scooters bought on installment with years-long waiting lists, no malls, no branded clothes, and computers just beginning to enter workplaces. This was the landscape where Elephant Design was born, and every single project was revolutionary simply by existing. “Anyone who is willing to invest in design to improve anything, be it their products or communication, was going to make a positive impact on the Indian economy,” Ashwini recalls.

Starting a design consultancy in this environment wasn’t just ambitious, it was necessary. “We didn’t have really many other choices. It wasn’t like placement coordinators queuing up outside NID. Nobody was employing designers. So this seemed like the right thing to do.” Every project became an opportunity to create social change and prove that good design could transform how Indians consumed products and experiences. But this wasn’t idealism for its own sake. “It was never a blind sort of charitable enterprise because then we wouldn’t have survived and we wouldn’t have got the good people that we have working with us if we were not financially stable.”

The Brutal Reality of Selling Something Nobody Knew They Needed

Almost no one in India’s early business landscape understood the value of paying for design. Branding and communication needs were served by advertising agencies who threw those services in for free against media budgets. Product design needs were fulfilled by what was called “R&D,” which Ashwini translates with a wry smile: “refer and duplicate.” This was the market Elephant entered, armed with nothing but conviction and necessity.

“We had no choice. Nobody knew that they had to pay design fees to get design consulting advice,” Ashwini explains. “So we had to begin by making them realize that you can make profits if you employ good design. Whether you work with us or you work with whoever else, but design is going to help you make profits.” The team became evangelists by necessity, constantly proving that design wasn’t a marketing expense but a capital investment that would yield returns. “Evangelizing alone isn’t enough; you have to prove it. Eventually, you have to prove that good design actually made good profits.” This pragmatic advocacy laid the groundwork for the next generation of Indian design studios.

User Advocacy: The North Star That Never Changes

As Elephant grew to over 70 people, maintaining the core philosophy became both more crucial and more challenging. The answer, Ashwini discovered, wasn’t in rigid rules but in a singular focus: “We are the users’ advocates. As long as we are able to solve for them, everything else will fall in place.” This approach allows for diversity in methods while maintaining consistency in outcomes. A Gen Z designer might approach a problem differently than a millennial, but if both solve for the user, both approaches have merit.

The focus on user advocacy also shapes how Elephant evaluates potential team members. “Some people don’t ride an elephant,” Ashwini says with characteristic directness. “If the philosophies don’t match, it’s not for you to ride the elephant. But as long as you are able to solve for the user, things fall in place.” This isn’t about cultural fit in the superficial sense, it’s about shared commitment to putting user needs at the center of every decision. “As long as your differentiation is based on user insights, and you’re solving pain points, either for the users or for the businesses, you’re doing good by default.”

The Rockefeller Revelation: Three Pledges That Changed Everything

In 2008, the Rockefeller Foundation invited 12 designers from around the world to explore how design could address social impact projects. For Ashwini, this wasn’t just a workshop, it was “transformative” in providing “some kind of conduit to what one was always wanting to do.” The key insight wasn’t about abandoning commercial work for social good, it was about integration. “All of us want to do good, but many of us have no idea where or how to begin because the world is full of wicked problems.”

Ashwini returned with three pledges that would reshape Elephant’s approach. First, start with backyard problems because “no problem is too small to solve.” Their first project was garbage segregation awareness in the communities around their Pune studio. Second, work through your own competency. “If mine is visual communication, then that’s what I should do to solve that problem. As long as you identify your core competency and use that for a social impact cause, it’s going to see the most effect.” Third, ride on commercial projects to introduce social impact. “No business wants to do bad, and if you just pop up an opportunity for them to do good, they are very receptive.”

Purpose-Washing vs. Purpose-Doing: How to Spot the Difference

The design world is drowning in purpose-washing, and Ashwini doesn’t mince words about it. “If you just take a look at the winners of many of the global design competitions, you will be drowned in purpose-washing, unfortunately.” But beneath the shiny, award-winning facades, there are quieter movements making real differences, one idea at a time. These projects might not sparkle or win awards, but they create positive change for users and businesses alike.

The test for authenticity is brutal but simple: “Did you move the needle as much as the project’s potential was?” This isn’t about intention or effort, it’s about results. “That shine and glory of purpose-washing will only take you that far. But it will leave you dissatisfied because you wouldn’t have actually made the difference that you have the potential to do.” Young designers, Ashwini believes, understand this instinctively and won’t be satisfied with hollow trophies that represent missed opportunities for real impact.

