Looking for a way to knock the argyle socks off your geeky lover this Valentine’s Day? Skip the computer programmer-themed porn and try gifting your nerdy loved one some HTTPanties or “Tweet Me” Sweethearts candy. The Huffington Post tracked down thirteen geeky gifts that scream “I love you, nerd face.” Full geeky gift list at Huffington Post. Get your geek on. Permalink | Leave a comment »
Selected by noelle
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Holy Kaw!
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13 geeky Valentine’s Day gifts
9 Feb 2010 | 12:33 pm -
Google Buzz's official demo [video]
9 Feb 2010 | 11:25 amGoogle has just unveiled its latest attempt to become more relevant in the social media space—Google Buzz. The product is integrated within Gmail and will be rolled out gradually to all of the webmail service’s users over the next few days. While this development is still unfolding, you can check out Google Buzz’s two-minute demo of Buzz in action both online and via mobile. What are your initial reactions? Another soon-to-be-forgotten Google product like Wave, or a Facebook/Twitter killer? Full story at Mashable. Total Google coverage. Permalink | Leave a… -
Darth Vader’s original wimpy voice [video]
9 Feb 2010 | 11:15 amImagine a galaxy far, far away where Darth Vader sounded like any other British bloke strolling down the corridors of the Death Star. Before James Earl Jones provided the menacing voice of the Dark Lord of the Sith, English actor and bodybuilder David Prowse delivered the lines from inside the Darth costume. While George Lucas never intended for Prowse’s voice to make the flick’s final cut, it’s weird to imagine how different Star Wars would have been with a different Vader voice. Full story at Huffington Post. Tons of Star Wars tidbits. Permalink | Leave a… -
7 things you didn’t know about condoms
9 Feb 2010 | 10:14 amRubbers. Raincoats. Inconvenient. Whatever you call 'em, condoms remain a must-have in the safe sex tool box. Long before the days of Durex and Trojans, men used animal intestines to protect their willies (that sounds lovely, eh ladies?) and still to this day use lambskin condoms for latex allergies and supposed extra sensitivity. Want to learn even more fun facts about condoms that will surely impress your friends and potential lovers? Check out Asylum's seven things you probably didn't know about condoms that includes tantalizing tidbits like: Vaseline + condoms = Disintegrated rubber and… -
Horror flick mirror scare mash-up [video]
9 Feb 2010 | 9:25 amHorror movies love to rely on cliches to scare the bejeezus out of us, but does it really surprise anyone that the axe murderer is going to pop in the reflection of a mirror? Ok, yes, it still totally sparks a few pee-in-pants moments. Check out this mash-up of mirror scare moments (fair warning: don’t watch alone in a big, dark, scary house): Full story at Four Four. Boo! Tons of scary and not so scary movie news. Permalink | Leave a comment »
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Cool Hunting
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Gerlan Jeans Stacked Hat
9 Feb 2010 | 10:41 amLondon-born but raised in Ohio, Gerlan Marcel made a big splash with her Gerlan Jeans diffusion line during NYC's Fall '09 fashion week by mixing bright colors and bold prints, spicing up an otherwise drab (aka black-and-gray) week. I was recently reminded of the line when it resurfaced in Beyonce's "Video Phone" music video (pictured in last image) featuring Gaga (which by the way is well worth a look if you haven't seen it already). Gerlan's colors, textile design and illustration all have an amazing neo-'90s look, but I especially like the cleverness of her stacked baseball cap. Like a… -
Acne Fall 2010
8 Feb 2010 | 3:18 pmby Richard Prime No other brand could really close Stockholm's fashion week than the city's own home-grown independent super-brand Acne. With recent glimpses of its forthcoming venture into the world of furniture tantalizingly close in Paris, it was time to see what the brand has in store clothing-wise for the chilly months ahead. Acne based the collection around an aviation theme, citing Amelia Earhart as a central influence. Menswear gave a variety of flight jacket options in different material options. Trousers were cut close and well, as expected from the brand which made its name from… -
Jaime Hayon x Gaia & Gino: Valencia Collection
8 Feb 2010 | 2:15 pmThe prolific Spanish designer Jaime Hayon's elegant Valencia collection for luxury label Gaia & Gino applies his talent for refreshing the modern to must-have iterations of classic candlestick and tea-light holders in crystal. The handmade pieces make an apt addition to the Turkish design studio's line of "affordable yet rare" products. Sandblasting each holder by hand, each incorporates a pattern mixing shapes and clefts designed to maximize light's refractive capabilities and demonstrate crystal's captivating chemical structure. The interchangeable bases allow for assembly in a variety… -
Steve Powers: A Love Letter For You Book and Tours
8 Feb 2010 | 1:23 pmThis Valentine's Day, celebrate love in all forms with a trip to Philadelphia to tour Steve Powers' ongoing graffiti mural project and the source of his latest book “A Love Letter for You.” Over the summer of 2009 Powers (aka ESPO) painted 50 murals on 20 blocks of Market Street as a love letter to and from West Philadelphia in a project dubbed "Love Letters." (Click on images for expanded view.) Documenting the process and installation of the "Love Letters" adventure, the book explores Powers' fascination with using graffiti to tell a story. To mark the book launch, Philadelphia will… -
Vans and the Places Where They Were
8 Feb 2010 | 11:17 amEvoking memories of pot-soaked Saturdays or long drives on the highway, filmmaker and photographer Joe Stevens' side project " Vans and the Places Where They Were" documents the glory of the classic seventies van in an ongoing photo essay dating back to 1996. Formatted horizontally rather than vertically, Stevens makes scrolling through the images akin to watching a lime green and candy paint parade of Econolines and Chevys travel across the screen. With an approach that looks not just to the evolving social and economic implications of his subject, Stevens describes how the project surveys…
