Autonomous Built A Standing Desk For $399; $599 With AI Helper

[N.Broekhuijsen]

Autonomous' latest product, the Autonomous Desk, is a standing desk that can come with an AI helper built in. They say she's a Siri killer, too!

Autonomous Built A Standing Desk For $399; $599 With AI Helper : Read more

 

[DarkSable]

Thank you for the comparison regarding the price - I wouldn't have had any idea that it was cheap, thanks to Ikea. While the prospect of spending $700 on a smart desk seems a little silly to me, I can understand why it would appeal to some.

 

[Ning3n]

A "Siri killer"... That is stationary, and doesn't fit in your backpack, purse, or pocket... And costs more than a crApple iPotato?

Sign me up for not.

 

[TeamColeINC]

$399 is still way to much in my opinion, anything near $1000 and someone needs to get slapped. $50 bucks at Home Depot and 45 minutes in the garage and you could have something just as good. Use iPhone (Siri) or Windows Phone (Cortana) for smart version.

 

[LostAlone]

The problem with this (and many similar desks) is that in a fundamental sense it ISN'T what most of us are used to using as a desk. It's just not big enough to be a direct replacement. Think about it - Most desks come with at least one set of drawers and practically all have enough space to allow for a computer tower to sit either in a specific niche off the surface or on the floor.

And this desk has none of that. There's no way that you'll have enough space for a tower up on that desk, and it can't go on the floor because the cables won't reach. So if you work from a tower instead of an all in one (and almost all offices do) then you basically can't use these desks.

And that doesn't even start on paper clips, TPS report cover sheets and all the other assorted crap that you need within arms reach all day every day. Are you supposed to just pile it up on one end of the desk? I mean, in the pictures you'll notice that the landline phone isn't even on the desk, even though that's a critical part of almost every desk workers day.

This is a desk looking to answer a problem that isn't there. If you need so little space to work in, then you could be working on a laptop on your knees and still be exactly as effective or on a Surface or iPad standing up. No need for a desk, just stand up.

 

[SirGCal]

$400 for a standing desk is pretty cheap. My conventional desk also has no drawers,.etc. and in it's time cost almost that much. I want a standing desk though but the ones I were looking at were multiple thousands.

While I sit at a desk all day, having a good one is important. I already have the good (and too darned expensive) chair but I need something that adjusts so I can stand once in a while. I work far too much (100+ hour weeks) so it's important to me.

And as for cables, good grief if your cables can't reach from a tower on the floor to the desk, you have other serious issues. My monitor cables are PLENTY long a few times over. And should, by chance, the USBs actually run short, a hub of any flavor is very cheap. Speakers are also plenty long. So there is no problems there. And it is larger then it looks. It's not a 7 foot desk but it's not a lap desk either. The picture on this page is a side view (very poor). It is big enough to hold my triple monitor setup easily. Probably not the tower though which is fine.

My only remaining question now is; are they built well? Standing desks have a lot of parts that need to be robust and reliable and durable. Time will tell.

 

[SirGCal]

Thank you for the comparison regarding the price - I wouldn't have had any idea that it was cheap, thanks to Ikea. While the prospect of spending $700 on a smart desk seems a little silly to me, I can understand why it would appeal to some.

I'm more interested in the dumb desk for $400... Standing desks themselves are just so expensive... That's a bargain. They can keep the 'smart' garbage... I can Google just fine.

 

[alidan]

oh my god... this is so stupid... are people really so pathetic now that they would... can use the word... away 400+ or as one person here said thousands of dollars on a desk that they have to stand to use? as an above person said, the wood working skills needed to make a decent desk in under an hour are not hard to come by or gain yourself.

hell my brother bought a particle board desk for 1000$ that if i built myself would have cost 200$ at most and be better quality wise too.

 

[kenyee]

So I googled for some DIY standing desks and didn't see that many great ones. Remember that this desk is motorized and can remember a bunch of different heights.
If it's that simple to do this, I'd like to see you guys point me at how you can built it for $50 in Home Depot parts 🙂

 

[SirGCal]

oh my god... this is so stupid... are people really so pathetic now that they would... can use the word... away 400+ or as one person here said thousands of dollars on a desk that they have to stand to use? as an above person said, the wood working skills needed to make a decent desk in under an hour are not hard to come by or gain yourself.

hell my brother bought a particle board desk for 1000$ that if i built myself would have cost 200$ at most and be better quality wise too.

You must first learn to read and comprehend... This desk goes from a seated position to a standing position. It does so relatively quickly (< a minute for the best ones) and EXTREMELY smoothly so as not to move/shake anything on the desk at all. So if you can build this out of plywood, you must be a GOD cause I would require two linear or screw type lifts that would both handle the weight load of a desk and be smooth and quick to lift. Generally speaking, those cost more then just this desk alone, BTW... That is one reason the price is so surprising. It isn't a desk that just sits there 4' off the floor... /sigh...

If you even looked at their website they have a nice video right there... It is a standing desk, meaning it stands up with you. Not just a very tall desk to stand at.

