China Launches 3D Newspapers

3D newspapers are the rage in China. I hate this 3D fad but is there something to it? Is this really the future of all media? With the way 3D is currently executed I see it more as ornament on over stylized objects instead of looking at the root of design. Do designers really need to fall to this level of entertainment or do others see 3D as just a gimmick to sell new TVs and hike up the movie prices?

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Dynamic Wallpaper

The concept asks if your wallpaper visualized your energy use, would you use less energy? Its a great concept, but I think they executed it backwards. As the power consumption increases the patterns grow on the walls which some are incredibly beautiful leaving me wanting to keep them on. They could be really ugly but then I wouldn't want to purchase that wallpaper in the first place. On the other hand, what if the beautiful wallpaper pattern turned boring or faded away until the lights were turned off?

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Nokia Kinetic (Concept)

There are lots of ways we interact with our phone from how we hold it, where we put it, and what we do to either avoid it or keep it prominent in our minds. This phone uses the idea of placement to interact with the phone. Keeping it upright keeps the phone in use and the screen at easy access, or by placing it down puts the phone on away. Good idea?

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Aqua Tower

Don't post architecture often but this tower in Chicago is pretty stunning.

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Unique and Awesome Calander App

The application uses icons placed around a clock to tell you what you have to do when. Might not be the most practical for busy people, or anybody, but its visually way more interesting than the app you're currently using.

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Windows 7 PHONE (Engadget Review)

If you're like me and interested in switching off the iPhone or you just want to follow major updates in the cellphone industry then this is worth a read (although a long one). Skip to the bottom for the wrap-up. Seems like Microsoft hasn't learned any lessons from releasing other major products too early *cough*vista*cough*

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Wired.com Breaks Down AT&T and Apple

Wired.com goes into the AT&T network meltdown and how Apple and AT&T have existed together and explaining how the relationship has not always been one of love.

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Tarp Wave is Awesome

Just watch the video.

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Jonathan Ive talks with Core77 about the iPhone 4

The whole article is worth a read, but anything Jonathan Ive says usually is. His discussion about how important materials are and how designers need to be far more hands on with the design as opposed to living in a CAD world hits close to home. I've had a boss who could not have agreed with this concept less and I couldn't stand it.

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Blogs You Need to Follow

The two blogs below are from my fellow friends and incredibly talented designers Nathan Lucero and Carlos Mendez. Please take a moment of your time and see what they have to say and view their talented work.

Carlos Mendez: Website | Blog
Nathan Lucero: Website | Blog

Sony HD Video Camera with Interchangeable Lenses

Sony finally released a 1080i video camera with interchangeable lenses for consumers for $2000. The good is that with these cameras are finally becoming available to the masses that allow artistic expression much like a DSLR has. Sadly the resolution isn't as high as it should be and the price is still too high for the hobby user to get involved. But it's a good step in the right direction.

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Shadow Clock

I think this is sheer genius. I'd love to have one on my wall and I imagine the design could be expanded on to sculpt the shadows and project light during the day (since the concept only works at night)

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Acer Tablets

Acer will be launching two Android based tablets by the end of this year. The photo is tiny but it looks like it has a physical keyboard (which is awesome) and will be able to do flash which is still necessary in an internet device.

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Engineer + Movie Nerd = The Innevitable

So this isn't designed at all. Hell, its even poorly executed for an engineer, but how has this never been applied to a shoe before now (I'm just assuming it hasn't)? Either way the future is finally here!. Somebody send me a link the the hoverboard.

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Solar Camera Strap

I'm not sure how well camera batteries work on newer or larger cameras but I get around 800 shots for each battery I have in my Canon XSi. I've never once had an issue with batteries but that isn't to say that there isn't a design problem. If you're shooting 1000's of shots a day then you have to carry a lot of batteries. If you're shooting out in the wilderness then you want to carry as little as possible. This design (assuming that solar technology and camera technology becomes more efficient) could eliminate batteries all together. Every photographer could agree with that.

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Red Dot Design Awards: Top 20

These are the best designs (according to Yanko) of the Red Dot Awards. Most of these are wonderful, some of these are ripoffs. All are good inspiration and food for thought. Their first choice, the USB Clip, is a fantastic idea. I want one.