Cultural Preservation Through Smart Business: The Paper Boat Success Story

When asked to name a project that perfectly balances commercial success and social impact, Ashwini points to Elephant’s 12-year collaboration with Paper Boat, a beverage brand that revives traditional Indian drinks. “It talks about drinks from memories. Ethnic drinks that were sort of getting extinct have been brought back in a very contemporary format.” This isn’t social impact in the conventional sense of poverty alleviation or education, but something equally important: cultural preservation.

“I believe preserving culture is in itself a social impact. I think we’ve managed to do that really well with that company, literally preserving culture one package at a time.” The project demonstrates how social impact doesn’t always have to be about addressing society’s most pressing problems. Sometimes it’s about maintaining connections to heritage and identity in a rapidly modernizing world. The commercial success of Paper Boat proves that consumers will pay premium prices for products that connect them to their roots, making cultural preservation not just socially valuable but economically viable.

When Purpose and Profit Collide: Making the Hard Choice

In a rapid-fire challenge, Ashwini is asked what wins when purpose and profit seem to conflict. Her answer comes without hesitation: “Purpose. Because you can do well by doing good. I believe profit follows.” This isn’t naive idealism, it’s hard-earned wisdom from someone who has built a thriving business while staying true to her values. “Success can come to you if you’ve done good. Whether it is money, fame, satisfaction, it’ll all come if you’ve done good.”

This philosophy was tested in a hypothetical scenario about a lucrative rebranding project for a company with questionable labor practices. Rather than walking away or compromising values, Ashwini’s approach demonstrates sophisticated thinking: use the branding process to surface and align core values, making the labor issues impossible to ignore. “Corporate branding is actually an inside-out exercise. Whatever is your core, we will only help you articulate it. The moment you start doing that kind of digging inside and you look at some practices that clearly lead to wrong set of values, no business is going to want to adopt those wrong set of values.”

The Joy Factor: What Sustainable Success Really Feels Like

Asked to describe sustainable business success in one word, Ashwini’s response is immediate: “Joyous.” This isn’t about happiness as a nice-to-have perk, it’s about joy as a fundamental requirement. “Joy at work, if there is no joy, there is no point.” This perspective reframes the entire conversation about work-life balance and sustainable business practices. Joy isn’t the reward for success, it’s the foundation that makes success meaningful and sustainable.

For someone starting a purpose-driven business today, Ashwini’s advice is characteristically direct: “Just start. Don’t wait.” There’s no perfect moment, no ideal conditions, no complete roadmap. The key is beginning with authentic intention and the willingness to learn and adapt. “Don’t just build a business, build a movement,” she concludes, encapsulating a philosophy that has guided Elephant Design for over three decades and continues to inspire the next generation of purpose-driven entrepreneurs.

Design Mindset is now live, with new episodes dropping every Tuesday. Whether you’re a working designer, a tech junkie, or simply someone who loves beautiful things, Yanko Design’s new podcast promises fresh insights and lively conversation on what it really means to shape the visual and functional world around us. Visit Yanko Design’s YouTube page for more!

The post “Joy at Work” is the Only Success Metric That Matters: Building India’s largest Design Movement first appeared on Yanko Design.

A new chapter is beginning at Yanko Design, and it comes with a fresh voice. Every Friday, the Design Mindset podcast invites listeners into a world where design isn’t just about making things look good—it’s about grappling with the profound shifts technology brings to our daily lives. Hosted by Radhika Seth, the show peels back the layers of not just how designers work, but how they think, feel, adapt, and influence the world around them. From the tools we use in our kitchens to the digital interfaces that shape our routines, Design Mindset is about the messy, beautiful cross-section where human intention meets technological possibility.

For the premiere episode, the spotlight falls on Simon Bradford, VP Head of Digital Design at Electrolux Group. Bradford isn’t just a figurehead; he’s a veteran who’s spent over a decade watching humble kitchen appliances morph into smart, almost sentient devices. More than that, he’s a believer in the power of empathy to guide innovation, even as AI upends the old rules. If you want to understand where the future of design is heading—and what’s at stake when algorithms start making decisions that used to require a human heart—this conversation is essential listening.