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TREND HUNTER - The Latest Trends
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Traumatized Toystrations - The Yenifer Cano 'House Things' Portfolio Binds Childhood Playthings (GALLERY)
9 Feb 2010 | 12:40 pm(TrendHunter.com) At first glance (and even the second and third), I couldn’t quite believe that the Yenifer Cano ‘House Things’ collection was illustrated. So detailed the images are, I thought they were simply vintage… -
Aviation-Inspired Fashions - The Acne SS10 Collection Takes Notes for Amelia Earhart (GALLERY)
9 Feb 2010 | 12:30 pm(TrendHunter.com) Seems the Amelia Earhart fashion phase is not at an end, at least not yet, considering the latest Acne SS10 collection. Inspired by this formidable female aviator, their loose interpretation is actually… -
MJ Action Figures - The Michael Jackson ‘Thriller’ Figurine (GALLERY)
9 Feb 2010 | 12:20 pm(TrendHunter.com) For those of you still mourning the iconic King of Pop, the Michael Jackson Thriller Figurine is for you. Gone are the long lonely nights where you tossed and turned in bed, wondering how you were going… -
100 Unique Theme Restaurants - The Most Offbeat Places to Eat and Drink Around the World (CLUSTER)
9 Feb 2010 | 12:10 pm(TrendHunter.com) Over the last few years, I’ve seen some very unique theme restaurants from around the world; that an hotels belong to my favourite topics to cover, which is why I’m so excited to have some of the most… -
Saucy Wordvertising - Cheeky Valentines Day Ads by RobertRedd.com (VIDEO)
9 Feb 2010 | 12:00 pm(TrendHunter.com) Anti-Valentines day parties are all the rage. Or maybe you are one of those romantic types who can’t wait to be showered in chocolate, flowers and red foil (maybe massage oil)? This ad for RobertRedd.com…
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Toxel.com
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12 Cool Products for your Kitchen
8 Feb 2010 | 5:18 pmCollection of modern kitchen gadgets and useful products designed to make food preparation easier and more enjoyable. One Click Butter Cutter This ingenious butter cutter delivers one standard pat with each click of the handle. No more messy butter dish. [link] Manhole Cover for your Sink This manhole-inspired silicone work-horse will stop the water’s flow when you need a [...] -
Comb Shaped Like a Gun
7 Feb 2010 | 4:17 pmGun Comb promises to add some fun and excitement to your morning ritual. Do remember that styling your hair in public with a comb inspired by a gun can be a little dangerous. [via] -
New Heinz Ketchup Packaging
6 Feb 2010 | 4:17 pmHeinz Dip & Squeeze dual-function packaging gives ketchup lovers two cool ways to enjoy Heinz Ketchup: either tear off the tip to squeeze with pinpoint accuracy, or peel back the lid for easy dipping. As an added bonus, the new innovative packaging holds three times as much ketchup as the traditional packet. [via heinz] -
12 Amazing Leaf Carvings
5 Feb 2010 | 7:40 pmCollection of beautiful leaf carvings created by talented artists from China. Leaf carving is actually cutting and removal of the leaf’s mesophyll to produce an artwork without cutting or removing any leaf veins. [via, 2, 3] -
12 Creative Stress Ball Designs
4 Feb 2010 | 6:19 pmCreative stress relievers and cool stress ball designs from all over the world. Stress Paul Feeling overwhelmed, tense, under pressure? Don’t get stressed, take it out on poor old Paul and keep your sanity! [link] Dwight Stress Ball Take out your stress on Dwight Schrute. Comes in sealed wrapper and features the head of one of the most recognizable [...]
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Yanko Design
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Kitsch Styling Bags
9 Feb 2010 | 2:08 amHow you accessorize can change the way you carry yourself dramatically. In an odd way, your office bag is an extension of your personality as well. Sixr, Papr & Papr II are a series of bags that add the right amount of sophistication to your persona and come with amazing variations and colors. Have a look…. The Sixr comes in 2 variations: Camel & Black The Papr comes in 3 variations: Camel, Black, Black AmericanRedCross LimitedEdition The PAPR II shoulder bag comes in 3 variations: Camel, Black, Black AmericanRedCross LimitedEdition Designer: KIMKIM Artifacts [ Buy it Here Sixr |… -
Stackable Bottle
9 Feb 2010 | 1:30 amYou don’t need complex words to best describe an idea; sometimes a simple image can do the trick. What we have here is the 5 Gallons Mineral Water Stackable Bottle. A simple indent at the base of the bottle provides a nestling space for the neck of the bottle below. Stack them up and save space. I love the impromptu flower-vase-by-the-water cooler idea! Designer: Yujin Kim -
Play The Razor Prank
9 Feb 2010 | 1:15 amOne of the pranks that you could play with your friends travelling by air is to slip this pill-sized box into their hand luggage. The pill box actually holds a folded sheet of razor! Yup a disposable razor that neatly rolls up into a pill! Which is obviously not allowed in hand luggage. Convenient, hygienic and safe! Designers: Hoyoung Lee, Youngwoo Park & Seunghwa Jeong -
Get A Jiffy Ride
9 Feb 2010 | 1:00 amSkoota can be the ideal commute for me, to get around the congested by-lanes of my overcrowded city. This compact urban electric scooter transforms from a full-bodied rider to a compact companion in five easy steps. It uses the latest Super Charging Lithium Ion technologies and an in-wheel brushless hub motor to add efficiency. Features include an LED blue halo headlight, simple two button interface, five minute super charging lithium batteries and front calliper/ rotor braking system. In essence, get reduced physical footprint & carbon footprint! Designer: Stuart Emmerson -
