Design posts

I want to make clear that I don’t dislike Sony, but you have to admit, this could be called a dick move. To help usher the 3D craze into our living rooms, the tech giant is launching a campaign featuring ‘fake’ 3D, intended for 2D televisions. “Do not adjust your set”, says the ad, before douchily (if that wasn’t a word, it is now) suggesting “maybe it’s time to get a 3D TV”. Ad agency Anomaly, who produced the campaign, are unsurprisingly unapologetic. Said Paul Graham, co-founder of the agency: “Unless you give viewers a bit of a jolt, a wake up, if you can’t make a serious impact then it is just another…

AutoCAD coming back to the Macintosh platform? It seems as though the first screen shots have been leaked. AutoCAD, a design and drafting application, has been associated with the PC in the past but it looks like the developers are finally acknowledging that many creatives in the industry would rather work in a Macintosh environment. Screenshots are available over at the Apple Lounge. Source: MacRumors.com…

Back in 2006, Architect John Kormeling was asked to build a modern day pavilion in the Netherlands that would be based solely on the them of ‘Better City, Better Life’. It was a challenge by the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, to generate ideas for livable cities in the 21st century. This amazing design looks like something I used to watch in the cartoon, The Jetsons, back when I was young. John Kormeling would later name this entire pavilion ‘Happy Street’. If you are still confused at what I am talking about, watch this video and it will explain everything. As this idea is gaining world wide recognition,…

With all the ballyhoo Google’s brought over Google TV in the last 36 hours, it would seem that people are about to get excited over television again. With that, I guess it’s only fitting I show you some totally cool TV tech. What you’re watching is a demo of SkÃ¥l. SkÃ¥l (pronounced ‘skÃ¥l’) is an interaction design for television that relies on RFID to tie physical objects to digital media on your computer or, in the case of Google TV, your TV. Just slap an RFID chip onto a small object, link it to the chosen media, and place it in the bowl to instantly experience the content. Sexy. Frankly, a system like…

I’m really stoked about all the cool Arduino stuff I’m seeing lately. Remember the Twitter lamp I rapped about last week? Almost makes me want to be an engineer. Almost. I have a dexterity score of like 8, so it’ll probably never happen. Meanwhile, though, people who are indeed engineers (and at the very least, programmers) are doing stuff like this. John Park is using the Arduino platform to construct – what else – a Nerf sentry gun. You know, to protect your property from, like, Nerf criminals, or 7 year old boys, or something. The uselessness of this is nothing short of legend, but I can’t give the…

Pantone Inc., the graphic arts legend, has expanded its focus once again; this time to include the design of a wholly functional, painstakingly color-coded hotel. The Pantone Hotel, located in Brussels, offers breathtaking views of the city; but people fortunate enough to get accommodations my have a hard time taking their eyes off the design and colors of their room to look out the window. Potential overnighters are given the choice to color-code their stay through a variety of color-themes including Earthy, Rich; Daring, Fiery; Vibrant, Intense; Cheerful, Warm; Captivating, Esteemed,…

Like most newspapers and magazines, Sports Illustrated has been wondering how to handle the move to digital and internet distribution. Some publications are leaning towards iPhone and iPad apps, but the most promising technology in terms of widespread distribution is still the web. As the video shows, HTML5 has more than enough capability to create a compelling experience for magazine readers. The iPad is a success because people can envision themselves sitting on the train reading a book or magazine. But as devices like ebook readers and tablets become smaller, lighter and sturdier, and…

If you’re a web designer, web user or a human being who’s touched a computer in the last year, you probably know that HTML5 is kind of a big deal. Well, nobody told Adobe that. Having just shipped Adobe Creative Suite 5 you’d expect the world’s leading creativity software maker to be up on all these new fangled web technologies. Actually, Dreamweaver, the Creative Suite’s HTML authoring tool has very little in the way of support, but Adobe has realized this and has released the Adobe HTML5 Pack as an extension. The extension contains several useful tools for web designers, including code hinting…

Ever wonder what it’s like living in the coldest places on Earth? Pretty awesome from the looks of it. Several countries ranging from the US to South Africa have established research facilities in the Antarctic over the years but building these bases is no walk in the park. They face obstacles that are unlike anything the rest of the world sees, such as being covered in 30 feet of snow or having the facility’s whole foundation drift into the sea. Engineers have gotten creative in facing these challenges. The US-occupied Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station is perched on 36 stilts to lift it 10 feet off…

Neven Mrgan of Panic Inc. is obviously a big fan of LOST. To celebrate the upcoming series finale, Mrgan posted a pixel art poster of the cast of the show. There’s even a .PSD version that adds Charlie and even the Smoke Monster! Add your own characters or artwork (Dharma Initiative pixel art, anyone?) and post yours with a link in the comments!…