Tired of plain old rectangular notebooks? There’s a new trend of uniquely shaped notebooks designed to make you rethink how you take notes or doodle, and we tested two of the most eye-catching ones: the Triangle Notebook and the Sidekick Notebook. These aren’t just paper pads; they’re design experiments that challenge the norm and might just shake up your desk setup.
Contents
Why Try Such Unusual Shapes?
Notebooks have been the same shape for centuries, right? A producer from The Verge, Andru Marino, spotted these online – the Triangle Notebook, which unfolds into a square, and the L-shaped Sidekick designed to sit alongside your keyboard. What drew him in was the sheer weirdness. He wanted to know if these strange forms could inspire different ways of thinking or creating, especially for doodling.
Meet the Odd Couple: Triangle and Sidekick
Let’s break down what makes these two stand out:
The Triangle Notebook
It looks exactly like it sounds: a sturdy, thick triangle. The surprise comes when you open it up – it lays flat to form a perfect square. It’s bound along one edge of the triangle, which becomes the spine when open.
The Sidekick Notebook
This one is shaped like an ‘L’. The idea is that one part of the ‘L’ sits against your computer keyboard or screen, and the other part extends out onto your desk, offering a unique writing surface positioned for easy access while you’re typing.
What Works (and What Doesn’t)
After trying them out, here’s the lowdown on the practical side:
The Good
- Rethinking Usage: Both notebooks force you to think differently about writing surfaces. The Sidekick tucks neatly alongside your keyboard, taking up minimal space while open. The Triangle Notebook is surprisingly stable on uneven surfaces or even your lap because it lies flat on its stout spine when open.
- Encouraging Analog Use: In an increasingly digital world, using these notebooks encouraged more handwriting and doodling, which was a personal goal.
- Conversation Starters: Let’s be honest, these are cool, quirky objects that look like art pieces.
A collection of colorful Triangle Notebooks, highlighting how one opens into a square shape.
The Not-So-Good
- Practicality: Taking notes on an L-shaped piece of paper can feel a bit awkward. The shape is more suited to quick jots or drawings than structured note-taking.
- Cost and Pages: The Triangle Notebook is on the pricier side ($33) but doesn’t have a huge page count. For the cost, you might wish for more space or longevity.
- Storage & Portability: The Triangle Notebook, especially, is long and doesn’t fit easily into standard shelves or bags.
- Tearing Pages: If you like to tear out notes to share or discard, these notebooks aren’t designed for that. The pages aren’t perforated.
The L-shaped Sidekick Notebook positioned next to a computer keyboard on a desk.
Who Are These For?
The Sidekick Notebook seems most useful for artists or designers who want a small, dedicated space for quick sketches or notes right next to their digital workspace. It could also work for anyone who needs a convenient spot for sudden ideas during computer-based tasks.
The Triangle Notebook is harder to pin down. It’s probably best suited for someone who appreciates unique design objects and wants something sturdy for writing away from a desk, or simply enjoys collecting interesting stationery. It might appeal to someone looking for a tactile, slightly challenging creative tool.
Did They Change Anything?
The initial hope was that the unusual shapes would inspire completely different doodles. While that didn’t quite happen – the notes still looked messy! – using these notebooks did encourage more frequent doodling and writing overall. Sometimes, just changing the tool you use is enough to boost usage, even if it doesn’t magically transform your output.
Ultimately, these notebooks are more about the experience and the aesthetic than peak efficiency. They’re a fun experiment in design, offering a fresh alternative to the standard notepad. If you’re looking to add a touch of unconventional flair to your workspace or creative process, these might be worth a look.