Why Empathy and User-Centricity Still Matter in a World Full of AI

It’s easy to get swept up in the tide of AI hype, especially when tools promise to automate away the grunt work and leave us free to “be creative.” But the risk, as surfaced in this episode, is subtle and dangerous: designing for efficiency alone can strip products of their soul. The conversation opens with a warning that feels especially timely: efficiency isn’t the same as meaning. The allure of “light machines” that do everything quickly and predictably is strong, but what happens when those machines forget to ask why users feel the way they do?

Bradford’s perspective is nuanced. He doesn’t reject AI or fear it—he sees its arrival as an accelerant for new forms of creativity. The real challenge, he argues, is not in resisting the tide, but in steering it so that human empathy remains central. This isn’t just philosophical hand-wringing; it’s a call to action for designers everywhere. In a world where AI can generate a logo in seconds and predict your next move, the differentiator isn’t technical wizardry, but the ability to create products that people care about on a visceral level. That’s not something an algorithm can fake.

From Hardware to Heartware: Electrolux’s Digital Journey

It’s not every day you hear a 100-year-old company admit that its next century will require a total rethink. For Electrolux, the past was about building trustworthy physical products—refrigerators, dishwashers, ovens. But Bradford’s mission is to shepherd the brand through a metamorphosis, one where digital experiences and emotional resonance become as important as stainless steel finishes or energy ratings.

This digital transformation isn’t merely about slapping a screen onto an appliance. It’s about shifting the conversation away from technology for technology’s sake and towards the value those technologies bring to users’ lives. Digitalization, Bradford points out, has already upended business models across industries. For Electrolux, the real competitive edge comes from designing experiences that are not just easy to use, but deeply engaging—even if the hardware itself never changes. The company’s Scandinavian roots, with their focus on quality of life and user-centricity, turn out to be a secret weapon in this new era.

Designing Experience Flows, Not Just Products

When was the last time you thought of your oven as a companion instead of an appliance? That’s the kind of mental shift happening inside Electrolux’s design teams. Bradford describes their work not as building products, but as orchestrating “experience flows”—the invisible choreography between user and machine. It’s a subtle distinction, but one that signals a new way of thinking about design, where the end goal is an emotional connection rather than a checklist of features.

This approach means that technology is never the star of the show. Instead, it works in the background, enabling seamless, intuitive moments that people remember. Bradford and his team aren’t interested in talking about processors or sensors; they want to talk about how it feels to use something, how a product can fit effortlessly into your life, and how it can even surprise you with a touch of delight or comfort. The ultimate test? When users stop thinking about the tech altogether and start forming a bond with what it enables.

The Parallel Dance of AI and Human Touch

No one in the Electrolux design studio is naïve about AI’s capabilities. Research, prototyping, even early-stage ideation—AI can turbocharge these processes, delivering quick answers and surfacing ideas that might have taken weeks to uncover. But the team is careful not to let the pendulum swing too far. Synthetic testing and algorithmic predictions are run in tandem with old-school, hands-on methods: talking to real users, building physical prototypes, and spending time in people’s homes.

This parallel workflow is where the magic happens. AI delivers speed and breadth, but the human side of the process brings depth and context. It’s here that empathy comes into play. Bradford is clear: “An algorithm and data can come up statistically with that optimal design solution, but I think a designer will notice if it is applicable in the real world.” That final 20 percent—the part that transforms a product from functional to unforgettable—belongs to the humans. It’s the hardest part to get right, and the one AI is least equipped to handle.

When Intuition Beats Data: The Comfort Lift Story

If you want a proof point for the limitations of AI in design, look no further than Electrolux’s Comfort Lift dishwasher. This is not a triumph of machine learning or predictive analytics—it’s a story about human observation, intuition, and empathy. The idea was simple but revolutionary: lift the bottom rack of a dishwasher to make loading and unloading less of a strain. There was no precedent, no market data pointing at this pain point, but there was a designer who watched people struggle, made the connection to back pain, and decided to solve the problem.

The result? A product that didn’t just get the job done, but actually elicited joy—and even love—from users. Bradford tells the story of guests at a dinner party marveling at the Comfort Lift feature, one going so far as to say, “I really love this dishwasher.” That kind of emotional response is a designer’s holy grail, and it’s exactly the sort of leap that AI, for all its strengths, still can’t make. Sometimes, the most human innovations are the ones that machine logic would never dream up.

