Quirky Tilted Media Players

Rigid straightness has been the unwritten rule of tech design for decades, but the new 'A&norma SR15' from luxury audio accessory brand Astell & Kern is scoffing at the law with its design. The media player features a tilted screen -- something that looks surreal at first but actually reveals a surprising degree of functionality.

To be sure, straight lines have been crucial to design for good reason. Designers need to assume that tech will be viewed on even surfaces, so everything from televisions to desktop monitors have needed to be straight in order to function properly. However, mobile device are almost exclusively used while being held, which gives designers the leeway to get crooked. The slight cant of the A&norma SR15 partly leaves room for a tactile volume knob, but it also increases the ergonomic benefit by eliminating the need to twist one's wrist while looking at the device.