The Space Explorer (by Logitech) gives users a 3 dimensional navigational experience allowing simultaneous inputs for a more fluid and realistic environment. Mouses allow you to pan, twist, spin, or zoom in, but you can’t do all of them in one simple twist.
I’ve played around with the Space Explore and it takes a few hours to get use to. Once your hooked it’s as intuitive as most mice are in any 3D CAD package(I favor Solidworks). I’ve yet to completely convert over to this mouse, but it saves a ton of clicks and twist while making you look cool with blue LEDS hovering under the main knob. I’m not sure if I’m ready to fork over $299 for this, but once the price drops some, I’ll be hooked and sneezing the products amazement around to all my friends.
Check out their other products here, or videos here.
In the design world exists the ever lasting User Experience Flowchart which I’ve created for a multitude of projects giving great visuals to holes and steps within the entire methodology of a task. Well, not as long, but just as informational comes the simple “Dog: Can I Eat” Flowchart. Good stuff.via SwissMiss (source Subtraction with more text about the chart)
Wow! Hussein Chalayan’s Spring/Summer 07 Collection presents some seriously cool morphing clothing! Watch the video above, or watch it over at Gizmodo here. (NSFW: some nudity towards end)
I’ve seen my share of mechanical transforming outfits before, but most have all turned out robotic-like and seemingly uncomfortable on women. Hussein somehow makes these transitions smoothly and gentle, like a ghost peeling away at the models. The designs are very nice and morph for extra “wow” points. Call it fish strings, Nickel Titanium, some other memory alloy, or plan magic, I love it!
I want an outfit that morphs the fabrics pore sizes as my body temp changes after a run, though I think there are smart nano materials that do this already. Or maybe an outfit that’s connected to the internet that changes shape based on the NASDAQ or weather…. okie, I’m getting a bit geeky now.
I’ve posted the a longer version of the Catwalk and more about Hussein after the jump, with interviews and another spectacular soft LED dress thats pretty sweet!
(3 videos after the jump)
CityScape is a colossal fortress of tangled wood hovering in the heart of Brussels for the next year reflecting a frozen moment in time gesturing the increasingly influential city of Brussel within Europe’s capital. The project was funded by MINI for to coincide with the world premiere of the new MINI Clubman Car, which is pretty sweet, though the back reminds me of a refrigerator nostalgically.
CityScape is the vision of designer Arne Quinze who directs the fast paced multidisciplinary firm Quinze&Milan.(They rock!) Their work has been seen around the world, but I first noticed them from last years Burning Mansculpture in Black Rock city which they later burned down like champs! Cityscape reminds me of the trippy Tunnel House in a higher budget way.
I’ve copied a ton of images after the jump, otherwise, go to their BLOG for more pictures, videos, and information.(one YouTube Video about the project)
“There’s this new trend of organizing books by color. I love this photo by chotda linked via the Rainbow of Books Flickr group. This growing trend is cool but if I were gonna do this, I’d probably have to create a little digital database so I’d be able to find the right book I was looking for. Also, I’d probably be totally OCD if a book was out of place due to a subtle color tone. Jessica at How about Orange points to a San Francisco bookstore Superhero that rearranged all 20,000 books by color. [ via ] Link.”
Pretty sweet! I’ll have to reorder all my magazines on my bookshelf since they just sit there anyways. This reminds me that sometime when things are done one way by others or systems are designed to be done one way, there’s always a better solution for your needs.
Take for example those contact card binders with lettered tabs on the side, hinting you to keep your contacts in order by letters. We’ll, I started off that way but figured out a better method. I keep my cards in chronological order. The longer I’ve known you, the further you are in the front of the book. If I met you recently, your on the back half where I continue adding cards. Sometimes you remember people more by when you met them rather than by name, and by putting the cards in this order, you have a timeline of event such as college, a conference, a party, or at meeting. Perhaps this doesn’t work for some of you, but it makes for a great timeline book of contacts which works great for me.
Above: Newberry Street in Boston, Armani Exchange closed down, dumpster filled with goodies (wooden hangers, manikins, tables, chairs, shelves, etc) a few minutes later, ladies in high heels and gentlemen in suits dumpster diving. I have close up pictures of the ladies in heels, but I decided not to post those ( I grabbed some chairs and hangers)
John Maeda has a great visual design process documentationof his design of the New York Times Key Magazines Cover. Though I’m still unfamiliar for Maeda’s fame in the design field, it’s nice to see his thinking though this overload of vectors seems to be a constant repetition in the information visualization world.
For those of you that know me well, I love the methodology and ingredients to design over final outcomes since ya see the thinking involved. I’ve copied the documentation from the NewYorkTime after the jump. Enjoy! (more…)
Online T-shirt sensation Threadless is opening up a Threadless store this Monday (Sept 10th) in Chicago at 3011 North Broadway Avenue. They’ll have a retail store downstairs while rocking out an Art Gallery upstairs! Their having a “Grand Opening Party” September 14th at Metro with several performances! If your in the Chicago area, go! I wish I could be out there for this opening! Threadless simply rocks!
If ya don’t know about Threadless, check them out, design some shirts, submit them, buy some, takes pics, buy more, submit often, vote lots, and get addicted!
Other tips:
- If you need to use the machine shop when it’s closed, go to sleep and wake up early rather than staying up all night trying to do something manually.
- Bring a pillow to studio and get a desk with wide wooden planks (Their more comfy on the shoulders)
- If you need to document a ton of sketches use your digital camera instead of a scanner… it’s much faster!
- Don’t wear sandals in the shop nor shorts in most cases.
- Use a pen, carry a sketchbook around 24/7, and for some buy that sweeet portable metal Olfa blade.
- Desk goodies: band-aids, bottle of chewable Vitamin C’s, roll of toilet paper, Mp3 player, too many markers, too many rolls of various tapes, cutting board, string, box of Exactos, toolbox, cork board, small under the desk fridge, craft sticks for mixing, and a trashcan.
- Tape a “You owe me” list on your desk… people give and take all the time.
- Desk Lamp! Most studios have those crappy eye annoying fluorescent tubes that flicker..especially when you have been up 48+ hours.
- Get a Flickr account, document all!
- Start your own blog!
( I grabbed some chairs and hangers)