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Moebius Chair by Onxy Furniture

Take the infinity symbol, some wicker, some intense construction, put it in a place where you need seating facing both directions and you have this wonderful design. I'd love to see it in other materials, locations, and maybe longer or articulating to accommodate a variety of situations.

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Coffeemaze

There are some concepts that have no real use or function, that don't solve any problems, and that nobody needs but are still genius and wonderful. This is one of them.

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The Bendable Bike

I'm not a biker (Although I think I'd love to reside in a place where I could bike everywhere and use my car only on special occasions. Sadly that is nowhere near where I live.) but I know from my biker friends the hassle it can be to lock up and disassemble your bike every time you leave it alone. This concept has been posted on every design blog that I read because it is such a good idea, so why not post it here also.

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Flexible Screens: When and Where

HP (now owner of Palm) has once again brought up the idea of flexible screens. There are many concepts out there utilizing the eventual realization of flexible screens. I personally can't wait for a screen that can have a tactile keyboard surface through when needed...but that's a long ways away. At least the possibilities seems promising.

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Fibers That Can Hear and Sing

A very smart man over at MIT has created fibers that can pick up, move, and even play sound. I'm not exactly sure how this technology can be used. Engadget mentions making fabric and clothes that can play music or record...sure. I imagine this could make for all sorts of new ways of approaching sounds.

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Velocity Micro Cruz Tablet

It looks like the iPad, it even functions a lot like the iPad. It runs the Android operating system so it can do everything the iPad can (browse internet, download apps, play games) and do things the iPad can't (transfer files, use flash, expandable storage, etc). But this tablet starts at $199 (up to $299). Comes out in August.

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HTC 1: Concept Phone

This is a personal design project by Andrew Kim. This is his iteration of what HTC should produce to compete with the iPhone taking into consideration design, construction, features and refining the interface. If this phone came into production on any network besides AT&T I'd switch tomorrow.

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iPhone 4: Letting go of my favorite gadget

I love my iPhone 3gs. I love it more than I loved my original iPhone and I don't doubt that the iPhone 4 is quite possibly the best phone ever made when you account for design, features, construction and user interface. At this point in time I can confidently say that I will be letting go of my iPhone and this is why. (Sorry for the rant)

I've never been one to listen to the banter of the Apple bashing. I know they make expensive products. I know their features aren't always the top of the line. I've purchased my Macbook Pro not because it had the fastest processor, graphic card, or highest resolution screen, but because of how it was made and how it works. The laptop feels great in my hands, with materials that make me want to hold it, running an operating system that seems to have less conflicts than Windows (although I run Windows 7 on it as well and it is a fantastic operating system) and overall I just enjoy using it. I can't say the same for any of my Dell or HP laptops whether the plastic felt cheap, the hardware would fail and I'd wait 3 weeks for a repair, or the operating system would randomly slow to a near halt. I paid the Apple premium and I was happy to do so. If people think its too expensive, that's their prerogative, but between design, function, construction, and usability I'm very happy with my purchase.

I have the same feelings towards the iPhone. Yes, it's expensive and it's on AT&T but the phone works amazingly well. For nearly 3 years I haven't been able to imagine life without my personal assistant and buying my first iPhone was one of the easiest decisions I ever made. Times have changed over the years though and between Android and manufactures stepping up their game, the iPhone isn't the only player in the world of amazing phones. Still, after playing with Droids and other Android sets I still believe the iPhone is the clear winner but there are so many disadvantages to owning one now. AT&T is worse than it ever has been: It's signal strength is dismal, the costs are the highest among all carriers, and if you sign up now you have to pay full price for an extremely small amount of internet. Not only does the service suck, but now the iPhone has a major reception flaw (link at the bottom of the post) that is unacceptable from a product you spend so much money on.

Over the next 6 months there will be a whole lot of new phones coming out as well as Android 3.0. The phones will have better performance and features than the iPhone. The operating system will be better but I don't believe it will be as good as iOS. Hopefully these phones take on better design and construction to go with a very good operating system on any network (Sprint is half the price, Verizon is expensive but is incredibly fast and reliable). Fact is, Apple you blew it. I was faithful to you and your product line but you chose the worst carrier and now your phone isn't up to par. I can't wait to see what phones come out that I'll love more than my current 3GS

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Returning to my blog: Inspiration

Awhile back my workload got full and I neglected my blog which only hurts myself. So keeping my promise to myself I'm getting this going again. Here is a bit of recent inspiration.

