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Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?

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Re: Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?

#221

Post by ComputerGuru »

rboyd wrote: post #169
ComputerGuru wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's hard to believe, their Dvorak/Qwerty version has four or five different keys completely mislabeled, which made me return it because I couldn't trust the product any more.

Which keys? I didn't find that to be the case -- but even if it were, one of the features of this keyboard is you can remap any of the keys to your liking. I had to train on it with https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Typing_of_the_Dead for about 2 weeks before I was beating my usual typing speed. But after that, there's no going back. No more wrist pain, ever. The only thing that sucks is the rubber keys, especially E…

Do you have the one that has both the Qwerty and Dvorak legends on each key?

Re: Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?

#222

Post by bigiain »

vatotemking wrote: post #32

The side-stand of a motorcycle that swings backward to retract. Such a simple yet life saving design. For tech stuff, checkout Windows Surface Hub.

My Honda (Spada) has a neat little rubber spike that projects down below the bottom of the sidestand (and folds over when the bike's sat on the sidestand) - which contacts the road and gently folds the sidestand back/up before anything hard hits the road.

It's a small thing, but it's _so_ much smarter that the suicide-stand on my Ducati (which springs up then lets the bike fall over when it's bumped or moved by someone not expecting it) and way less frustrating that my Kawasaki's "kill the engine as soon as you kick it out of neutral whenever the sidestand isn't fully up or the switch has got gummed up and dirty again" approach. (But all three are better then my Caviga's occasional "smash and lever you over" the first time you lean it to the left after moving off without having raised the sidestand.)

(Writing all this down, perhaps it's _me_ who needs to get more methodical about raising my sidestand before riding off, eh?)

Re: Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?

#223

Post by WillPostForFood »

gravlaks wrote: post #194

Norton Commander back in the DOS days. It was soo fast to use. Which is why I use Total Commander today.

Norton Commander was great. Simple, fast, powerful. I often wonder why Finder/Explorer don't borrow from it.

Re: Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?

#224

Post by snizzitch »

DJI Mavic Pro. Its flying capabilities are remarkable, the 4K video looks almost surreal, and all fits into a pouch the size of a medium-sized camera pouch.

Also very impressed with the build quality of various USB extended batteries, "bullet-proof" USB charging wires, and wall chargers from Anker.

Re: Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?

#226

Post by antubbs »

bigiain wrote: post #198
tomcam wrote: post #170

U.S. Constitution Eiffel Tower Bosendorfer 214CS piano 1986 Fender Performer guitar 1959 Fender Stratocaster Yamaha YBL 321 trombone Yamaha Q series alto sax Any Zojirushi rice cooker Vitamix Sony SRF-M37w radio Golden Gate Bridge (walk it) Any Porsche 911 Toyota Sienna minivan Any MacBook Air Duluth Trading Longtail T shirts web2py C89 Visual Basic 3.0 Turbo Pascal 3.0 Visual Pascal Vim Eggs, bananas, bell peppers,…

A little surprised not to see a Shure SM28 or 57 microphone near the items at the top of that list... And if you're gonna have the GG Bridge, can I propose the 747as well. They're still building them now, almost 50 years later - the first one rolled out of the factory in '68 (first test flight wasn't till '69)

The 747 is certainly iconic, but I hate to be the one to tell you that 747 production may be coming to an end as the industry has zero interest in inefficient four-engine jets.

Basically no interest in the passenger or freighter model at this stage (the newest series, the -8I/-8F, has attracted barely over 100 deliveries). Same story for the A380, whose orders basically stopped in 2014. Freight and passenger service are both moving to more efficient twin-engine wide-bodies.

Re: Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?

#227

Post by goldenchrome »

dcw303 wrote: post #209

The Casio F-91W Digital wrist watch https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casio_F-91W Keeps better time than a Rolex, and is a fraction of the price. Waterproof. Has an alarm, stopwatch, and timer; all things missing from traditional wind ups. Interface is easy to use and discover. The battery last almost forever. Now, if you're asking if it's aesthetically pleasing, that's a different story. But we were talking about design…

Aesthetics is often part of design.

Re: Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?

#228

Post by forvelin »

dcw303 wrote: post #209

The Casio F-91W Digital wrist watch https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casio_F-91W Keeps better time than a Rolex, and is a fraction of the price. Waterproof. Has an alarm, stopwatch, and timer; all things missing from traditional wind ups. Interface is easy to use and discover. The battery last almost forever. Now, if you're asking if it's aesthetically pleasing, that's a different story. But we were talking about design…

Unfortunately, combined with eastern features, it can get you into trouble in US.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seton_Hall_reports#Detainees.2...

Re: Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?

#229

Post by broodbucket »

FreakyT wrote: post #27

Another odd one, but my Honda Fit 2nd Generation. So many things about that car are so well thought-out, and even more expensive/luxurious cars miss things that the Fit designers included. Some examples: - Cup holder on the dashboard to the left of the steering wheel. As a left-handed person, this is amazing. - Window power remains on after turning off the car as long as doors haven't been opened, allowing you to clo…

>Cup holder on the dashboard to the left of the steering wheel. As a left-handed person, this is amazing.

Huh, as a lefty in a country that drives on the left side of the road, I'd never considered this was a problem.

Re: Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?

#230

Post by repler »

navbaker wrote: post #40

A maybe overly-broad category, but the style of ceramic coffee mugs that have handles big enough to get all four fingers in. I don't realize how easy they are to hold until I'm using a mug that only allows one or two fingers in the handle.

I believe you mean "bistro style" mugs and I emphatically agree.
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