Since so many here seem too lazy to even read the first paragraph of this topic but then insist on posting, perhaps... Here's a video: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/403524037/autonomous-desk-the-smartest-office-desk-yet-power

 

[SirGCal]

$399 is still way to much in my opinion, anything near $1000 and someone needs to get slapped. $50 bucks at Home Depot and 45 minutes in the garage and you could have something just as good. Use iPhone (Siri) or Windows Phone (Cortana) for smart version.

Please, show me where to get two smooth, fast, and weight bearing lifting motors from home depot within that budget... Didn't think so...

 

[Darkbreeze]

And as for cables, good grief if your cables can't reach from a tower on the floor to the desk, you have other serious issues. My monitor cables are PLENTY long a few times over.

Not everybody is 4'1" tall. I don't know about you, but personally, I've never seen a monitor, usb hub, keyboard or mouse (In the even you're using wired versions) with cables long enough to reach from the desktop to a tower sitting on the floor, when adjusted for somebody who's 5'7" tall let alone somebody over 6'.

All that aside, I'm all for a desk TOP that can be raised to a comfortable height fro working while standing, expressly FOR the purpose of getting out of that sitting position and stretching out a bit without having to bend over to do so. However, any version intended to ONLY be used while standing was clearly designed by someone who has never HAD to be on their feet most of the day much less an entire shift of reception, design, CAD or any other professional capacity that requires being at the desk the majority of the day.

Half an hour of standing in one place and the appeal of that desk will be reduced to nada.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Also, I see NO mention of it being intended for use while sitting. The article clearly says it automatically adjusts to your standing height when you walk into the room, but makes no mention anywhere of it adjusting for use while sitting.

 

[uglyduckling81]

Why not have the desk be a manual adjustment for $100.
Hell if the desk is too heavy slap a spring tensioner on or a pulley weight system.
Who needs an electric desk.
Not to mention standing all day is inhumane. Give me a comfy chair and a good slouch any day.
What do I care if I'm an old invalid with a straight back compared to an old invalid with a curved spine. I'm still old and invalid.

 

[LostAlone]

And as for cables, good grief if your cables can't reach from a tower on the floor to the desk, you have other serious issues. My monitor cables are PLENTY long a few times over.

Not everybody is 4'1" tall. I don't know about you, but personally, I've never seen a monitor, usb hub, keyboard or mouse (In the even you're using wired versions) with cables long enough to reach from the desktop to a tower sitting on the floor, when adjusted for somebody who's 5'7" tall let alone somebody over 6'.

All that aside, I'm all for a desk TOP that can be raised to a comfortable height fro working while standing, expressly FOR the purpose of getting out of that sitting position and stretching out a bit without having to bend over to do so. However, any version intended to ONLY be used while standing was clearly designed by someone who has never HAD to be on their feet most of the day much less an entire shift of reception, design, CAD or any other professional capacity that requires being at the desk the majority of the day.

Half an hour of standing in one place and the appeal of that desk will be reduced to nada.

Exactly.

The only people who'd want to move to a standing desk are those who don't spend much time at their desk to begin with. No-one who works on their feet for eight or ten hours shifts would ever even think about a standing desk if they got moved to an office job. If you work on your feet, you understand the value of a chair.

Like all the other similar crap, this is a desk for rich managers who spend 95% of their time in meetings and almost none at their desks. If you work at a desk all day the one thing you want to be is comfy, because working is hard enough as it is.

 

[SkyBill40]

The notion that "The only people who'd want to move to a standing desk are those who don't spend much time at their desk to begin with" is ridiculous and speaks to someone who has never used a sit/stand desk in the first place. As for the complaint about cables not reaching? Seriously? They make LONGER ones.

*edited for hurt feelings*

Anyway..

I had the pleasure of having a sit/stand desk at an old job and from that moment on, I wanted one for my home. It wasn't electrically assisted but manual in the lift and only lifted a large center section that was easily large enough to hold most all of your typical desk stuff. The two side sections remained fixed at the base height of the desk and each side held a filing cabinet. It was awesome. Ergotron makes some great desks like this but they're spendier than I'd like. This could be a great alternative if I hadn't already bought a new desk (that doesn't lift, sadly).

I've tried repeatedly to show the proven medical benefits of such a desk but my present company is too busy with increasing their own salaries while screwing over the rest of us and driving the company into the ground to care about employee health and well being. Such a shame.

 

[tburns1]

Siri Killer? But the picture shows a Mac? There's gonna be a fight between the two AI's.

 

[SirGCal]

And as for cables, good grief if your cables can't reach from a tower on the floor to the desk, you have other serious issues. My monitor cables are PLENTY long a few times over.

Not everybody is 4'1" tall. I don't know about you, but personally, I've never seen a monitor, usb hub, keyboard or mouse (In the even you're using wired versions) with cables long enough to reach from the desktop to a tower sitting on the floor, when adjusted for somebody who's 5'7" tall let alone somebody over 6'.

