After Lumio made the Lito book-shaped folding light, it is now following up with a different clever design object – the discrete speaker called the Teno. The speaker is available in either “Lava Black” or “Arctic White” and looks like a stone bowl that has a crack running across it. When the speaker is pulled open, sound pours out and warm light is exposed. Both the sound and light can be adjusted with touch sensors.

The First Product of Lumio Inspired Several Knock-offs

Teno by Lumio
After Lumio founder Max Gunawan appeared on Shark Tank in 2015, several knock-offs of the book-shaped Lito folding light appeared on the market. Gunawan has started collecting the knock-offs, and he’ll probably have to start a second collection of fakes for the new Tenos.

While most gadgets on the market today have a sleek design, the Teno has a meditative and nature-based feel to it. Lumio calls it a new interpretation of a sound bowl. The exterior of the device is made of sand and cast resin that makes it look sculptural rather than technological. Gunawan's goal with this design is to create technology that has a handcrafted quality and not the typical industrial looking product that can be seen everywhere.

The Crack In the Teno Is a Nod to Kintsugi

Lumio's light-filled speaker
Kintsugi is a Japanese method that uses gold seams to mend pottery, and the crack in the Teno is certainly a nod to it. It is lined with gold paint and glows in the same color. The philosophy of Kintsugi is focused on acknowledging the history of objects as opposed to simply discarding those that are broken. Sustainability is certainly on the minds of the people at Lumio, and Gunawan hopes that the Teno will be a “timeless” device that will help break the yearly upgrade cycle. While many products on the market become obsolete rather quickly, the Teno will develop a kind of patina as it gets old, and that will serve to add to its beauty.

The Teno has 250 lumens that are ideal for ambiance and not so good for lighting an entire room. According to Lumio, the sound can cover from 50 to 200 square feet, and buyers that purchase two Tenos can pair them together for stereo sound. The expected battery life is around four hours.