Mug

This is a conceptual design for a mug done by Brad.

TAG Formula One

Watch collector and design lover David Dombrowski recommended this one.

Sven Johnson

This sketch was on Svenrender.com I think that the style is interesting and more compelling and inviting than his renderings which seem to get a little static. It is also interesting to note how much easier it is to see flaws in the perspective when the drawing gets too tight.

Chopard

Or maybe the winner would be this sporty homage by Chopard...if I came across $6,000 I did not need.

Tesla model S

I think that this might be the Tesla Model S sedan. It is an all electric that is supposedly going to hit the market at under $70k. I am not sure what the range is on this but the Tesla roadster had close to 100 mile range.

Design Project

I was just talking with a friend about design competitions. Basically we agreed that although they were fun and useful for learning they were also very unpredictable because the real criteria for what makes a winner if often hidden. We also agreed that a more focused competition would be interesting. Perhaps like some of the automotive competitions which focus primarily on form. But, what product makes for a good competition. How about this one? It is a high powered flashlight used primarily by military and law enforcement. Here is the current specification sheet. I think that there has to be a better way to meet this users illumination requirements.

HID Xenon technology provides four times the light per watt compared to halogen. Made of Thermoplastic Rubber (TPR) and is completely sealed from the elements. This light is so tough it is virtually unbreakable. The perfect light for harsh environments. It is rugged and it floats.

High Intensity Discharge (HID) lights do not use filament based bulbs. Instead 2 electrodes inside a bulb "arc" causing gas to burn. This creates a much brighter light that draws far less current than much higher wattage filament based incandescent bulbs. Because there is no filament to break, HID bulbs tend to last several thousand hours, compared to filament base bulbs. With no filament to break, HID based lights can sustain much higher levels of vibration and shock.


PRODUCT FEATURES
6" diameter x 8" long (15.24cm x 20.32cm). Weighs 1.5 pounds.
High quality, Waterproof, durable thermoplastic rubber housing.

12 foot, heavy duty coil cord with cigarette plug runs on 12 volt vehicle and boat power systems.

HIGH POWER LIGHT SOURCE
6 inch diameter, 35 watt HID bulb emits 3200 lumens (15 million candlepower)
4500K color creates bright, white sunlight color to maximize visibility.
Projects Up to 2000 foot beam.
Optimized beam pattern for fast and accurate positioning.

LOW AMP DRAW
Draws 3 amps @ 12 VDC as compared to 55W halogen with a draw of 4.5 amps or 100 W halogen with a draw of 8.5 amps.
Highly efficient High Intensity Discharge generates almost no heat.

DURABLE WITH LONG LIFE
No filament to break if dropped.
3000 life hours per bulb minimizes bulb replacement.

HANDHELD
Handheld for quick intuitive spotting vs. remote controlled lights.
HID spotlight can be handheld comfortably in a rescue light style or held in a flashlight style.
HID spotlight can also be set on a flat surface like a traditional lantern or in elevated angled position.


WATERPROOF
Thermoplastic housing completely sealed. Meets marine standards.
Sealed push button switch.

Spark Awards

The spark award winners were announced to entrants yesterday. The winners will be publicly released in a few days but you can get a preview on their website (www.sparkawards.com). There was a huge range of entries and most of them seemed to have at least one or two worthy attributes. The fee to enter this seemed a little high, and I doubt I will enter again next year but compared to other competitions it was very well run. We entered the Preserve Food Storage pictured here. It is a finalist. Wish us luck!

nano innovation

I hope that our friends at Apple realize that this is not innovation and that this color thing that they are doing is getting a little tired. The finish is still appealing but the new cross section is very 90's and all but the red color are fairly mundane picks

Buffalo Bills 3-0

The Bills have not won their first three games since 1992 when Jim Kelly took them to the championship. This weeks win was impressive in that they battled back after making a several mistakes and playing poorly on offense. The O-line and the Defense have not been this good in Buffalo in a long time. It is great to watch. In week 4 they will face the Rams.

Super Kings of Chennai

Cool blog from my supplier of CSK jerseys.
http://www.delhiasiseeit.com

watches

I was recently looking at watches and these three stoodout. Bell and Ross, Breitling and Tiffany.

Juice Fountain?

Nice details, cool funtionality, bad form, horrible name

Urchin

Well done single color silicone spoons available on Urchin.

Emerilware

I slow roasted a chicken using Emerilware this weekend (Thanks Judy) and I do not mind saying it was exceptionally tasty and easy to use. The cast iron surface took to the seasoning very well and the pear and wine flavor infused into the chicken and the vegetables even more than in my crockpot. I think that I am going to have to get the skillet next...or maybe the cornbread pan.

Quantum

Jim, this is a good example of what I was talking about regarding form and detail working together even on a small scale.

Gashlycrumb tinies

A few posts back I mentioned this Edward Gorey story as an influence for toys. Here is an image of the cover of the children's book (One of Edison's favorites). Published in 1963 it also seems to be a strong influence on Tim Burton and the Nightmare Before Christmas Style.

