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November 27, 2006
Puppies Against Cancer
Puppies Against Cancer is a project sponsored by Luminaire in an effort to raise money to find a cure for the disease. A handful of international artists were asked to take blank ceramic puppy figures and add their own unique take to it. The results are in and online bidding is on. My top favorite is the bent slinky puppy (image above) designed by Amanda Levete.
3 other favs after the jump
Posted by tranism at 3:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Energy Autonomous > Energy Efficient
I was once called the "Gay Inspector Gadget" (don't ask). You see I have this belief that the perfect car for me will be laden with gadgets, keep me connected to the world and have a neutral impact on the environment. Aside from the gadgets thing, I don't see anything else I have in common with Inspector Gadget. I mean I don't have a little blond girl shadowing me with a brainy dog, so the reference has always eluded me.
Until a friend of mine emailed me a link to the Venturi Eclectic with the subject heading "Here's your car Inspector!". You're real funny Rui, real funny. I still don't see the reference but the vehicle intrigues me.
The Eclectic is billed as the world's first mass produced energy autonomous vehicle. It's designed for daily driving in urban areas and is powered by electricity via 3 sources; plug-in, solar and wait for it . . . wind. The roof is equipped with advance photovoltaic cells to quickly harness the power of the sun keeping you juiced and ready to go. To support that system is a wind turbine that extends up and out capturing the power of wind should there be a gust and both are augmented with an advance plug-in system for those overnight recharges.
The vehicle goes on sale in Europe June 2007 for about $31,000 USD. There are no plans for the Eclectic in the US, but one can only hope something similar is a-brewing but better looking please. At least add some doors!
more pictures after the jump
Posted by tranism at 2:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
O-Ring Digi
I sometimes feel the days of the watch are over. If you've got a cell phone, PDA and a friend - you've already got multiple ways to tell time. The watch's function then becomes reduced to an accessory and no company knows that better than Fossil. Teaming up with minimalist designer Philippe S+arck, the O-Ring Digi "clocks" in at a cool $110 for a unique design. The ring shape display numerically displays the hour while minutes fill in the ring as a series of blocks. The very center of the ring is cut out creating the opportunity for even more unique watch-band ringlet wrist tans.
Buy it now and get free shipping direct from Fossil
Posted by tranism at 2:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Look Ma! No Hands!
The Stokke Gravity balans chair is the first chair of its kind to simulate zero gravity in multiple seating positions. Although technically, gravity is still there, the design uses your own weight as a counter balance making it feel as if your're floating in the chair - whether upright to get some work done or reclined for a quick nap.
People, please make sure you only attempt this with this particular chair. I promise you it will not work if you attempt it in the chair you're sitting in now. Trust me, I just tried. Ouch!
Posted by tranism at 1:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
November 15, 2006
Bone Rings
I know the title is sorta convoluted so let me explain. Biojewellry is an attempt at merging jewelry design with science. The rings are made from bone cells sampled from your wisdom teeth. The project is already successful but they're looking for more volunteer couples.
Basically you and your significant other go in, donate your bone samples, where they will be cultivated in a lab to form different shapes. In time, they hope to create combinations of bone with metals like gold and platinum to elevate the design. When the ring is complete, you wear rings made from each other's cells - tethering you two together for life.
The rings are lighter and much stronger than you think. It is real bone after all. Although kinda creepy, its fascinating where science (even when mad) can lead us.
Posted by tranism at 5:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
November 12, 2006
The Pony Project
My memories of My Little Pony are fragmented and strange. All I remember is a movie I owned - the ponies end up in some forest with smurf like creatures in mushroom homes; they're trying to cross a bridge when a white pony slips and falls into the chasm; an epic battle with some villain consisting of black and blue sparkles; and OH YEA, the ponies are accompanied by two blonde kids too. Anyone know what movie I'm taking about?
Anyways, I digress. Hasbro resurrected the ponies as an art exhibition at Milk Gallery in New York, where designers were asked to customize blank My Little Pony figures. It's similar to the success of the Dunny project. Each pony sold will see 50% of the proceeds go to the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps.
Plenty of the ponies are still up for grabs so check them out online.
Posted by tranism at 11:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Fatbear USB
I've always had this fascination with decapitating bear heads (hence the dozens of slaughtered gummi's in my lifetime), but this USB drive called Fatbear takes the cake. They come in several bright colors and a sense of humor. When removing the bear head, not only do you find your standard USB dongle, but it's actually a little guy in a bear costume. CUTE!
At $34 a pop for just 256 MB, it's a pit pricey considering my ordinary 1 GIG flash drive was only $20, but for those that like to indulge in design at the expense of cost, be my guest.
via Core 77
Posted by tranism at 12:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
November 7, 2006
The Way a Web Styler Should Be
Okay, I'm no CSS magician. In fact, I only started learning CSS about a year ago and my grasp of it is still, meh. It's not that it's hard or anything. It's just one of those things that progressively gets easier with more practice. So when my hero CSS app got updated, I got all giddy!
