USB me

Been thinking about Mat and Tec project... what should i hack? I've come up with a few possibilities.

1] a dead mobile phone [but to make a new keypad would be really hard]

2] a hard drive [but heat is an issue]

3] a USB drive

I ALWAYS loose my USB... and then consequently cry because i lost all my work and while USB jewellery is a good idea, i feel that it has been done pretty badly take this for example....

and that is a pretty good one there are some atrocious ones out there.

The problem is tho it's decorated like jewellery we still know that it is just a blinged up USB drive, and while that might float some peoples boat... it doesn't really float mine.

Swarovski did an awesome collection of Tech savvy jewellery in conjunction with Phillips a while back..

Where i think that this is so much more successful than the "geek Chic" that the other USB/ jewellery tries to achieve is that when in jewellery form its unrecognisable, and the form has meaning.

Anyways just things to think about.

Just have to add this last picture because it is just so cool.

Design walkabout

I went to two exhibitions yesterday since they were both quite close to each other. The first that i went to was Object gallery to see Bombay Sapphire design awards. A very small space, but a very nice gallery all of the 10 finalists displayed was very impressive. I liked the exhibition much more than power house. Took some pics a few turned out nice.

The second gallery that i went too was TAP off oxford street to see SRD Change 08. Change 08 is an exhibition of final year graduate design projects that uphold the values of Society of Responsible Design. Change08 is about making designers aware of the responsibility that we have in creating a product, whatever it may be, from the manufacture to the end of life all these things need to be thought of in terms of its physical and social impact. The exhibitions where different and varied from industrial design, to landscape and textiles.

Both were very good but both quite small, perhaps that is just the way that most exhibitions are i think I'm just used to seeing exhibitions in museums, which means that there are a few small ones all joined together.

Origami + sheetmetal + imagination = Awesome

Saw this pencil sharpener... made out of a single sheet.. I'm assuming that it was first die cut then bent to shape.. made of stainless steel i think its pretty neat.

Bet the manufacturers loved it too... less parts to produce, no screws.

Highlight tea

Saw this teapot on yanko design, stunning, beautiful, but not sure if it is practical though. How do you put the tea and the water in and cleaning?! Would be interesting to see an exploded view of this design, this could be a potential future project just to design but never realise... why is it when there aren't any datelines i feel like designing?

I'm trying to improve my design evaluation skills... so why does this product work?
I think that the clear chamber is in contrast to the rounded curves, of the handle and the spout. Despite this stark juxtaposition the language of the handle and the tea chamber is the same. Both the handle and the chamber have the same gloss finish and so ties it together.

Practical things to note would be that the handle wouldn't absorb the heat from the tea which is a good thing but when poring the tea out of the pot the tea leaves would clog up the spout.

Another thing that makes this teapot extra special is the fact that the tea chamber is floating off the table, so it looks lighter.

Just my thoughts, probably just a load of rubbish. Beautiful teapot.

Blood and Boom... not as exciting as it sounds.

Went to the power house yesterday hoping to comeback home enlightened and inspired, but unfortunately it was not the case. I was sorely disappointed with the whole thing.

Along with the design exhibitions [and looking at Rina's lamp], i was particularly interested in Design boom mart as well as the young blood market, hoping to glean new and interesting ideas. As an avid follower of markets i can't say that these were any different. Design boom mart was slightly better than Young blood, as the ideas were more fresh and different... and less overpriced [but still overpriced non the less].

The ideas in Young blood weren't particularly interesting or inspiring... i saw a few clothes that were quite innovative and cool [not the Shirts with a stiletto printed on them... they were -no comment-] but all had scary pricing. A lot of jewellery, not much else. There was one thing that stuck particularly in my mind from design boom was a poly prop bowl and light folded origami style in the form of a lotus, very beautiful. There was also a jewelry stand with laser cut pendants, while it was overpriced i couldn't help but marvel at how fine the cutting was. Oh what i would do for a laser cutter. I suggest to anyone thinking that young blood market is going to be an inspiring event, design boom mart is better for fresh ideas, but just to let you know... design boom is small... so don't expect more than 1/2 an hours worth of entertainment.

New Technology as easy as a cup of coffee?

I must admit that currently I'm only looking and browsing Yanko esign, so please forgive me for posting ups so much stuff from it. I think that it's my current obsession because it is filled with what i like to term 'fantasy objects'. Objects that are cool and have been designed but don't currently exist in functioning form [but hopefully will in the future].

I was specifically looking for new technologies that might be popular in 5 years time, that would be applicable to a working GenX dad, this caught my eye.

It's 'creatively' called "The Cup" and the creators seem to think that it is intuitive that your information is stored in a cup and that spilling the contents is how you share the information it contains..ummm what? I must say that spilt coffee isn't to me sharing information, it's not a positive thing its a negative thing. Stacking Cups do not collect information... it collects more grime... and means that i have to wash them, again a bad thing.

I love the fact that they are trying to integrate new technology in a quirky way, but i think that the metaphor that they decided to use was inappropriate. How does information = coffee? Trying to get my head around it but its not really connecting... also what about if someone mistook 'The cup' for a real cup... i doubt that it would be able to survive real coffee. From the comments that other people left everyone else seems to think that its lame. I must say i quite like it... minus the cup bit.

The technology of 'the cup' holographic touch infrared communication, it's very interesting, the information can be displayed as small or large as you want. I wonder how lighting affects the resolution of the image, and more importantly if this technology even exists. I think i will go hunting around for more information about it...

My verdict on 'the cup' interesting technology, inappropriate application. I'm not sure why they seemed to want to put the whole cup motive in, but i think it's a little confusing.

But it's very very interesting, going to keep searching for more information on this technology.

Link if you were intrested:
http://www.yankodesign.com/index.php/2008/05/27/cup-of-java-script/

Chandelier?

Just browsing the net and i found these awesome lights. Bendant Lamp...a "flat pack Chandelier" i do wonder if it really is a chandelier or just a lamp shade there has to be some definition difference between them. But i like the idea of the user being able to be part of the design process, it creates more of a sense of ownership and personalisation.

It also means that you can have various different shades made from one set! I do wonder though if you can change them when you felt like it... i assume not as the joint would eventually fatigue and break if moved too much.

I love how this light is so simple when flat packed, but so sophisticated when assembled. Beautiful design.