Building Emotional Connections: The Sticky Design Strategy

There’s a reason some objects feel like extensions of ourselves while others remain cold and anonymous. For Bradford, the ambition is to turn “an oven” into “my oven.” This isn’t just branding spin; it’s a deliberate strategy to make products sticky—objects you can’t bear to part with because they’re intuitive, responsive, and personal. It’s about more than just adding smart features. It’s about understanding what makes an experience effortless and rewarding at every touchpoint.

Metrics like low effort, intuitiveness, and relevant content become the yardsticks for success. But the real differentiator is emotional resonance. Bradford imagines ovens that remember your preferences, suggest recipes based on your lifestyle, and quietly fade away unused features so they never clutter your experience. The result is a product that feels bespoke, even if it’s mass-produced. If a person feels a positive bond with their appliance, you know you’ve crossed the invisible threshold from utility to affection.

What Designers Need to Thrive in the Next Decade

Change is the only constant in design, but the kind of change AI brings is different. Bradford points out that while previous technologies reshaped parts of the design workflow, AI is upending the entire process at once—and at breakneck speed. This means designers can no longer rely solely on technical skills; they need to cultivate curiosity, agility, and above all, adaptability. Those who thrive will be the ones who treat every project as a learning journey, eager to experiment and unafraid to question the status quo.

The future isn’t about resisting AI, but about marrying its capabilities with deep human insight. Designers must become comfortable interpreting AI-generated results, relentlessly testing assumptions in real-world contexts, and staying grounded in the needs and desires of actual users. The winners will be the ones who blend analytical intelligence with emotional smarts, always ready to pivot as technology evolves.

Universal Design and Emotional Complexity: Navigating Real-World Scenarios

One of the episode’s most compelling moments comes when the conversation turns to designing smart appliances for elderly users—a group often underserved by tech. The challenge: create something that offers AI-powered safety and convenience for anxious adult children, but preserves independence and comfort for the users themselves. Bradford’s answer is revealing. He doesn’t believe in age-segregated solutions. Instead, he champions the principle of universal design: if an experience is truly intuitive, it should work for everyone.

This philosophy draws on real-life anecdotes—a 92-year-old mother who sends emoji-laden texts on her phone, for example—to make the point that good design transcends demographics. The trick is to provide manual controls for those who want familiarity, while layering on advanced features for the curious. Safety features, both existing and imagined, are seamlessly integrated, but the process always starts with understanding the user’s perspective. No amount of data can replace the instinct to ask, “What makes you comfortable?”

Beyond the Hype: What AI Can and Can’t Do

AI’s strengths are obvious and undeniable: speed, efficiency, the ability to churn out alternatives in moments. But when it comes to nuance, context, and emotional intelligence, humans still hold the trump card. In a rapid-fire round, Bradford is quick to draw the line: “AI is brilliant at speed, efficiency, and coming up with lots of alternatives… Humans are irreplaceable for that human touch… empathy and knowing the context.” He’s also clear-eyed about the future: the emotional complexity of love, for example, remains well beyond AI’s grasp.

For up-and-coming designers, the message is both reassuring and energizing. There’s no need to worry about obsolescence; instead, the opportunity lies in embracing AI as a tool and using it to amplify what makes design uniquely human. The goal is not to compete with algorithms, but to use them as a springboard for deeper, more meaningful work.

The New Job of Designers: Translating Human Complexity

If there’s a single big idea that emerges from this conversation, it’s that the role of the designer is changing fundamentally. No longer just makers of objects, designers are now translators—interpreting the messy, beautiful complexity of human life into systems and experiences that feel natural, respectful, and empowering. The challenge isn’t whether AI will change the field; it already has. The real test is whether designers allow it to change how they think about people.

The final takeaway from the episode is as much a rallying cry as it is advice: don’t let the pursuit of efficiency blind you to the quirks and contradictions that make us human. If you want to build things that matter, embrace the messiness of the human mind, and never stop asking the questions that logarithms can’t imagine.

Design Mindset drops every Friday on Yanko Design. Tune in for conversations that challenge, inspire, and remind us all: don’t just live by default. Design it.