Tom Dixon

Tom calls himself a design star...not sure about that but some of his PR stunts (like filling Trafalgar Square square with molded chairs that people could take home) are pretty interesting. This is part of his biodegradable tableware line. Here is his very modest write up: "Maverick design star Tom Dixon is a household name in England, where is he most famous for being the creative director of Habitat, the UK-based home-furnishings shop. The Eco Ware line is the result of experimenting with biodegradeable plastics made from compressed natural materials such as byproducts of coconut, rice and bamboo processing. Tom Dixon created this line of biodegradeable plates, bowls and cups dubbed Eco Ware . This elegant line of sustainable tableware is 85% bamboo bound with a water-soluble polymer. Eco Ware is fine enough for formal occasions, tough enough for the outdoors, and robust enough for every-day use. The best part is that after a long functional life (5 years give or take), the Eco Ware objects can be recyled into plant pots or simply composted back to the earth.

responsible toys

Other than being made out of rubberwood I am not sure how responsible the design of these is..especially given the painting process and the likely daily rate of the workers. Here is their write-up taken off of thinkbutton.com "Take the expedition on the road with this award-winning set that includes 8 x 5 inch tote-able Velcro-closure Igloo tote and 12 chunky wooden figures. Hand crafted in Sri Lanka out of rubberwood, an environmentally friendly hardwood. Pieces average approx. 3 to 4 inches in size."

Poked studio

Cool rendering of bizarre stacking toy concept. Edward Gorey (author of Gashlycrumb tinies) would like this.

glassware

I saw these on the worldsbestever.com. Evo is in the market for some new glassware and cutlery. These are by Upper Playground. they are pint glasses in time. The retro pattern pictured here is designed by Dora Drimalas (according to WBE). The do remind me of highball glasses my grandparents used to have.

Gordon Ramsey - NYC the London

Although the food is not as good as at Petrus, if you have the chance try to Chef's table at Gordon Ramsey's restaurant in the London hotel in NYC. It is not inexpensive but the experience is exceptional.

Buffalo Bills

After a long off season and an even longer pre-season tomorrow is the Bills first game. They are at home against the Seahawks. Although they look better than last year the Seahawks have a tough defense and an offense that seems like they have something to prove. Because it is at home I give the advantage to Buffalo but I think it is going to be a close game with the Bills putting a lot of emphasis on the run. It would not surprise me to see Leodis run one back nor would it surprise me to see Poz come up big this game.

More MoMa

This is pretty nice looking. I wonder what the material is. I think that it would be even better if it had a fabric storage area or a small seat that introduced a little bit of detail.

MoMa

"Originally released in 1970 as an alternative to large, ornamental wall clocks, this reproduction designed by Riki Watanabe has large easy-to-read raised numbers. It can be wall-mounted or displayed on a table. Made of steel and ABS and Seiko precision quartz movement. Hardware, clip-on stand, and one AA battery included." I think that this write up on the MoMa website might also be from the 70's. "Seiko Precision quartz movement"? Does that have any meaning anymore? Also, they list as a feature that it can be displayed on a wall or a table. Yikes. Still it is pretty cool.

cousins

Here is Ian with cousin Michel on a nature walk near my brothers house.

Forest Gump

Also by Alessi, this is a salt and pepper shaker with a toothpick dispenser. They are all held in position on a magentic base. Although these are well styled, expertly colored and engagingly detailed I think that our good friends at Alessi have to be seeing that this characterized trend is dead. They should feel lucky that they held the high-end and high price point for over a decade with this twist on a classically low-end position and move along.

Coke Rewards

I am not exactly sure why, but this is what I am saving up for on Coke rewards. I need about 1700 point (3 points per cap). Please feel free to send me your caps if you are not also saving them up.

school desk

Hey Mike, Doesn't this look like our chess table? I think that prick Starck might have ripped us off...oh wait it was done in 2003. Maybe we should say ours is an homage?

controlled color

Good example of controlled color palette (bad example of Urban Vinyl). As we were talking about earlier although the control and the Hue selection is visually appealing it is not an appropriate strategy for communicating learning and content because it connotes stifled as opposed to free or open ended. The addition of a complementary color like (PMS 137) would help as would the use of a purple or magenta.

Mr Chin

Design by Stefano Giovannoni for Alessi (I think) this line of Mr and Mrs Chin timers and tabletop accessories includes some great colors, and finishes. The only disappointment is how cheap they feel in real life. Especially given the pricepoint ( The timer is $50). Also, although I know that the naming was done in conjunction with Taiwan's Palace Museum the characiture style and naming seems a little dated.

Labor Day

The occasional writing that I have been doing for sustainablog has had me reading a bunch of different opinions on sustainable design efforts and several times I have come across stories on Phillipe Starck's "bold initiative" to bring cheap well designed wind power to the masses. Apparently he is partnering with or being hired by a european company called Pramac that already manufacturers generators. It is difficult to find images on the project or real details...this is the picture that keeps coming up. There is however a great article on the topic in the Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/07/garden/07starck.html