One Loud Table
9 Feb 2010 | 12:02 amFrom the creator of Pepper Knuckles and Music Blocks comes this wild and crazy table for your music collection. It’s called “Amusity” and it’s rather full of music and amusement, if I do say so myself. The designer Idan Arbel says that this is a tangible user interface coffee table for your entire music library. Toss it all on there and let the circus begin. You can play music videos, access information on the artist, song, album, etcetera, and using such information control the flow of the songs. Meta data like popularity and genres control the way the music is…
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NYT > Art & Design
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Arts: Two Cities, One Lasting Cultural Exchange
8 Feb 2010 | 9:32 amOrganizations like the Chinese Culture Center have been working hard to demonstrate a sophisticated view of Chinese culture that challenges clichés. -
Iron Checkbook Shapes Cultural Los Angeles
8 Feb 2010 | 9:19 amEli Broad dominates the arts in Los Angeles with a force that has no parallel in any major city. -
Putting the Wrongs of History in Paint
8 Feb 2010 | 6:54 amThe Belgian painter Luc Tuymans has become known for examining the visual residue of trauma and the collective desire to forget. -
Inside Art: O! Say, You Can Bid on a Johns
6 Feb 2010 | 1:19 amThe public will be able to see four works owned by Michael Crichton that Christie’s is to sell on behalf of his estate in New York at the evening auctions in May. -
Art Review | Outsider Art Fair: A Survey of a Field Hard to Define
5 Feb 2010 | 10:34 pmThe Outsider Art Fair is running this weekend, which makes this as good a time as any to ask, what exactly is an outsider artist?
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Picocool
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Simply Complicated - Universal Scarf
9 Feb 2010 | 12:15 amVividbraille's Universal Scarf has perfected sophistication & simplicity. Luxurious Alpaca is lined with handmade ceramic buttons, carrying out multi-functional ability to be worn as scarf, hood, mask, shawl, etc.3 Vote(s) -
Creative Derivatives of the London Tube Map
8 Feb 2010 | 6:21 pmThe London Tube Map is an iconic design literacy meme – here are five brilliant derivatives inspired by it.2 Vote(s) -
Photography by Pierre Manning
8 Feb 2010 | 6:02 pmAwesome glamor photography Pierre Manning, talented fashion photographer, based in Montreal.2 Vote(s) -
Felix Ng about Design in Singapore
8 Feb 2010 | 1:31 pmCommonpeople speaks with Felix Ng, founder of Silnt and the recently formed Anonymous. In the interview, he shares with us his thoughts on design, his current projects, and aspirations for a greater role of design in the Singapore landscape.2 Vote(s) -
Avatar Behind the scenes
8 Feb 2010 | 11:02 amDiscover through a video of 23 minutes the universe ofAvatar from James Cameron. With an approach that combines performance and technology, so it pierces the secret filming and technologies.3 Vote(s)
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Picocool - Most Recent
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Ogden Orange Robot Sculpture
9 Feb 2010 | 12:25 pmThe cutest robot wearing a gray hat, he knows where it's at!1 Vote(s) -
Leo Rosa Borges a4 Blank Canvas
9 Feb 2010 | 10:36 amGraphic designer Leo Rosa Borges, an award-winning artist working out of Dubai, generated this unique solution to an issue often encountered by the creative classes. The blank canvas. These posters — created on a close to zero budget — are generated by cutting an ‘image’ into a blank white surface, demonstrating the ability to generate design with minimal addition or subtraction to a medium. All Borges’ designs requires are a few carefully placed cuts, that with a stretching of the canvas, come to life in the third dimension as a monstrous face.1 Vote(s) -
Richard Gomez a4 Tool Bag for Urban Green Areas
9 Feb 2010 | 10:34 amIndustrial designer Richard Gomez, working out of Mexico City, has generated a modern interpretation of gardening tools for the iconic American agri-industry brand John Deere . Taking inspiration from the increasing prevalence of environmental consciousness within society, and the modern movement of urban-gardening, this tool bag, designed in collaboration with Veronica Heredia Otero, represents an elegant and practical approach to urban gardening; emphasizing functional tools and materials with a nod to urban aesthetics and high design.1 Vote(s) -
Jeremy Brunet a4 a4Flat Carsa4 Poster Series
9 Feb 2010 | 10:33 amGraphic designer Jeremy Brunet, working out of Paris, France, has rendered a series of elegant posters highlighting the design of iconic cars in both film and television. From the infamous De Lorian from “Back to the Future," to the often airborne Dodge Charger of “Dukes of Hazzard," Brunet takes the complicated mechanics of these vehicles and concentrates them into the two-dimensional elegance of their signature graphics.1 Vote(s) -
Cool Cufflinks Delivered By Hot Women
9 Feb 2010 | 9:09 amARMREVOLUTION is now offering the ultimate in Valentine's Day gifts for men. Not only will they receive a pair of some of the most beautifully designed modern cuff links but they will be delivered by one hell of a hottie.1 Vote(s)
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Design*Sponge
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living in: bright star
9 Feb 2010 | 10:00 amI basically held my hand in front of my mouth for the entire length of Bright Star. Sheer and utter, insane beauty. Desperately romantic. Hopelessly sweet and sad. Even now, days later, I’m still a little dizzy thinking about it. Fellow d*s editor Amy A. did me a huge favor by sitting me down to watch it- a favor I am now thrilled to bestow upon you, lovely readers. rose jacquard ribbon $39/yd, linen fabric, trumeau mirror $449, antique correspondence, antique paste & pearl ring $225, candlestick, book boxes $49, embroidery scissors $20, directoire chest $1300, intermission heels… -
past & present: billy baldwin shopping round-up!