The post “Not Designing Products, We’re Designing Relationships”: Inside Electrolux’s Human-Centric AI Revolution first appeared on Yanko Design.

There’s a new treat for design enthusiasts and curious minds: Yanko Design’s just-launched podcast, Design Mindset, is setting out to demystify the process and people behind the things we use, admire, and sometimes take for granted. Hosted by Radhika Seth, this weekly audio series promises to get beneath the surface of beautiful objects and groundbreaking concepts, asking not just how they’re made, but why they matter. The show, premiering every Friday, is an open invitation to explore the creative tensions, real-world pressures, and flashes of brilliance that shape the things we encounter every day.

For its debut, Design Mindset lands a fittingly heavyweight guest: Ewdison Then, co-publisher and CEO of Yanko Design, whose journey from the world of fast-moving tech journalism to the thoughtful curation of design culture is a story in itself. A founder of SlashGear and a veteran of covering every major tech launch of the past two decades, Ewdison has seen first-hand how trends are born, how they catch fire, and crucially, how they’re curated. In this episode, he offers a candid look at the responsibilities, surprises, and tensions that come with moving from observer to tastemaker.

From Reporting Headlines to Shaping the Conversation

The distance between tech journalism and design curation isn’t measured in miles or even job titles – it’s a fundamental shift in worldview. For years, Ewdison operated in the rapid-fire world of tech news, where influence is measured by speed and scoops. “Over two decades in tech journalism taught me about influence from outside looking in,” he reflects in the episode. But the move to Yanko Design required a new lens: not just documenting the next big thing, but helping to define what that ‘thing’ could be.

That transition isn’t simply about trading deadlines for deliberation. It’s about stepping into a position where one’s choices and values ripple outward, affecting what the industry notices, what gets built, and what’s left behind. Ewdison describes this shift as both “humbling and energizing,” noting the difference between chronicling the evolution of design and curating its future. There’s a palpable sense of responsibility – one that comes with the realization that decisions made in the editorial room can shape the direction of entire creative industries.

Design Publications as Active Influencers, Not Passive Recorders

It’s easy to imagine design media as little more than a mirror held up to the world, reflecting back the best and brightest. But the truth, as revealed in the conversation, is far more dynamic. Publications like Yanko Design aren’t just cataloging objects and trends; they’re part of a complex ecosystem that determines which ideas become reality. “There’s an entire ecosystem of people deciding what deserves attention, what gets manufactured, and what influences the next wave of innovation,” Ewdison points out, peeling back the curtain on a process that’s as much about editorial curation as it is about creative genius.

This influence isn’t theoretical. The products that fill our homes and pockets, whether they’re sleek gadgets or elegant furnishings, often trace their roots back to a handful of gatekeepers and tastemakers. Yanko Design’s editorial choices can place a designer on the map, spark the interest of manufacturers, or nudge a concept from prototype to production. It’s a subtle but profound form of power, and one that’s wielded with an eye toward both innovation and integrity.

The Personal Nature of Good Design: No Universal Litmus Test

Ask ten people to define “good design” and you’ll get twelve different answers – a reality that sits at the heart of Yanko Design’s editorial ethos. The episode leans into this tension, with Ewdison observing, “Everyone has their own perception of what is a good design. You’re not going to find two of the same person, rarely, to have an exact word by word thoughts about how a good design is being perceived.” That kind of subjectivity isn’t a flaw to be fixed; it’s the very reason design remains vital and ever-changing.

This diversity of opinion means there’s no single yardstick, no checklist that guarantees a product will resonate. Instead, curation becomes an act of translation, taking a personal reaction and framing it in a way that invites discussion, not consensus. The editorial team at Yanko Design is encouraged to lean into their own perspectives, evaluating usability, appearance, material, and even color through their own filters. This openness results in a publication that’s less about dictating taste and more about surfacing a rich tapestry of viewpoints.

Contrasts in Coverage: Tech Journalism’s Timers vs. Design’s Deep Dive

Covering the latest phone launch or software event requires a very particular skillset – one built around speed, stamina, and the ability to synthesize vast amounts of PR-driven information in real time. Ewdison describes the old rhythm: “You have to be quite on your toes, because most of the covers are very time sensitive… you need to be able to push out maybe five content within two hours of events and whatnot.” The tech press is a machine, and the pace is relentless.