Well, with my current one, I have no problems with the cables that came with my monitors.. .And I'm 6'4". So I still have no idea WTF you are talking about unless you're using micro-short cables on purpose, that would be your own fault.

Or... OMG, buy new cables... If the ones you got are too short, get longer ones. They aren't even expensive. What a concept!!!

 

[SirGCal]

The only people who'd want to move to a standing desk are those who don't spend much time at their desk to begin with. No-one who works on their feet for eight or ten hours shifts would ever even think about a standing desk if they got moved to an office job. If you work on your feet, you understand the value of a chair.

Like all the other similar crap, this is a desk for rich managers who spend 95% of their time in meetings and almost none at their desks. If you work at a desk all day the one thing you want to be is comfy, because working is hard enough as it is.

Holy cow... Are people really this insensate? You do not have to stand all the time. Infact that would be very uncomfortable. However standing for ~ 20% of your work time is a healthy practice. And for someone like me who sits at a desk for well over 100 hours a week, it's imperative. I've already lost muscle coordination from sitting too much. I have a thousand dollar, very comphy chair, but it is not the healthy option to sit on my butt forever.

Why not have the desk be a manual adjustment for $100.
Hell if the desk is too heavy slap a spring tensioner on or a pulley weight system.
Who needs an electric desk.

I haven't found a manual one that is as smooth and not shakey as the electrics. Plus they cost about this much anyhow...

Not to mention standing all day is inhumane. Give me a comfy chair and a good slouch any day.
What do I care if I'm an old invalid with a straight back compared to an old invalid with a curved spine. I'm still old and invalid.

See the above... It is actually more inhumane to make someone sit all day. And I am an old invalid. I use a wheelchair most of the time, unless I'm at my desk in my comphy chair. And I do my best to stand (minimal use of legs thanks to Multiple Sclerosis and sitting too much) as much as possible. If I do it well and exercise, I might get more of my legs back. You have no idea how bad sitting forever can be... I know first hand cause I didn't know better before.

 

[WFang]

As a desk worker (salaried engineer... 40 hour work-weeks are a myth!), I see the value in this, because as tired as you get from standing 8 hours (grew up on a farm, I've done my share of standing work-days too), the key that some of you seem to ignore/miss is that with this desk you can sit AND stand throughout your day. I plan on doing about 0.5 to 1 hour standing, 2 sitting then rinse and repeat. They only way this would be better is if it included a treadmill option at a similar price-point.

 

[uglyduckling81]

As a desk worker (salaried engineer... 40 hour work-weeks are a myth!), I see the value in this, because as tired as you get from standing 8 hours (grew up on a farm, I've done my share of standing work-days too), the key that some of you seem to ignore/miss is that with this desk you can sit AND stand throughout your day. I plan on doing about 0.5 to 1 hour standing, 2 sitting then rinse and repeat. They only way this would be better is if it included a treadmill option at a similar price-point.

You don't need an expensive desk and a treadmill for that bro. Go and be a meter reader for electricity meters. You can walk and stand all day long.

 

[Pedasc]

The coworker behind me just received a sit/stand attachment for his desk. It is mechanical and comes with a mount for multiple monitors. It has a tension adjustment so you can make the platform more stable at the expense of making it harder to lift but it lifts smooth and easy. The only problems I see that since his desk is too high he has to move his wireless keyboard and mouse to his keyboard tray and the platform is a bit flimsier than I'd like.

It all works well and costs a little over $100. Add the price of the desk and you have the only solution I have ever seen in the same price range as this desk and it is not electric. This is fairly impressive.

The installer, who of course was also a salesman, said that standing about 15 minutes out of every hour is the spot where most people see the most benefit. I'm holding judgement until my coworker had it for a while but he already saying he notices a difference and doesn't feel quite as stiff at the end of the day.

 

[Quixit]

This is not much of a "desk", no draws or trays or PC storage of any kind? Doesn't that make it more of a sit/stand table?

 

[bliq]

So... I actually have a standing desk at work.. No you can't build one for $100. It has motors to lift it up and bring it down via buttons. I'm pretty certain mine costs close to $1000 (my company spends A Lot on ergonomics).

And making it manual defeats the purpose- because you'd never change it. the point of a standing desk is to be able to sit down and stand and sit down and stand when you feel like it. I raise and lower my desk several times a day. sometimes it makes more sense to raise it when I'm working with someone so they don't need to hunch over my back.

And finally, I have a pedestal filing cabinet under my desk. It doesn't need to be integrated. and my desk has more than enough space. It kinda forces/teaches you not to be cluttered. when I had a cube, I had stuff all over the place. Now I have my 2 monitors (27, 24 in portrait), some scratch paper, a place for my laptop, and cup of pens. That's it. I don't feel the need for piles of paper or books or whatever (although I have a lot of space in my pedestal). I guess I also have a small desktop under my desk- it's perfectly fine sitting on the floor.

I actually much prefer my standing desk to my old cube.

 

[Brandon Burkett]

...not sure, but I'm guessing that both the girl and guy in the photos would have an even better time if the machines were actually plugged in and on.

/JustSayin'