9 Feb 2010 | 9:00 amBilly Baldwin certainly loved his brown and his lacquer. Billy once said that every country house needs a dog so I couldn’t resist including a greyhound in homage to the painting in his own home. Billy abhorred leggy furniture saying it made the room feel restless, but I was just not into the box pleat slipper chairs – I hope he’ll forgive me. [from left: rare books, vintage 1950s tulu carpet $1800, JF Herring Sr print $15 slipper chair $950, mirrored side table $89.99, greyhound, pouf $109-299, brass candlestick $50-65, oxford style heels $80.06] For our goodbye to… -
past & present: billy baldwin (part 1)
9 Feb 2010 | 8:00 amillustration by julia rothman I don’t have much of a fashion memory, but when I was looking at Billy Baldwin interiors all week, I kept thinking about Gwyneth Paltrow’s Oscar dress in 1996. I’ve always loved that dress – it was all white, and she just looked clean, casual and effortless. (She also had Brad Pitt on her arm so that helped). (This is the only good picture I can find of that dress.) Baldwin’s style was crisp, elegant and a little slick, but it was above all simple and practical. (He always said that the best way to update a room was to simplify.)… -
biz ladies: getting it made
9 Feb 2010 | 7:00 am[i'm so thrilled to introduce stephanie todaro to our d*s team! stephanie was my right hand during the d*s book manuscript process so i promptly scooped her up to join our team as the editor of both the biz ladies and city guides columns. click here (and scroll down) to read more about her. welcome, steph!] design*sponge is happy to welcome megan auman to the biz ladies column today. megan is a jewelry and home accessories designer and also hosts a blog geared towards the crafting and design business. today, she graciously shares with us some expert advice on how to go about outsourcing the… -
oklahoma city guide
9 Feb 2010 | 6:00 amtoday’s city guide comes from caroline duke of greedy girl and kelly beall at design crush. kelly and caroline are walking us through their hometown of oklahoma city and sharing her insider picks for the best spots to shop, eat, and site-see (organized by neighborhood). i hope the next time you’re in town you’ll check out some of these great local spots! thanks to kelly and caroline for sharing their home city with us. CLICK HERE for the full city guide after the jump! This is a really exciting time to be living in Oklahoma City. (Wow, I never thought I’d type those…
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metacool
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metacool Thought of the Day
9 Feb 2010 | 7:34 am"Ship early, ship often, iterate and listen to all of the feedback. I think that if you have the courage to listen and the ability to take the feedback and iterate on your product, you will better off than waiting and trying to deliver something perfect. Imagining your product or project as a way of communicating with people and thinking of product development as a conversation might be one way to think about it."- Joi Ito -
All quiet at metacool, but not so quiet!
5 Feb 2010 | 3:32 pmHi there!Things have been a bit quiet here at metacool over the past few weeks. While I've been busy dealing in gnarlyness over at my other blog, I haven't forgotten about the art and science of bringing cool stuff to life. In fact, I've recently written two articles which might be of interest to y'all:Why Design Matters, BusinessWeekIs that a Porsche in your pocket?, Aol AutosI'll be writing more about metacool-ish topics in the world of transportation for Aol Autos in the coming months, and maybe more at BusinessWeek, too. Writing essays like these is not… -
Is the iPad the New Edsel?
28 Jan 2010 | 2:18 pmI have a policy of only engaging in constructive critique here at metacool. As a person who has made a living doing this stuff for almost two decades, hard and difficult to bring new stuff to life, so we must be respectful of those who try. We need to celebrate errors of omission, and strive to learn from them. But, this is one of those rare occasions where I have to say out loud, and out in public, "What were they thinking at Apple?!!!!????!!!" Remember the Edsel? It was touted as a ground-breaking offering, but its market success was stymied by a cultural oversight. In… -
metacool Thought of the Day
8 Jan 2010 | 4:15 pm"Today, what defines the most innovative, and the most successful, people is their willingness to fail. And, that’s especially true in journalism, media and advertising...This is the key to the future for all of us. It’s not how we deal with success but how we embrace and learn from failure that will define all of us during the Great Inflection...Instead, dare to fail. Fail fast. Learn from failure. Build on failure. Share failure. Understand failure. Most of all, enjoy failure. Life is so short. Hold nothing back."- John Winsor -
Innovating takes courage and faith
7 Jan 2010 | 8:34 pmEarlier this week I made the following statement on Twitter (if you're interested in following, I'm @metacool):Innovating takes courage and faith. You've got to jump from the plane believing your chute is going to pop. Having thought about it more this week, that statement isn't right. Parachuting out of a plane is not a good metaphor for the act of innovation. Instead, it's all about being able to jump out of planes in a way that's more akin to this: Don't try this at home, kids. Or this, for that matter. The reason the parachuting metaphor…
