experts think it costs apple $200 to build iphone 6.
experts think it costs apple $200 to build iphone 6. cheap memory means high margins. via forbes [RK]
renewables that are not new. solar energy and the electric car.
On 6 August 1882 this printing press produced copies of Le Chaleur Solaire (Solar Heat) by Augustin Mouchot, a newspaper that he created in the Tuileries Gardens, Paris, for the festival of L’Union Francaises de la Jeuenesse. It printed 500 copies an hour, using solar thermal technology.
Solar power and the electric car are not new. Designers and engineers, as early as 1870, were creating working prototypes from Cairo to Boston. Over 500 electric cars were registered in Boston in 1902. In Paris in 1870, a solar powered printing press printed over 500 newspapers an hour.
What stopped this innovation? At that time, new technology driven by oil and war. Large ships, planes, and tanks were developed to be powered by oil. According to author David Thorpe, “around 1900 there were three types of powered vehicles on the street, each with a third of the market: steam-powered, electric and gasoline.” In 1900, early champions of the electric car argued that it was safer (gasoline engines at the time risked explosion) cleaner, noiseless, and unlikely to cause environmental problems. Much has changed in the past 100 years, and this storyline has sustained.
1900 columbia electric omnibus
2016 miata m5.
Mazda has unveiled its fourth generation of the Miata MX5 sports car, beloved by many as affordable, basic and fun. Showroom date set for mid-2015. [ 25-yr design history ]
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tesla selects nevada to host electric vehicle gigafactory.
tesla selects Nevada to host electric vehicle gigafactory. fundamental change in large scale battery production would be running by 2017. via abc news [RK]
ian callum’s new old jaguar.
Ian Callum, head of Jaguar design, has a new used car. A personalized, redesigned and reengineered early Sixties Jaguar Mark 2. Built at Classic Motor Cars Limited in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, in England. The car has modernized engine, transmission, brakes and so on. It has a cleaner, leaner body. In a statement released for the unveiling, Mr. Callum said that he had “a long held notion that, although the Mark 2 has always been a beautiful car, it could be even more exciting in shape and performance.” He said he had de-chromed the car. “Simplification and clarity was my objective.”
California may give tesla environmental pass to build green factory.
california may give tesla an environmental pass to build new green factory. state would exempt automaker as an incentive package as other states start making pitches. via los angeles times [RK]
2015 BMW concept car sneak peek photos.
BMWs vision future luxury concept vehicle will be unveiled next week at the annual Pebble Beach gatherings. Here are two sneak peek photos.
The bike design project. 2014 competition.
denny | seattle
Five teams in five cities: Chicago, New York, Portland, San Francisco and Seattle – competed to redefine the category of the urban bicycle. On 4 August 2014, the winner is… ‘Denny’. The voting period lasted a week and over 136,000 voters selected the winner. They are no losers here, all pretty cool bikes.