Design coverage, in contrast, rewards patience and reflection. Rather than reacting to what’s unveiled, editors are given the space to step back, reconsider, and approach each project as a unique story. The process is less about being first and more about being insightful. PR still plays a role, but the editorial voice is rooted in personal interpretation, not just regurgitation. The result is a space where deeper questions can be asked: What makes this object beautiful? What problem does it solve? Why does it matter right now?

Editorial Empowerment: Giving Writers Room to Interpret

Within Yanko Design, the editorial process is intentionally porous. Writers aren’t just handed a press release and told to summarize; instead, they’re encouraged to explore what moves them about a design – be it the functionality, the materiality, or even the emotional resonance. Ewdison describes this shift, saying, “We want to give that voice to our editors, to our writers, where they can present their perception of a specific design from the angle of whether usability or… just an overview of how it looks, material, colors.” This philosophy is less about force-fitting opinions and more about creating space for genuine curiosity.

The end result is a publication that feels alive and personal. Readers aren’t just passive consumers of verdicts handed down from on high; they’re invited into a conversation. Multiple interpretations are not just tolerated, but celebrated, making Yanko Design a kind of living gallery where design is always open for debate and discovery.

Ecosystem Thinking: Collaboration and Influence in Modern Design

If there’s a single takeaway from the episode, it’s that design doesn’t happen in a vacuum. From the moment a concept is sketched to the day it lands in a showroom, countless hands and minds shape its journey. Yanko Design’s influence operates within this broader ecosystem – sometimes as an amplifier, sometimes as a filter, always as a participant in the ongoing dialogue of innovation. Decision-makers, manufacturers, and even consumers all play a role, but so too do the editors who decide what stories get told.

Collaboration is another theme that emerges, particularly in the dynamic between Ewdison and Yanko Design founder Takashi Yamada. Since 2008, Yamada has helped set the tone for what counts as “groundbreaking” in the world of design, and the partnership with Ewdison brings together two complementary visions. Their teamwork exemplifies how curation is rarely the work of a single tastemaker; it’s the product of ongoing dialogue, mutual respect, and a shared belief in the power of design to shape the future.

Design Mindset is now live, with new episodes dropping every Friday. Whether you’re a working designer, a tech junkie, or simply someone who loves beautiful things, Yanko Design’s new podcast promises fresh insights and lively conversation on what it really means to shape the visual and functional world around us. Visit Yanko Design’s YouTube page for more!

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The Live S arrives as Loupedeck’s first product since its acquisition by Logitech. Designed to be the smallest of the company’s streaming consoles, the Loupedeck Live S is an affordable gadget for the on-the-go livestreamer or someone looking to dip their toe into streaming, content creation, or design. With 15 haptic display buttons, 4 RGB buttons, 2 rotary knobs, and a rather affordable $149 price tag, the customizable control center is perfect for multitaskers looking to boost their productivity, or streamers/podcasters who want everything right at their fingertips.

Designer: Loupedeck

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At its core, the Loupedeck Live S is a streamlined version of its predecessors, featuring two tactile analog knobs, four physical buttons, and 15 touch-sensitive LCD squares. These elements provide a tactile and responsive experience, allowing users to adjust settings like volume, switch scenes, and toggle functions with ease and precision. The touch-sensitive buttons, although lacking physical feedback, confirm every touch with haptic feedback, enhancing the user experience.

The device, slightly larger than a typical cellphone, is compact enough to fit comfortably on any desk. Its stand, snapping securely onto the back, props it up at a convenient angle for easy access. Buttons with individual displays dynamically light up to let you know which shortcut or application they’re assigned to. The display built into each button means easily being able to switch between applications, shortcuts, and environments and having the Loupedeck adapt to the moment.

Setting up the Live S is straightforward: plug in, install the software, and you’re ready to dive into its functionalities. The graphical user interface is simple yet powerful, allowing easy drag-and-drop customization. Users can set multiple profiles and workspaces, and the device seamlessly transitions between these based on the selected application. The Loupedeck Live S supports a plethora of native plugins for popular software like OBS, Twitch, Spotify, and a range of Adobe products. Beyond these, users can also create or import custom profiles and icons for virtually any application or game, making it a highly adaptable tool for a variety of tasks.