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Un Cool Hunting
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Arachnid ATX Ads - The Lian Li Pitstop ATX Chassis Has Nothing to Do With Spiders
Not unlike the last round of Super Bowl Ads, marketers do their best to entertain and even shock their audience. Then there are awkward advertisements that leave you in the middle of nowhere knowing that… -
Camel Burgers - Fat-Free Beef Alternative at Local House in Dubai
Unsure about having fries with that? Now burger-lovers have another choice to make: beef, veggie or camel burgers? Yes, the newest menu addition on Dubai-restaurant menus is said to be ‘fat-free’ and… -
Decaying Fleshtography - ‘Zombie Body’ by Maxine Guenther Imagines the Skin After the Apocalypse
If you've a sensitive stomach (either by nature or due to Friday night festivities), you might want to steer clear of 'Zombie Body' by Maxine Guenther. This photo shoot explores the many signs of skin… -
Pricey Celeb Emulation - Chinese Woman Gets Plastic Surgery to Look like Jessica Alba
Getting “regular” plastic surgery is a big deal, but getting plastic surgery to look like Jessica Alba is just a whole other issue entirely. Celebrity obsession is nothing new, but the reason behind this… -
Illustrated Canine Calendars - The Labs With Abs Calendar Isn’t Your Typical Time-Tracker (UPDATE)
Keep track of 2010 u the best way possible with the Labs With Abs Calendar. I’m dead serious here, people. Some of you may remember that awhile back we featured the artwork of Labs With Abs, and I’m sure…
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Wise Elephant: Design and Influence
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The “Hidden Who”
Kevin Berrey, the Writer/Director/Filmmaker and principal of Screaming Panda, posted this question to Twitter this morning: What happens when you cross this Edelman study on trust (who trusts who) with the Dunbar number (how many friends can you really have)? My answer is: Nothing, because generalities are irrelevant. What's hidden in ... -
Complex thinking, mandatory for the past 10,000 years…
(the below is a guest post by Nena Johnson, Public Programs Director of Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture) Our industrial food system is broken. It’s a pretty dramatic statement, I know, but in my job it’s one I hear almost every day. Consider a few of the facts: 2009 brought us hundreds ... -
DesigNYC
DesigNYC: http://changeobserver.designobserver.com/entry.html?entry=12681 -
Sometimes, It’s Better to Brainstorm Alone
Sometimes, It's Better to Brainstorm Alone: http://blogs.hbr.org/research/2010/02/when-its-better-to-brainstorm.html -
How to Get More Referrals So You Get More Work
How to Get More Referrals So You Get More Work: http://www.redlemonclub.com/general/how-to-get-more-referrals-so-you-get-more-work/
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DesignNotes by Michael Surtees
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Extending Massive Attack
9 Feb 2010 | 4:43 amI’m not one to buy “extended” or “deluxe” albums that often. Typically the only additional stuff are videos that I can find online or pdfs that I would never bother to open. In the last couple of weeks I’ve been a big fan of NPR’s First Listen, a site that streams an album a week before the release. A couple weeks ago they had Beach House and last week it was Massive Attack. The conventional thinking would be that it would be a mistake to give the music away for free—why would anyone want to buy it? On the flip side others would argue it’s a great way to… -
American Apparel vs Diesel on the Streets of NYC
8 Feb 2010 | 5:09 pmWalking to work today I thought these two posters almost side by side were worth noting if for no other reason than to show the state of posters on the sidewalk of NYC. Whether you love or hate American Apparel ads and for what they stand for, they’re certainly standing out from everything else out there. On the flip side Diesel has been getting a lot of attention for their tagline of Be Stupid, not so much for their visuals though something tells me that things could change in that category. -
Design Notes from my AIGA Dallas talk on Unexpected Narratives and Creating the Right Conditions
8 Feb 2010 | 6:53 amUnexpected Narratives and Creating the Right Conditions Last Thursday I traveled from NYC to Dallas to Arlington to hang with the AIGA Dallas Fort Worth Chapter and present a talk I titled Unexpected Narratives and Creating the Right Conditions. Jimmy Ball and the the Chapter treated me extremely well and made the experience great for me. I’ve attached the deck and made note below of all the posts that were covered in the talk. 1. STORY LINES Walking to work in 60 Seconds, my 20/20 at #makethink AIGA Design Conference 2009 http://designnotes.info/?p=1922 Watching the sun interact with… -
Google Before You Tweet is the New Think Before You Speak by @TheJoeNewton
7 Feb 2010 | 5:05 amLate last week I received this sweet one colour letter pressed print titled Google Before You Tweet is the New Think Before You Speak by Joe Newton. While the text and illustration speak for themselves, I should mention that the texture of the paper and indent of the paper that isn’t really shown on the photo adds a lot of visual punch in person. Davin Kuntze at Woodside Press in Brooklyn printed it while the typeface used Olduvai by Randy Jones. -