Aston Martin: One-77

Aston Martin without any doubt makes some of the most gorgeous and eye-catching sports cars around. I've always been a huge fan of the DB9 and the Vantage. This is their new, more aggressive version. It looks like the DB9 mated with a McLaren-SLR which I completely approve of.

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Cool Design of an Electric Bike

Just a beautiful electric bike design. Not much to say.

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Adobe CS5: Totally Cheating

Adobe CS5 is about to be announced and the link below is a demo of Photoshop's new Content Aware feature. A quick summary of the video is Photoshop now includes the magic button and will do whatever you want because you imagine it will...and I'm barely exaggerating.

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Draw while you Photoshop so you can Draw while you Draw

This little program/art creation keeps showing up on my screen so I might as well post about it. The program tracks your cursor and clicks and creates a graphic based on your workflow. So if you want to see what your work looks like after a day in photoshop then check this program out.

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Vanity at Hard Rock: Vegas

A beautiful, slightly over-the-top, designer club and bar opening in Vegas. Worth a view or a visit if you can.

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switCH|table and chair

Ingenious design I stumbled upon today in which the user can have an armchair or a seat with his own personal table.

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Solar Powered Touchscreens

For anybody who has designed mobile devices or worked on solar powered devices, then this technology is something you wish existed. Please come out soon!

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Samsung's Transparent OLED Laptop

Transparent OLED's are a fantastically promising technology. I see a future of handheld devices in which the user interacts by pressing on the back of the screen instead of the front. This allows the screen to stay oil free as well as never having to be covered by your fingers. This would work well from smart cellphones to mobile computers and gaming devices.

This computer is using exciting new technology, but the interface isn't designed for it and there's no benefit to the user for having this technology besides that it is "cool". The only positive I see is that the more OLED's purchased, the cheaper they will become, which will eventually lead to more consumer options.

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Canon T2i

The next iteration from Canon on their low end DSLR cameras. The biggest jump in the last year for DSLR has been the HD video and just behind that the micro 4/3s cameras. This camera only takes a small jump from its predecessor offering better video quality, slight jump in iso, and a jump in megapixels (which at this point is just overkill). Nice to see it still under a grand though. If only they could get rid of that horrible stock lens and put it in a magnesium body for that price.

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Turbine Lights Light Up Highways

This beautiful contemporary design uses wind created from cars driving on the highway to power the lighting. I'm pretty sure I've seen this concept before, but this one is much more tastefully done.

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BMW + Sennheiser

BMW teams up with headphone maker Sennheiser to produce what should be revolutionary headphones. Instead it looks like aesthetically aggressive earbuds where the design seems to overshadow the product.

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No More Brain Cancer

This cellphone case claims to reduce cellphone radiation by 85%. I understand the concern about radiation going into the brain and body from cellphones, and that it would be a good idea to come up with good solutions to the problem, but I have a hard time believing this is the right solution. I haven't done really any research into this product yet, but last time I checked, when I put a cellphone up to my head the side with the case on it is facing the opposite direction. So how does that possible stop the radiation from going through the screen into my brain?

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Mobile Printing

Everything in our technological life has become mobile one way or another but printing has fallen way behind. This concept, which is probably not feasible, seems like a wonderful printing solution that I imagine most people wouldn't mind throwing in their bag.

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For All Designers/Artists

If you draw then you have tons of mini-pencils, or your garbage can does. This tiny little design puts them back to good use.

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Music Through the Surface

This tiny portable "speaker" called The Vibe puts sound waves into the surface it's sitting on making that surface the actual speaker. Placing it on a hallow or porous surface apparently creates better sound. I wonder how much sound this little guy can produce or how effectively different each type of surface sounds.

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The Vyrus

An absurdly expensive, lightweight, powerful, over-the-top motorcycle that uses a unique way of replacing the front suspension and steering via a central hub.

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For the Fidgeter

For all those people who tend to fidget with their rings when bored or nervous, Kinekt has designed a ring that gives a "purpose" to this type of interaction while also giving a new aesthetic to an old concept.

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Light Up Soap Bar

This light up soap bar is quite beautiful, although doesn't offer a solution to replacing your existing soap bar. I'd like it more if it dispensed liquid soap when you picked it up. Otherwise it's a wonderful idea.

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