click > enlarge
No matter how streamlined Apple’s designers make their products, there seems to be one necessary evil of any electronic device that not even the big brains in Cupertino can solve: cords. Everyone needs them; Nobody loves them. They’re impossible to coil up tidily, making a mess in desk drawers or snaking haphazardly over table edges. And don’t even get me started on ear buds.
But now two designers, Jesse Pliner and Lloyd Gladstone, have created JuiceTank, an iPhone charger and case in one. The unit works like a camera battery charger that plugs straight into the wall, only you don’t have to take anything out of your iPhone to charge it – you just stick the whole thing into an outlet. Sure, there are some limitations, like not being able to use your phone while its charging, but this way you can charge your phone when you’re on the go and you don’t have your cord with you. No more asking waitresses and bartenders if they have an iPhone cord you can borrow.
I just hope it gets Apple thinking about how to do away with all the cords clogging my otherwise impeccably organized desk space. Right now Pliner and Gladstone are raising funds on Kickstarter to produce the JuiceTank. Pitch in and say No More Cords!
about perrin drumm
click > enlarge
Anyone who uses their bike to commute to work or for more than just a leisurely Springtime spin knows that peddling away, even in the Winter, often means arriving to the office with a sweaty back and pits (and, let’s be honest here, sometimes a sweaty butt, too). It’s not the greatest way to start the day. But for many bikers, myself included, our road warriors are badges of honor, and replacing them with an electric or electric-enabled bike would be the ultimate ride of shame. Now, however, it looks like we can have our cake and eat it, too with DK City’s dbRevO, a wheel that automatically converts an ordinary bike to electric simply by replacing the front tire.
The wheel houses a motor, battery and controller that operates with a wireless console, allowing the rider to communicate with their bike and record information about their ride. It can go for 25 miles when fully charged, enough to take you from the southernmost tip of Manhattan to the top of Central Park and back again – and then back one more time. It comes in two sizes and a variety of colors with more options coming soon.
about perrin drumm
click > enlarge
Tube Toys debuted at the New York International Gift Fair earlier this month from NPW, a company that specializes in playful design products, many of which are for children. The toys come from London-based designer Oscar Diaz, who describes his work as “plain and playful objects that take inspiration from everyday things, which, by a simple twist, become something unexpected…and often involve a narrative aspect.”
Though that speaks to his aesthetic as a whole, it’s also a perfect description of Tube Toys, a series of vehicles that can be assembled from their own packaging. Made from cardboard, rubber, bamboo and LDPE (low-density polyethylene), the only extraneous piece is the paper label, which slides off and can be recycled along with the rest of the parts. The body of the car, tractor, fire engine or train is the tube itself, and the wheels and accessories come inside. The tube is pre-cut with slots and holes for wheels and other components, making it an easy build for a young child. I think the most brilliant part of this design is that it plays off the fact that children (and my cat) are often just as interested in playing with the packaging as they are in the toy itself – and now they can have their cake and eat it, too.
about perrin drumm
click > enlarge
Designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1945, the Eames Elephant never made it into mass production. This actually isn’t all that surprising; many of the Eames now iconic designs were made as one-offs for friends and family, and it was only through the urgent pressing of the recipients – and in some cases Vitra – that pieces like the rosewood leather lounge chair and ottoman were ever put into production.
The two original prototypes were made out of molded plywood and exhibited at MoMA, but were never seen by the public again until 2007, when a limited, 1,000-piece run in red and natural maple was produced to celebrate Charles’ 100th birthday. Now, 67 years after it was first conceived in the Eames office, Charles’ grandson Demetrios has teamed up with Vitra to bring the Eames Elephant to the public en masse and for good. The elephant is available in five different colors and instead of plywood it’s made from thick plastic, a more durable choice for children at play.
Buy it online for $322.
about perrin drumm
To start, taking into account this particular instance of Qbo’s “consciousness” is done programmatically rather than arising naturally out of a deeper awareness of self should not diminish Qbo’s achievement. Qbo not only can recognize itself but also distinguish itself from other identical machines and carry on a simple conversation using speech synthesis (Festival) and recognition (Julius) programs. Qbo’s developers have simulated self-awareness through mimicking the way humans recognize themselves: we learn what we look like and verify by checking to see if our actions are mirrored. The nose flashes are the messaging system. The green robot can figure out if the the flashes coming from the black robot are his flashes and that the black robot looks enough alike to be one of his “species” which triggers the funny seduction line. Stay tuned.
