Notes Design

You'd think more design attention would be paid to products that have to compete in the marketplace than on products that are given away for free. But as we can see on FarFromBoring, a blog dedicated to promotional products, it looks like someone actually spent time thinking about how to make these products useful, even if they won't end up at the Cooper-Hewitt.

We admit that some of these products veer dangerously close to "Plugs Into USB!" territory, but the site is still worth a click-through, to see what innovation unhampered by market forces (and in some cases, discerning taste) looks like.

Above: A commuter mug that plugs in and stays hot for those long drives, and a wallet-friendly magnifying glass for seniors needing to read small print. Below: A luggage-tag sewing kit, hand sanitizer that hangs around, and a simple adapter that lets you plug in to your car's battery.