Minimal Apps From Muji

Design Muji Commercialnerds were excited this week to find that Muji mobile apps are now featured on the landing page of their website. Personally, I’m very excited to see what the minimalist Japanese store has come up with.

The apps are clean and stylish, living up to Muji’s reputation as a leader in minimalist aesthetic. For those not familiar with the brand, the name Muji is derived from the first part of Mujirushi Ryōhin, translated as No Brand Quality Goods.  Muji’s mission is to achieve simplicity, but a simplicity gained through a complexity of thought and design.

The apps available are Muji Calendar, Muji Notebook and Muji to Go.  The Calendar app definitely looks great, but Notebook is my favorite.  Muji Notebook provides a simple outlet for creativity with handwriting recognition, sketch tools, and four different page types (ruled, gridded, quadrant, and plain).  You can even import photos and PDF files to the app which can be resized and laid out on the pages for editing.  The main feature of Notebook above other sketching apps (and the reason that I’m a fan) is its minimalism of design while still offering a bevy of features- it’s deceptively streamlined and yet feature-rich.

Muji Calendar is a fully featured calendar, and makes sense as an extension of Muji’s line of stationery. It includes the option to sync with Google Calendars, but this isn’t necessary if you aren’t a Google Calendar user. It uses familiar gestures like pinch-to-zoom, and organization is presented in rich, muted reds and grays consistent with Muji’s overall brand aesthetic.

Muji To Go might be handy for travelers. It’s basically just a collection of useful tools including world clocks, Forex currency converters, weather reports and a calculator.

There’s a fourth app (also free), but it’s basically a glorified catalog for their clothing line.  Interesting to look at, but not a lot of application there.