Research and development by TheCorpora. [ qbo robot blog ]
about boo hill
If you’re like me you start your day by unscrewing the plastic caps of your cheap, ugly contact lens case, putting the darn contacts in your eyes and then ushering the unsightly case out of sight as quickly as possible. Until recently, so did Portland-based designer Beverly Moon, but unlike the rest of us, she decided to do something about it.
It took her a year to design, produce and fund (via Kickstarter), but it looks like the MOON case is ready to begin its mission of replacing all the ugly conta-ct lens cases of the world.
“It’s a routine that many of us go through at least twice a day and it’s an object that holds a prominent place on the bathroom sink,” said Moon. “I wanted an object that complemented my space and felt good in my hands. So I applied simple, modern design to beautiful materials to make the MOON Case for a more refined everyday experience.”
The case is made from Corian, a hypoallergenic, non-toxic material that’s also non-porous, so it doesn’t harbor the growth of bacteria. Also, it’s beautiful. Corian not only gives it a heft heretofore unseen in contact lens cases, but they seem to glow from within – at least the ones in white do (they also come in Concrete and Sand). Moon also had the cases made at a local manufacturer, minimizing the environmental impact and giving her the ability to work face-to-face with the machine operators during the process.
MOON is just the first in what will hopefully be a long line of projects as part of her Pretty Mundane Objects series, an annual undertaking that aims to make the everyday beautiful. “It’s not about designing new things,” Moon said, “but refining the experiences and relationships between us and our objects. It’s about looking at products that are essential to our routine, but that most designers haven’t bothered to observe. To take a second look at the mundane objects that we use daily and re-think our interactions with them.”
about perrin drumm
TikTok+LunaTik Multi Touch Watch Kits from LUNATIK
TikTok is a simple snap-in design that allows the user to quickly and securely snap the iPod Nano in and out of the wrist dock.
TikTok + LunaTik products were conceived by, Scott Wilson, founder of MINIMAL and former Global Creative Director for Nike Watches. They have been realized and made available to you through the magic of crowd-funding. The idea to use the Nano as a wristwatch was an obvious one ever since Steve Jobs announced the 6th generation iPod Nano. The Nano is an incredibly complex technological breakthrough and Apple’s sheer ability to offer a multi-touch full color display and battery in such a small package is no small feat. Wilson approached the industry leading brands but they were not interested in developing it. So he decided to put them on Kickstarter.com, a fundraising website for creative projects. The response was overwhelming. The goal was to raise $15K in 30 days but instead they ended up with nearly $1M, shattering all Kickstarter records and instantly validating their designs globally. At this moment LunTik is busy fulfilling orders globally and have partnered with Apple’s leading fulfillment and logistics partner.
[ mnml ][ lunatik ] [ kickstarter ]
If you notice, more cyclists and inline skaters are wearing helmets. It’s taken awhile to get to this point. And with this increased usage we will probably see more safety testing and innovation to create a better helmet. Here’s one, Kranium, a bike helmet that is made from the same cardboard used for the boxes you find at the supermarket. The concept by design student Anirudha Surabhi was presented in October 2010 in London. The design has already been licensed to major manufacturers and may be available to buy soon.
There are questions like, “what if it rains?” The plan with the helmets is to size your head to be able to get the perfect fit. The helmet is then assembled and you pick an outer shell depending on the look you want. Pretty cool. Oops. That raises another question.
[ london cyclist ] [ nutcase helmets ]
a toy for ages 8 thru senior citizen.
#5 is the real article if you are wondering
Last year, Audi had become the first car manufacturer ever to bring a line-up of model cars and new products to the Nuremberg at the 62nd International Toy Fair. The main attraction of the 2011 show will be Auto Union Type C e-tron study with electric drive.
This car is based on the earlier limited edition car model from Audi AG sold through their subsidiary Quattro GmbH. The car is hand finished and made of aluminum and carbon-look material. It can comfortably seat children or grown-ups of up to 1.80 meters (5’11’’) in height. The study is 2.32 meters (7.61 feet) long and 97 centimeters (38.19 inches) wide.
The electric motor produces a peak torque of 60 Nm (44.25 lb-ft) and steadily 40 Nm (29.50 lb-ft). The Audi e-tron reaches a top speed of 30 km/h (18.64 mph) and has a range of 25 km (15.53 miles). Charging can be done through a standard 230V household socket; a recharge will take 2 hours depending on the battery charge status. It also comes with a reverse gear. Ages 8 thru senior citizen.
The show will be held from February 3 to 8.
[audi gran prix history] [uncrate]
about boo hill
click > enlarge
