This kettle by Kingston University graduate Anna Czaniecka is shaped like two mugs so the user can precisely measure how much water to boil for cups of tea. More about Anna Czaniecka shapes kettle like mugs to save water when making tea
This inflatable bag by Royal College of Art graduate Peng You is designed to keep electronic devices safe from knocks and bumps. More about Peng You's Fugu bag inflates to protect your gadgets
Royal College of Art graduate Ayca Dundar has redesigned the umbrella, paring it back to a pop-up canopy with six parts so it can recover from being blown inside out (+ movie). More about Drop umbrella by Ayca Dundar is made of just six parts
Prolific Japanese design studio Nendo seems set on proving it can design anything, adding to its portfolio a boat shoe for luxury brand Tod's and a glass chess set for crystal house Baccarat. More about Nendo adds boat shoes and a crystal chess set to its diverse portfolio
Design graduate Mireia Gordi i Vila presents a flexible and reusable packaging system for valuable goods at the Royal College of Art (RCA) show in London, which opened today (+ slideshow). More about Reusable Fragile packaging forms a protective skin around delicate objects
Yves Behar has designed a smart cup called Vessyl, which detects what you're drinking and displays its nutritional contents in real time. More about Smart cup by Yves Behar knows precisely what's in your drink
News: US technology firm Honeywell has released a minimal smart thermostat that learns household routines, a rival to Nest's similar connected home product. More about Honeywell joins connected-home market with Lyric smart thermostat
Icelandic studio Hlutagerðin has designed this leather and lambskin armour to keep teapots warm and protect tablets from coffee table scrapes (+ slideshow). More about Hlutagerðin recreates ancient Icelandic armour for tea cosy and tablet case
First the connected home; now the connected garden: designer Yves Behar and entrepreneur Jason Aramburu have created products that monitor soil conditions and automatically water plants when they get thirsty (+ movie). More about Yves Behar moves towards the connected garden with Edyn
This prototype clock by Boaz Cohen and Sayaka Yamamoto tells the time in a straight line by replacing the hands with a pivoting shell-like structure. More about BCXSY creates linear clock for Designers' Days
Dezeen promotion: Creative program producers Cut&Paste have teamed up with Intel and HP to run a new product design contest called LaunchBox, with over £14,000 in prizes to be won for potential crowdfunding projects. More about Cut&Paste and HP launch contest for pre-crowdfunded product campaigns
Design graduate Bettina Madita Böhm has created a cylindrical concrete beehive for urban beekeepers to use on the roofs of city buildings. More about Bettina Madita Böhm creates Apiarium hive for urban beekeepers
Wearable technology is no longer just for people, as San Francisco agency New Deal Design has designed an activity-tracking device for canine companions. More about Whistle wearable technology for dogs lets owners monitor pet activity
A team of American scientists and designers have collaborated to create the drinkable book, using a combination of typography, nanotechnology and specially-designed filter paper. More about Drinkable Book combines sanitation manual and filters for contaminated water
A new invention by Danish studio Norm Architects for Menu claims to make your favourite beer taste even better by whisking up beery foam you can pour on top (+ slideshow). More about Beer Foamer by Norm Architects promises better pints
An instrument played by hitting a series of rocks has been created by designers at Italian research group Fabrica for a member of their music team's latest album (+ movie). More about Fabrica researchers create electronic musical instrument from stones and wood
French designer Mathieu Lehanneur has designed a 20-sided wireless speaker that can rest on any of its triangular faces. More about Boom Boom speaker by Mathieu Lehanneur has 20 faces
The Canada-based creators of the Vanhawks Valour claim to have designed the "first smart, connected bicycle", which gives riders directions as well as alerts to prevent them cycling into dangerous situations. More about "Smart" bicycle by Vanhawks gives directions with flashing lights and vibrating safety alerts
A series of clocks with mechanisms suspended from wires connected to plywood frames will be presented as part of the first museum exhibition dedicated to the work of Argentinian designer Daniel Weil at London's Design Museum (+ slideshow). More about Daniel Weil designs deconstructed clocks for Design Museum exhibition
Milan 2014: the latest collection from Italian design brand Discipline includes chopping boards that look like pebbles and a desk tidy object that resembles an apple. More about Discipline's 2014 collection includes an apple-shaped desk tidy