Link Drop from 01.30.10 to 02.06.10
6 Feb 2010 | 8:58 amThis week’s Link Drop is smaller than usual because of my late week travels to Dallas for a talk. With that said there were a couple distinctions between technology and the surrounding area of NYC. Leading up to flying out of NYC most of the stuff I was being drawn to had to do with visualization and data. Once I got back yesterday most of the links were somewhat related to the city—go figure. Love Me, the Poster Love Me the street marking that I’ve seen for year(s) is now a poster. I’ve seen the mark in all sorts of sizes and even mused a while back about a shirt. While…
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TrendsNow
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The Black House – Buenos Aires
9 Feb 2010 | 8:53 amImaginée par l’architecte argentin Andrés Remy et construite dans la banlieue de Buenos Aires, un très gros coup de coeur sur la Black House, une splendide villa qui a la particularité d’avoir une façade entièrement noire. Lumineuse et ouverte sur l’extérieur avec ses immenses baies vitrées et ses très grands volumes, découverte de cette maison d’exception en images dans la suite ! Découverte en images dans la galerie Description originale The black house was born by the request of a young couple, brought to us by another of our projects “The Waterfall… -
Geocentric Concept Watch
8 Feb 2010 | 6:38 pmImaginé par le jeune designer Geoffrey Cooper diplômé en 2009 du Art Center College of Design, un petit coup de projecteur sur l’étonnant concept Geocentric, une montre inspirée de science et de science-fiction qui utilise un mécanisme semblable à la rotation des planètes autour du soleil. En mouvement permanent sur le cadran, les anneaux créent ainsi un spectacle fascinant tout en proposant une nouvelle forme de lecture de l’heure ouverte au rêve et à la poésie. Enjoy ! Description originale A science and science fiction inspired watch that uses a motion similar to… -
Simon Page
8 Feb 2010 | 6:18 pmPassionné de typographie, d’art et d’illustrations géométriques, le graphiste anglais Simon Page partage sur sa page Flickr ses élans créatifs, tous aussi inspirant les uns que les autres … Toute notre sélection de travaux dans la suite ! Découverte de notre sélection dans la galerie Voir l’étendu de son travail sur Flickr ou sur TypographyServed. Dans la même thématique Dan Tobin Smith Tim Navis Julien Vallée Wojciech Zalot Hotoh -
Credit Card Calculator Concept
8 Feb 2010 | 6:14 pmLors d’une sortie au restaurant entre amis, vous êtes plutôt partage égal ou chacun paie ce qu’il a mangé ? C’est face à ce dilemme connu de tous que les designers Jung You Chul, Her Miran, Lee Chang Ho, Lee Kiho et Shin Youngmi ont imaginé ce nouveau système de paiement « Piece of cake ». Le principe ? Chaque convive sélectionne à tour de rôle les plats et les boissons qu’il a consommé sur l’écran tactile du terminal qui calculera ensuite le montant de l’addition individuellement … du pain béni pour les radins ! -
Juiced Magazine Opening Contest
8 Feb 2010 | 6:11 pmEnvie de vous refaire un look à tuer pour ce printemps ? Ca tombe plutôt bien, LG Electronics, Funk Royal Optics, Bagua Shoes et Monsieur Steve se sont associés à l’ouverture du nouveau magazine en ligne masculin Juiced Magazine pour vous faire gagner une douzaine de cadeaux plutôt sympa. Tous les détails sont par ici ! Et toujours WEBSITE /// www.juicedmagazine.com RSS /// Suscribe here FACEBOOK /// Official Group TWITTER /// Follow YOUTUBE /// Official Page Dans la même thématique Juiced Magazine – Official Trailer Juiced Magazine Diesel Jeans – Be stupid TrendsNow…
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The Serif
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Jim Davies
9 Feb 2010 | 6:42 amJim at totalcontent has just released some great promotional posters designed by Rich and Si at Elmwood with illustrations by Rob from The Partners and copy from the man himself. More info and shots on his blog. -
Peter Iain Campbell
9 Feb 2010 | 2:59 amPeter Iain Campbell has some cracking shots in his portfolio and a nice site too. -
Wallpaper* Berlin city guide—FREE
9 Feb 2010 | 2:19 amWallpaper* and Phaidon have made a name for themselves over the years for producing small but well crafted city guides for the self discerning tourist. A pocket sized and well designed guide can be a real insight into a city’s character but carrying around a city guide isn’t for everyone and does shout out TOURIST. However, Wallpaper* have developed their city guides into a line of iPhone apps that are as well designed as the guides themselves if not lacking a little in content. Currently Wallpaper* are giving away the Berlin City guide on the iTunes App Store for FREE. Yes… -
Effektive
9 Feb 2010 | 12:00 amBritish graphic designer, FFF Contributor and all round good guy Greig Anderson has set up a new studio in Glasgow and has posted a few updates on the Effektive Site. Look out for more solid work from Greig in the next 12 months. -
We live now!
9 Feb 2010 | 12:00 amLive Now have teamed up with How Books to bring you the Live Now book, featuring a collection of inspirational quotes and illustrations pursuing the notion of living a happy and engaged life. The book will roughly consist of 200, perforated pages that can be easily torn out and hung up or given away to spread smiles. We’ll keep you updated on it’s release! The Live Now project has a new site by Eric Smith.