CSSEdit 2 from macrabbit (the developers are actually a group of retired magic show rabbits) is hands down the best mac CSS editor in all the land. It's a total mac app. The interface adheres to Apple's user interface standards which means it's clean, simple and very easy to use.
For noobs like me, it makes writing your own CSS super easy. There's a visual editor that lets your design your layouts all without writing a single line of code. Once you see how design gets translated into code, in no time you'll be jumping in doing it by hand. It's a great way to learn and it's how I learned CSS. SCREW BOOKS!
My second new fav feature is the validation tool. CSS is a loose enough construct that in the wrong hands, won't render correctly across all browsers. That validation tool is sorta like a spell-check function that makes sure your code is up to W3C (the almighty web consortium gods) standards.
My most fav new feature is called X-ray. With it, I can view other sites and reveal exactly how their CSS is written. Ooh how sinfully delicious!
Now truth be told, I only have the first version of CSSEdit so if the people leporidaes at macrabbit read this, I would love to get my hands on this new version since mine is demo only. :)
$29.95, runs on both PPC and Intel Macs. Buy it here
Posted by tranism at 5:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
November 6, 2006
Green is Comfy
This thing just looks so incredibly comfy!
Rafael Fernández Sánchez is the designer of this "Natural World" inspired rest surface which is divided into two layers. The green section is what makes it special, it's separated into 12 mobile pieces that allows the user to utilize them in unlimited ways.
Simply irresistible! Get me one.
Posted by diverseawareness at 10:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
November 5, 2006
OS X Atmosphere Concept
Not too long ago, 25 designers were asked to submit their dream idea for a Mac only application. It could be anything as long as the idea was sound. The final designs would be voted on by the public and now we have a winner.
The winning entry comes from Cameron Westland and his dream app is called Atmosphere. But just what is Atmosphere?
It's a screensaver desktop app that updates your desktop with current weather data. Just by looking at your wallpaper, you'll be able to tell what it's like outside. The app also has a dock which gives you a 7-day forecast. It goes a step further and lets your view weather conditions in say - your destination if you're traveling. Just picture it, you wake up and turn on your laptop. You see it's a beautiful and sunny day in Los Angeles. You hop on a plane and your background changes to dynamically show time and weather conditions. When you reach Boston, even before you get off the plane, you know it's dark, muggy and even a little wet. How f*ckin cool is that?!?!
Although just a concept, I really hope Apple takes it serious and makes it into a application. There's plenty of time to get it in before Tiger's Leopard's release.
click on the images for a larger preview
Posted by tranism at 7:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
1984 Fishbowl
The genius of human industrial design often focuses more on our happiness than our animal cousins. Designer Danny Cheung opts to take that focus and shift it towards its subject, in this case - a goldfish.
They live pretty boring lives, totally exposed for our amusement. His 1984 Fishbowl is innovative in meeting the needs of the goldfish which engages our own instinctive curiosity. The domed portholes create an ethereal magnifying lens for compelling entertainment while the opaque white walls provide refuge and privacy for our friend.
The design was the star at the Australian design exhibition workshop and is now for sale. $390 buys you a piece of art and design suitable for both you and your aquatic friend.
Posted by tranism at 7:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Aeros Airships
When I was a kid, I had a certain vision of the future. To date, reality has only fulfilled about 25% of that vision. Where are our flying cars? Where is our unified world government? Where are the giant airships that making flying around cities a sightseeing adventure?
It seems the light gliders of yesteryear are on their way back and with current advances in technology, they're safer, faster, quieter and much more ecologically sound.
The Aeros company wants to make their airships available for commercial use on short range trips. They can fly at over 150 knots while expending far less fuel and provide a smoother ride for those that get air sick. The luxury liners can make that trip from Los Angeles to Vegas feel like you just spent the last hour in a posh hotel rather then locked down in an uncomfortable seat surrounded by strangers.
I'm pretty much sold and would like to know how much a ticket would cost.
Posted by tranism at 7:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
November 3, 2006
Pascal Bird (the avian, not his last name)
Sketch artist Pascal makes little animated shorts that do wonders on a stressful day. This one just put a big ass grin on my face.
Posted by tranism at 12:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Linkasink
Do you have a landlord so strict about paint, curtains, blinds, nails, etc... you can't do anything other than live in a white-walled, beige carpeted apartment? Not to worry because little things can really make your apt. uniquely urs.
One thing you can do is add a little whimsical touch to that drab sink drain. Linkasink creates charming drain covers in all shapes, designs and sizes to make you smile everytime you look down. At $100 - $150 a pop, it ain't cheap but definitely an eye catcher.
Posted by tranism at 12:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
November 2, 2006
Resin Lamps
These plastic resin lamps by Asahi Kasei (no, not the beer company) are hauntingly beautiful. They illuminate via an ambient glow and there's a strange alien/retro quality to them. Too bad they're not for sale. :(
via mocoloco
more pictures after the jump
Posted by tranism at 10:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)