Notebook Accessories

This range of notebook accessories was Philips’ first concerted effort to create a coherent family of products for mobile computer use which had more of a consumer focus. Collaborating with a newly established business unit, the project included initial market, product and user research, portfolio planning, design strategy development, and the creation and implementation of a coherent design language across a range of disparate product typologies.

The resulting products were all designed to be completely self-contained and considered from every angle, in support of their mobile nature. They also incorporated simple but intelligent features, which specifically addressed the needs of flexible use at home and on the move.

For example, having identified that a weakness of wireless mice is that their batteries can run out unexpectedly, the extra space available inside was used to house an additional emergency USB “umbilical cord” for wired functionality and direct charging of the batteries (unlike most electronic products which are driven by miniaturisation, the size of a computer mouse is defined by the size of the hand, not the components inside).

Similar consideration was given to the other items in the range, such as a notebook sleeve with one soft and one rigid side so that it can be used on the lap as an impromptu work surface, a presenter with a miniature USB wireless dongle that can also be used to store your presentations (which are often of a file size to large to email), and a soft upholstered notebook tray with inbuilt quality speakers for watching films in bed or on the sofa, protecting both your notebook and lap from overheating.