While its primary market is streamers and content creators, the Loupedeck Live S has proven its worth in other domains. It’s been lauded for its usefulness in enhancing productivity, especially in work-from-home setups, offering quick access to frequently used functions and applications. This versatility extends to gaming and other entertainment applications, with users able to tailor the device to their specific needs.

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Innovation makes technology accessible. The camera used to once be too big to carry – it’s now the size of your thumbnail. Telephones used to be bound by wires – they now fit in your pockets, and a video production setup used to occupy an entire room – but RØDE puts it in a 6-inch X 6-inch device that sits on your tabletop. As impressive as that may sound, it’s also the audio company’s first-ever foray into video production… and it’s set to change how gamers, streamers, podcasters, and online event organizers work.

The RØDE Streamer -X combines a professional 4K video capture card, audio interface, and control surface into one simple, small, streamlined device that gives you complete control over your content creation setup. Building on the company’s line of podcasting equipment, along with its dominance in the audio industry in general, the Streamer-X aims at channeling a new demographic of content creators, for whom video is just as important as audio. The Streamer-X lets you capture 4K video and even switch between video sources, while managing audio inputs. MIDI controller-like buttons on the device let you cue effects or music, and two intuitive knobs let you control mic and headphone volume, condensing an entire range of production equipment into something that occupies about the same amount of desktop real-estate as Apple’s Magic Trackpad.

Designer: RØDE

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The Streamer X forms a crucial interface between your recording equipment and your computer, allowing you to easily manage production thanks to its small, intuitive design. The rear lets you hook up HDMI sources, supporting 4K30 video and up to 4K60 pass-through, along with studio-grade audio inputs for XLR microphones and instruments, headsets, etc. (and even connectivity for wireless mics) with an ultra-low-noise, high-gain Revolution Preamp built-in. In short, all your expensive professional-grade equipment plugs right into the Streamer X, which then hooks to your workstation to connect to your production software.

While most video production decks are inundated with knobs, buttons, sliders, and controls that seem daunting to the beginner, the Streamer X boasts a simplified interface that lets you configure and control your setup. Large, backlit keys let you easily control audio and video even in low-light settings, with dedicated controls for mic and headphones levels, and large audio and video mute buttons. The Streamer X also boasts four SMART pads that can be tailored to your preferences, with the option to access up to 64 through bank switching. These pads can be programmed to initiate audio playback, apply voice FX, and send MIDI messages to your computer. This means that you can execute any keyboard shortcut with a single press of a pad, making it incredibly convenient for tasks such as changing slides during a presentation or switching scenes in your streaming software.

The rear offers a look at all the input and output ports on the Streamer X

Simply put, the $399 Streamer X helps you differentiate between an amateur and a professional video setup. RØDE designed this product for YouTubers, Twitch-streamers, gamers, deejays, podcasters, vloggers, independent media, cinematographers, and online presenters, giving them all a quick, professional way to manage all their recording equipment. The Streamer X lets you connect to 2 computers or mobile device simultaneously with the dual USB-C interfaces, and compatibility with the free UNIFY software lets you perform advanced audio routing, mixing, and configuration. At its price point, it doesn’t break the bank either, which means you can splurge on expensive recording equipment instead, vastly enhancing the quality of your output. The Streamer X also makes for a perfect tool for amateurs looking to get their grasp on professional-grade video/audio production.

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With a body that’s about as small as a Game Boy, the TX-6 inputs as many as 6 audio channels, letting you expertly manage your audio without needing one of those massive, clunky studio mixing rigs. It also comes with Teenage Engineering’s classic ‘industrial-pop’ design language.

When Teenage Engineering isn’t partnering with IKEA to design speaker systems, Nothing to design TWS earbuds, and Panicto design handheld gaming consoles, they get enough time to themselves to design their own hardware. The TX-6 is yet another handheld little affair from the Swedish company, following their Pocket Operators – a set of minimally designed handheld audio interfaces and synths. The TX-6 feels like a more fleshed-out product though, designed for musicians, deejays, and podcasters. The tiny handheld mixer runs on a battery, and lets you manage up to 6 audio sources while also toggling effects between them. In the right hands, the TX-6 has the potential to be an absolute beast, scaling down an entire studio to something that fits in the palm of your hand.