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Design daily news
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Featured designer: Adrien Quartenoud
8 Feb 2010 | 11:51 pmCan you introduce yourself to our readers? My name is Adrien Quartenoud and I’m a freelance graphic designer in Fribourg, Switzerland. I work under the name of “Fluide Graphic Design” and my activities include print design, web design and video. What was your motivation to start learning design? My parents own a country-wide famous company. They always were full of ideas to find new projects, new ideas. In primary school used to already enjoy suggesting designs to them for these projects! Then I directed my studies toward this job that I liked before I could name it. How do… -
Information is beautiful: 30 examples of creative infography
1 Feb 2010 | 10:09 amUnfortunatly I never had the opportunity to do client work on an infography, but it seems to be one of the most challenging task for a graphic designer. The perfect infography must synthetize complex information in a simple visual representation, which is not easy. The following examples take information architecture to another level by making it beautiful. 1. Ancient Hebrew Cosmology 2. The modern listener guide 3. Missions to Mars 4. Food infography (I resized this one for the blog, click the link to see the original one that looks much better) 5. The hierachy of Digital distractions 6. -
iPad Nano: the iPad that fits in your pocket
31 Jan 2010 | 1:30 pmI stumbled upon this picture this afternoon and found it quite funny. I’m wondering what are your thoughts on it? Is the iPad just a big ass iPhone for you or a new kind of device? What I saw from demos didn’t make me want one, but it seems that less tech-saavy people like it a lot. I’m curious to see how it will do, take your bets in the comments and we’ll take a look back in a year. Download animals vectors --- Post from: Graphic design blogiPad Nano: the iPad that fits in your pocket -
50 amazing iPhone wallpapers
28 Jan 2010 | 1:13 amWith the iPad recent announcement, we should for sure soon see some cool iPad wallpapers appear. For now, many of you still own an iPhone and will probably want to make it look a little better and more customized. Displaying one of these fine looking iPhone wallpapers created by talented artists, for other format just take a look at my desktop wallpapers article. 1. The Art Lover 2. Inner asia 3. Ghostbuster 4. Old school biker 5. Google library 6. The Declaration 7. Metal type 8. Tiger 9. Doing good thanks 10. Two 11. December abstract 12. Aurora 13. William Morris 14. Vortex 15. Grungy 16. -
Thoughts on multilingual web design
26 Jan 2010 | 6:53 amThe moment you upload your meticulously constructed web pages onto the internet, you’re global. Internet users from Nebraska and New York, to Norway and the Netherlands all have equal access to the very same information you upload. If all you’re looking to do with your website or blog is to develop a strong global following, then you might just be fine with your English language website: after all, over half of the European Union (EU) alone speak English to some degree. However, if your plan is to build a successful, profitable international online enterprise, then you’ll need to plan…
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Design Droplets
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Ben McCarthy Designer Q&A
8 Feb 2010 | 12:30 pmBen McCarthy is a Sydney born and raised Industrial Designer who currently lives and works (employed by Michael Young Studio) in Hong Kong. In this interview Ben talks about his past and present projects, transitioning his design practice to Hong Kong, design in Hong Kong and writing for Design Magazines. Ben is also the vocalist/guitarist in the band Poubelle International who will be releasing their debut CD on Feb 26 in Hong Kong (be sure to check out their quirky, but very cool video clip 1. Ben, Welcome to Design Droplets. Thank you for taking the time to talk, could you please give a… -
Link Love 5 February 2010
4 Feb 2010 | 5:53 pmOnce again it’s Link Love time. Enjoy and please take the time to share the link love. If you have any links you’d like to share drop us a line. Creative Development Slide – part 3 of a series of 10 best strategic business slides of all time from Anthill Online. Can Australia Really Claim to be A Nation of Innovators? - a very interesting article from Anthill Online. Putting Innovation at The Heart of Your Business - an article from Product Design Hub by Matthew Link. Get Paid What You Are Worth – A useful article from Wired. How To Make Sure Your Idea Is Valuable… -
Sydney Design 2010
2 Feb 2010 | 2:51 amSydney Design 2010 is seeking expressions of interest from organisations, groups, individuals and businesses engaged in design and the creative industries to be part of the 2010 festival program. Sydney Design invites submissions across a range of programs including exhibitions, workshops, talks, forums or symposiums, industry events, installations, interventions, digital projects, children’s programs, markets and competitions. Program events will stimulate and create conversation around design linked by the theme “Tell us a story.” Program participants are invited to… -
Link Love 29 January 2010
28 Jan 2010 | 8:16 pmLinky Love is back once again for your browsing pleasure. Enjoy and spread the link love The Future of Industrial Design – An interview with ID great Ron Arad. My Kitchen is Over Crowded - Another fantastic article by Droplets’ favourite Idris Mootee. The Loop – A brand new portfolio site for Aussie designers created by Pip Jamieson and Matt Fayle. The Grafik Musuem - TGM’s prime objective is to find, collect and share the amazing creativity and talent from Australia and share it with the World. Rattle Ya Dags – A daily dose of inspirational Kiwis (thats New… -
Why Apple’s iPad looks like a big iPod and other short stories
28 Jan 2010 | 1:40 amLike millions of others around the world I was so subjected to the overly hyped launch of Apple’s latest creation that by the time I saw the device I was over it before I had even laid eyes on it. When the launch happened and I finally got a chance to see proper visuals and video of the product, I was to say the least disappointed at what Apple has produced. My largest single beef with the iPad is the fact that Apple has not again taken a revolutionary leap in design language, styling or aesthetics, its just a large iPod Touch or iPhone. With the amount of hype surrounding this launch…
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Inhabitat
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Corky Mouse Generates Kinetic Energy With Every Click
9 Feb 2010 | 12:01 pmPortable wireless mice have a problem: most of them rely upon disposable batteries, which often wind up in landfills as e-waste. Adele Peters’ Corky mouse aims to change all that — it’s a kinetic energy-harvesting mouse that is powered with a flick of the wrist. One of 18 finalists in this year’s Greener Gadgets Design Competition, it’s also made from 100% recycled plastic components and recycled and biodegradable cork. Read the rest of Corky Mouse Generates Kinetic Energy With Every Click Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: cork, corky mouse, green… -