Denny (Seattle) wowed voters with its ingenious handlebar lock design, unique fender system, automatic shifting and modern styling. “It’s inspiration? The diverse community and unpredictability of our home, Seattle. From the auto-shifting electric assist, smart reactive lighting, integrated locking and the redefining of the fender, we’ve created the purist biking experience possible for Seattle riders. Now you don’t have to worry about the hills, rain or an impromptu ‘farmer’s market’ trip. [ Teague ] x [ Sizemore Bicycle ]
blackline | chicago
Blackline (Chicago) takes its name from Chicago’s iconic elevated train lines that run throughout the city, non-stop. A custom smart handlebar with integrated LED headlight and side blinkers utilize GPS enabled turn-by-turn navigation and be securely tracked using a connected smartphone app. The virtually maintenance-free drive train utilizes a sealed 3-speed hub and belt drive, designed to endure the extreme conditions of rural Africa the daily commute in the harshest winters. [ Minimal ] x [ Method Bicycle ]
merge | nyc
Merge (New York) is inspired by the variety of cycling needs in New York City, a tough proving ground for an urban bike. Merge is a compact and nimble ride, offering its rider confidence when navigating tight spaces. Merge’s thoughtfully designed features include cargo, lighting, security, and a USB charging port. [ Pensa ] x [ Horse Cycles ]
solid | portland
Solid (Portland) is inspired by the diverse beauty and soul of Portland’s urban energy and raw beauty of its surrounding forests. Solid is the first connected (“Discover My City” mobile app) 3D-printed titanium lifestyle bike, capturing the essence of the city and the best of both worlds – hand-built craft and modern manufacturing. [ Industry ] x [ Ti Cycles ]
evo | san francisco
EVO (San Francisco) is a hybrid blending utility of a city bike with robustness and geometry of a mountain bike to satisfy the city’s diverse lifestyle and terrain. An innovative plug-and-play quick-connect mounts enable users to rapidly attach or detach cargo accessories, ranging from a child seat to different racks for carrying everything from groceries to surf boards. Inspired by San Francisco’s famous towers and bridges using 3D-printed steel lug and tube construction. [ Huge Design ] x [ 4130 Cycle Works ]
[ The Bike Design Project ] a pioneering bike design competition which partners five high-level design firms with American bicycle craftsmen to create the Ultimate Urban Utility Bike. The 2014 competition includes teams from the city of Chicago, New York, Portland, San Francisco and Seattle. The winning design will be will move into production with the competition’s Manufacturing Partner, Fuji Bikes, for its retail debut in 2015. “The Bike Design Project” teams created their unique vision of tomorrow’s bicycle for the everyday rider with innovative designs and features that benefit transportation cycling.
[ Oregon Manifest ] exists to celebrate and amplify bike craft, design and innovation. They provide an independent innovation platform for designers, engineers, craftsmen and makers to collaboratively develop bike designs that can expand transportation options for the everyday citizen. They are a nonprofit organization that values the process of making, the spirit of ingenuity, and the passion of brave undertakings.
Fed asks public for ideas to speedup airport check-ins.
Just heard on the radio: The Federal Transportation Safety Authority has asked members of the public to submit ideas to make airport check-in lines run more rapidly and smoothly. Process is also design. AND friends, there’s also a $15,000 prize [ details ]
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Dronography and fireworks collaborate in 2014.
>above> new phantom 2 vision+ and hero 3
Last April a Phantom 2 quadracopter using a Hero3+ Black Edition was flown into fireworks. No one is sure how impactful this particular feat is however on the 4th of July quite a few drone videos were made.
video shot april 2014
One in particular went viral, shot by videographer Jos Stiglingh who was presented with a unique opportunity to film fireworks up close, also used a Phantom 2 and Hero3+ Silver. 2014 may become known as the year of dronography and fireworks credited with fully catching the public’s eye. [ the video ]
hero 3+ black edition | hero 4 to be released october 2014
Here are two companies seemingly designing products for each other. [ gopro ] manufactures high-definition personal cameras, often used in extreme action video photography. They are known for being compact, lightweight, rugged, wearable or mountable in unusual places such as outside planes, cars, boats, bicycle and motorcycle helmets, army tanks and drones. The cameras capture still photos and/or video in HD through a wide-angle lens and can be configured to work automatically with minimum intervention and/or remotely.
[ dji ] as of 2013, manufactures micro air vehicles (MAV)s for aerial survey / surveillance. With it’s relative ease of use and affordability, these unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) are also popular amongst aerial photographers for aerial photography and videography.
new phantom 2 vision+ and hero 3
GoPro lists the Phantom ‘for everyone’ on their website and also has an ‘expert’ product link which points to the new Spreading Wings S1000. A fully loaded Phantom 2 Vision+, $2,500 usd; Spreading Wings S1000, $6,000 usd.
[ drone perspective ] [ gopro goes public ] [ getting started in dronography ]