Designer: Teenage Engineering

The device has a breathtakingly minimalist appeal, with a machined aluminum body that feels wonderfully well-built and cold to the touch, and a PU leather base that prevents your TX-6 from sliding around while you mix away. Overall, it weighs a mere 160 grams (or 5.6 ounces) and has an abundance of 3.5mm audio ports, for inputs, outputs, monitoring, etc. Each of the 6 channels has 3 parameter knobs, a volume fader, an LED level meter, and a track button, while along the side, the TX-6 also manages to fit a tiny LED display, a toggle+selection knob, two effect buttons, and a shift button. You can hook the TX-6 to an external speaker or a pair of headphones for monitoring, and there’s a 1/4-inch master-out port at the base that also comes with its own 3.5mm audio adapter. Finally, a USB-C port on the top lets you hook the TX-6 to a laptop/tablet/smartphone for mutli-channel audio, MIDI control, and for installing firmware updates. The USB-C port also lets you charge the TX-6, which runs for 8 hours on a full charge – long enough for even the longest podcast episodes!

If all that wasn’t impressive enough, the TX-6 also borrows from its Pocket Operator ancestors, by packing a portable synth with 4  oscillator waveforms and 4 synthesized drum sounds built-in, along with 8 effects that include reverb, chorus + delay, freeze, tape, filter, and distortion. Each of the 6 channels also packs a three-band eq and adjustable compressor. Tired of dealing with too many peripherals and wires? The TX-6 is even equipped with Bluetooth connectivity, letting you wirelessly manage your audio (although it feels like there’s bound to be a tiny bit of input lag on a wireless connection)

All that power doesn’t come cheap. The TX-6 is priced at a rather conservative $1200 for the handheld mixer, along with the adapter, a USB-C cable, and a cloth bag to carry the entire thing around. While that sounds like much for the average joe, it probably makes more sense to a seasoned music producer or podcaster who’s looking to own pro tools that are portable enough to use in hotel rooms and on airplanes.

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Kids shouldn’t be given screens whenever they have tantrums. Meltdowns are a parent’s nightmare so to avoid such, more often than not, most parents just bring out their phones or tablets to play videos for the kids to watch. Perhaps you have promised yourself you’d never let your baby use a gadget before he’s two but like many parents we know, you’ve already given into the temptation which can very well be a convenience for some adults.

For a change, why not do something different. Instead of screen time, set a music time where the children can be on their own to just listen to music. Kids are visual but they can also be looking for sensory activities. The Yoto Mini is a small audio player that gives kids the experience of having something like a CD player from your youth. This device offers audio playback of kid-friendly tunes to entertain the youngsters.

Designer: Pentagram

Sure, there’s Spotify and YouTube but before the world gets really modernized and taken over by robots and computers, let’s allow the children experience regular things like we used to. The Yoto Mini is a little companion for your little one that will be useful, especially during long trips or boring hours. It looks like a toy but it packs a powerful audio experience the children can appreciate.

The Yoto Mini is a follow-up to the Yoto Player introduced by Pentagram. The latter is a design studio that offers more personalized service as the company owners are also the designers themselves. Pentagram has worked on the Yoto Play to be smaller and more affordable. The device also uses the Yoto platform that is now more accessible by a wider audience, specifically, the kids.

This Yoto Mini appears to be the same shape and color as an older iPhone charger—the square one. It can be protected by a colored silicone jacket with a lanyard so the kids can bring them anywhere. With the cover, the Yoto Mini is protected, safe, and made more portable as it is easier to carry.

In front, there are two kid-friendly knobs, speaker holes, plus a small round screen called a pixel display that shows the time and icons. It offers Bluetooth connectivity, USB-C, and a clock. This one doesn’t take voice commands as there are no mics or a camera. It’s purely an audio player so you are guaranteed less distraction.

No ads will be served so there really is no unnecessary airtime. Kids will simply hear songs or audiobooks that are age-appropriate. The children can also use the Yoto Mini to meditate, relax, learn, or get to sleep. Just insert a card of your choice to listen to as there are plenty of choices. The icons on the pixel display will change.  You can choose the track from an album by turning on the right knob. The left button changes the volume level.

If we had the Walkman and the CD players from decades ago, your kids have the Yoto Mini. They can also listen to the Yoto Daily podcast where they can learn new facts, hear jokes, and play games. Just press on the right knob to change the settings.

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