Stock pick

My pick for the day or "trading idea" as they say is Tata motors. They are down in early trading and should continue that way for a short bit. I suggest a buy at $8.30 today and predict you will be able to sell at $11.00 in the fall.

cutting board

Check out the Evo Cutting board hitting the front page of Crate & Barrel. Very exciting, and lucky placement. http://ebm.cheetahmail.com/c/tag/hBKSSDHAcG6ClB7uTct$EFnF3sd/doc.html?RAF_TRACK=&email=dustie.moore@gmail.com&i_message=02766&FNAME

Umbra

It seemed like Umbra was getting stale but looking at this I would say that they are back. These shower caddys are very difficult to design and this one is among the best I have seen. I am not sure that the marketing is quite right for an over-the-head caddy but it does look good.

Alessi

Saw this at MoMa also. Here is their write up online:
"You don't have to get all prickly hunting high and low for paperclips. This clever porcupine creature, by young Korean designer Mika Kim, lets you collect them neatly, and adds a touch of wit to your desk. Made by Alessi of PMMA plastic and magnetic steel."
Does it add a touch of wit to your desk? I think that maybe it is time for the folks at Alessi to diversify their approach a little more.

antidesign at MoMa

This is the "MUJI" which means "Mujirushi Ryohin" in japanese which means "No Brand Goods." Their philosophy is "innovative and simple materials, processes, and packaging resulting in products are streamlined, environmentally friendly, and beautiful in their simplicity." That sounds good but results are a generic and cheap looking razor. It is compact and simple but the details in particular make it look dated and imprecise. Where is the "innovation"; the top ingredient in their design philosophy?

Sprite

The finish on this is really nice and grip-able. The restraint is also compelling and distinctive.

Mountain Dew art

In the bottled beverage world I think that coke did this first but it is still cool and this is an excellent example.

beaker

I think that this form is compelling and would inspire people to give it a try. The real "genius" is not in the form but in the courage of the team to make it and give it a give it a try in the market place. Not to mention the buyer that did the same. I would be willing to bet that this was run through the typical focus group validation process which seems too be useful in many ways but can also underestimate the risks consumers are willing to take.

soap dispenser

Hands-free soap dispenser. Really nice design although the form does not feel very much like a soap dispenser, but maybe that is the point. Interesting to see how effectively the finish picks-up the tone of the surrounding colors in the room.

Method

Really nice, simple and clean graphic device for these refill pouches. A lot of what these guys do is a little too Rashid-eriffic for me but this is really nice and you have to admire Method's consistency. I think they were started in San Francisco in 2001 by Eric Ryan, a designer, and Adam Lowry, a chemical engineer. As far as I know even with the hugely expanded product-line they still don't test on animals.

bench

Interesting use of extrusions.

Chantal

I was at sonoma today and saw the cool new colors from Chantal. They were at housewares a few months ago but they look better at retail and are a nice contrast to what the competitors are doing.

Lego FLW addition

I just saw this on the Lego website. It does not say how to order them.

Full Sail

This is more of what came to mind when I heard Full Sail.

Full Sail

Full Sail University offers an online masters programs in design. But what is with the airplane in the logo.

Canzani Award

Here I am receiving the Canzani Award next to Lucy Godman whose official title I do not know and Denny Griffith, the President of the College. It was a nice event and the campus is more impressive than ever. The award itself is also impressive. I am not sure who designed it but the heft and feel of it is great as are the materials and the attention to detail. It is by far the nicest award I have ever received.

bath

Ian and porkchop take a bath.

Gardena

Working on a project and was reminded of all of the good work done by Gardena. Similar to Fiskars they seem to have found the formula for consistently making simple, distinctive, functional and elegant designs.

homage

The scale of the time seems off but it is nice that it is minimal. It is one of the better ipod look alikes.

Zink

This is part of the Tomy Zink collaborative. No matter how much they distance themselves from Polaroid the reality is that there are not very many situation where a consumer wants instant but medium quality pictures. Ultimately that is the challenge with this product, create a need for instant pictures and you are back in business but until then...

DIY

I think that this is an interesting idea. I am not sure about applying it to a camera but the idea is cool. Too bad they did not design a more ergonomic main housing...or at the very least a better looking one. You can purchase it at Unicahome but there is a 6 week waiting time.

interesting

I like this modern interpretation on the old idea. Simple but it does a good job of taking into consideration how the product is used. I bet that flat spot is always covered. The contradiction between the base and the shell is also interesting and engaging.

New sliding PSP?

Thanks Gizmodo.