Solar Building Skin Turns Sydney’s Ugliest Tower into an Eco-marvel
9 Feb 2010 | 10:55 amSydney’s ugliest building may soon be getting a new lease on life through to a plan to ‘reskin’ the entire tower with a high-performance photovoltaic skin. Architecture firm Laboratory for Visionary Architecture (LAVA) has proposed the retrofit, and if their plan is enacted it would turn the 1960’s brutalist building into a brilliant super-efficient eco-tower. Read the rest of Solar Building Skin Turns Sydney’s Ugliest Tower into an Eco-marvel Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: eco design, green design, LAVA architecture, photovoltaics, rainwater,… -
World’s Smallest Solar-Powered Sensor Could Run Forever
9 Feb 2010 | 9:35 amIt’s easy enough to find a solar-powered charger for iPods, cell phones, and other gadgets, but this ultra-tiny solar-powered sensor system is smaller than anything else on the market — 1,000 times smaller than standard systems, in fact. Developed at the University of Michigan, the 2.5 x 3.5 x 1 millimeter system is the smallest in the world, and it can harvest energy from its surroundings almost perpetually.Read the rest of World’s Smallest Solar-Powered Sensor Could Run Forever Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: alternative energy, eco design, energy… -
Zaha Hadid’s Petroleum Research Center (Ironically) Aims For LEED Platinum
9 Feb 2010 | 8:16 amIt may seem ironic, but even petroleum research centers can be LEED certified if they meet the critieria. Case in point: the King Abudullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC for short), designed by Zaha Hadid, is aiming for LEED Platinum. To be built in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the state of the art campus will house research and development facilities on energy and environmental exploration and analysis. We take that to read studies on better ways of finding more petroleum (which is hardly a practice we consider to be green) but at least the building itself is striving to be… -
ReRev Makes Energy Generating Gyms a Reality
9 Feb 2010 | 6:17 amMany of us have been to the gym and wondered why the exercise equipment isn’t hooked up to generate electricity and feed it back into the grid. At long last a company in Florida called ReRev has answered our calls, converting existing elliptical machines into sources of power. Now when you hit the gym, you can burn off those calories while creating some renewable energy for a carbon negative workout. Read the rest of ReRev Makes Energy Generating Gyms a Reality Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: elliptical machines, exercise, human generated power, human power, renewable…
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Big Head Design
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Wordpress for Beginners (Intro)
8 Feb 2010 | 8:00 amSo you’ve decided to make the jump to Wordpress and considering you’re here reading this, you’re probably looking for some help in navigating your way around the Wordpress Dashboard. Below you’ll find the first in our series of Wordpress tutorials that will help better orientate you with the dashboard. This video gives you [...] -
Popular Mechanics Magazine circa 1937
29 Jan 2010 | 8:00 amThere’s something about looking at something old that gives you a nostalgic appreciation for what was going on at the time. It also gives you a refreshed appreciation for what is new. This is what happened when I recently came across this “vintage” issue of Popular Mechanics magazine from 1937. More of a book [...] -
21 Bodacious Brochures!
26 Jan 2010 | 8:00 amBrochures come in all different shapes and sizes. They can be informative or decorative. One thing for certain is that a great brochure is definitely something that is memorable. Whether it’s a fantastic design, a creative die-cut, or awesome construction and use of materials, great brochures can really be an eye-popping piece for any designer or [...] -
10 Photoshop brushes for you to download!
25 Jan 2010 | 8:00 amBrushes, we’ve all seen them, and we all want em. Grungy, artistic, creative, organic, you name it and there’s probably a brush for it. When used appropriately, brushes can give whatever you’re working on that extra look you’re looking for. There are 1,000’s of fantastic free sets of brushes out there for download (FREE) of [...] -
LA Artwalk is all kinds of #Win!
18 Jan 2010 | 5:06 pmRecently, I took a trip to Downtown LA to take in some food & culture at the LA Artwalk. This event features over 30 art galleries within walking distance, many next to each other, who open up to the public allowing the masses to enter and experience the art of their work and the [...]
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kontaktmag | design innovation
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Publisher at Large: Lego and Architecture
15 Jan 2010 | 2:47 pmWhen I was young, my go to toy was a big box of Legos. A mish-mash of colors, shapes and sizes of bricks were at my disposal. I had corner pieces, bricks with holes for wheels and even slanted pieces for roofs. If I wanted a toy my mom wouldn’t buy for me, I would [...] -
Palazzina Grazzi on the Grand Canal
14 Jan 2010 | 2:17 pmFor his first hotel designed in Italy, French designer, Philippe Starck, scored the Palazzina Grassi. The newest hotel in the heart of Venice, Italy is located on the Grand Canal, right next to the famed Palazzo Grassi. The façade is a classical 16th-century shell, behind which generations of noble and haute-bourgeois families lived and several [...] -
Publisher at Large: The Liège-Guillemins Railway Station
8 Jan 2010 | 10:29 amAfter spending a week in Belgium it was time to venture out. The location of Ghent made many destinations possible including Paris and Amsterdam. But family comes first and it was time to visit relatives in Germany and introduce them to my (very) new fiancé. So we went to Brussels to catch the train to [...] -
Airsquare – Shelving Out of the (flat) Box
7 Jan 2010 | 8:53 amThe cube makes a great building block, and a better shelving structure. We’ve seen them before using various materials and even more varied configurations. The Airsquare designed by Oliver Schick in Germany has a cool factor not achieved by the previous versions (with the exception of the Cubitec, but not completely modular). The cubes are made [...] -
Renamed Burj Dubai Opens as Burj Khalifa
6 Jan 2010 | 2:21 pmOn January 4, 2010 the tallest structure in the world was opened with fireworks and fanfare. One of the biggest surprises was the last-minute announcement that the name of the tower was changed to Burj Khalifa in honor of the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates. What was [...]
