It began with iPhone. Intuitive, smart, dynamic. Multi-Touch technology introduced a remarkably better way to interact with your portable devices — all using gestures. Now they’ve reached another milestone by bringing gestures to the desktop with a mouse that’s unlike anything ever before. It’s called Magic Mouse.
Click anywhere, scroll in any direction and swipe through images on its seamless top shell. It works wirelessly using Bluetooth. And built-in software lets you configure Magic Mouse any way you want, be it 2 button functionality or left handed.
Finally Magic Mouse features a laser tracking engine that’s far more sensitive and responsive on more surfaces than traditional optical technology.
The creator of the mouse has evolved it!

Extract from Apple SG

I bought a HTC Hero last friday. Comes in a very small white hard box, so small you might thought it’s a budget, no frill phone.
First impression when I took it out of the box: Robust, heavy, feels good in the hand.

Power up the phone and I waited for maybe more than a minute to be able to start using the phone.

The optical ball seems like a good idea, but i seldom used it once I get used to poking the screen. The only time I used it is for the camera. You have to press the ball to capture an image, not good for self portrait. Second thing not good: no flash! So night shot is dark. Third thing not good: slow to take a picture. So, not really a camera replacement. Only good, u can pin point where you want the camera to focus by touching the screen.

The design is the update of the once-upon-a-time Nokia banana phone. That is not good as it does not work on a standard phone holder in the car, I dropped it thrice due to its shape. Now I placed it horizontal, since the screen can tilt anyway (it has accelerometer) but still not as secure.

Now all the good parts. The phone can be charged using your laptop via USB. Charging takes about the same time as most power hungry phone.

Touchscreen buttons are always not as good as a physical keypad but I managed to survive by used the virtual keypad, after a while, I can be equally as fast. As an after thought, it took me just as much time as any other phone to learn it, there after it’s fun all the way. I am still learning it now since I am still exploring, but it’s great dicovery.

Like most interactive user interface that is not an apple or microsoft, you can customise your ”desktop” with the applications that you will use most of the time. The widgets are great. One thing that surprizes me (might not be new to others) is the clock that updates itself without any setting up. Actually, the phone did not need much of a setting up. It is up and running within a minute. It even telling me the weather of the exact location, not the country or city but the town! WiFi is auto, and no set up for the internet as well.

SMS is like a chat platform. Contact search is the same just that it doesn’t go back to the top when you have gone to the bottom, so that’s a boring part but the contact itself is now linked to facebook and twitter, and that is very neat! You can read about your contacts’ everyday living just like the facebook lite and, you can scroll through their recent updated photos just the same way as you would in your photo gallery, meaning, it’s fast and efficient. Viewing the photo, I have to add, is like photoshop.com. 

Its Android so it is everything google. Gmail is already there for you. Google map is great as a simple GPS, signal is good. Internet upload is fast. As is most latest touchscreen, you can pinch to enlarge or reduce and move through a full webpage, so I don’t need to view lite versions any more and the bookmark is like google chrome, I like! I tried the Youtube last night, streaming is fast, or maybe it’s already loaded somewhere. So far, all the applications I have used, there is no lagging!

Call wise, it’s loud and clear although sometimes it’s broken reception. Could be the service provider and not the phone’s fault though, I do not know for sure.

Synchronising with the PC takes a bit of setting up but after that its working the same way as most phones.

Power consumption is bad the last few days. I had to charge everyday, but what do you expect, I am exploring and using all the functions extensively… so not a good benchmark.

I am still happy as of today, it’s a definite major upgrade from my Nokia E71. Good phone!

Extract from HTC

Sponsored By: Design Sojourn | Strategic Industrial Design Blog

3D Snap shot of a spinning top (vase) that comes to a rest.

Via: Yanko Design

Sponsored By: >Think>Draw>Make>

BMW Lovos concept uses solar technology. The body of Lovos consists of 260 identical interchangeable particles contained in the hinges on the overall structure. These individual elements are mobile and can be closed, as fish scales, or open.

Scales operate as an air brake, and turn with the sun, gathering energy through solar cells located on them. 12 scales, closing each wheel is also functional: As soon as the car begins to move, they change their position, moving into the wheel, creating a semblance of turbines.

Extract from cardesign

I always wondered about this! What about you?

How do you sit in this thing?

Create by Neri Oxman, an architect and researcher whose work attempts to establish new forms of experimental design, Beast chaise lounge is an organic-like entity designed as a three dimensional object that provides for multiple seating positions with each promoting a completely different experience.

Via: Design Year Book

Albie puppy light is made out of recycled materials and parts. It looks like Pixar’s Angle poise’s dog…

Extract from Architects’ Journal

Sponsored By: Design Sojourn | Strategic Industrial Design Blog

Ahh…the good old days.

Sponsored By: >Think>Draw>Make>

Classic game UI fun. Just because!

Sponsored By: WiiGolf.net | Real Golfing on the Nintendo Wii

Once in a while designers really need to get out and do something different. It looks pretty clear that Pixar Animators have a lot of pent up needs and really need to get out more! I wonder how it impacts the Disney brand?

In 80 whimsical pages, the collection of vintage-inspired artwork is a voyage into the human mind, with all of its carnal obsessions and romantic mythologies.

The book traces the full spectrum of sex and science — sex and aliens, sex and robots, sex and math, sex and the tools of innovation, sex and the Atomic Age — with pure, playful whimsy that disarms any preconceptions of vulgarity.

As I began working on this book, I found myself heavily inspired by the cover artwork of old science books. A favorite series of mine is the “How and Why Wonder Books.” As I looked over the entire series, I thought to myself, “There is no Sex and Science issue.” This gave me the perfect excuse to create my own volume for the series. The end result is the long lost “Sex and Science” edition that was never published. ~ Nate Wragg for Nerve

The Ancient Book of Sex & Science is the second in a series grouped around themes the animators couldn’t explore in their regular work. The first, titled The Ancient Book of Myth and War, sold out in a matter of weeks and is now available — and priced — as a collector’s item.

Is someone looking to bring some credibility into this underground business? Strange effort but well designed nevertheless.

Cool pixel art of celebrities and famous people. Captures the essence of what makes that person unique.

Sponsored By: Design Sojourn | Strategic Industrial Design Blog

Envi is a foresight urban dustbin, promoting composting from biodegradable waste. It makes waste into nutritious compost for the plant which it carries and lives in harmony with. The big part of the produced compost can be separated from Envi for usage in other occasions.

This project uses bio-reactive substances based on photo catalysis to accelerate the degradation process of waste, remove bad smells and polluting gas.

Extract from Behance Network

Sponsored By: >Think>Draw>Make>

A Spiked Pacifier for your naughty baby?

Extract from World Famous Design Junkies

Sponsored By: WiiGolf.net | Real Golfing on the Nintendo Wii

I bought a Hong Kong imported set for about SGD513 yesterday and put it to the test. Connecting it to the TV is ABC, connecting it to the internet via WiFi is just a password away (as compared to the Wii that i had, PS3 is almost like lego). The bluetooth DUALSHOCK®3 wireless controller can be connected at the front USB for charging while I try out the system. A HDMI cable (sold separately) I got from a friend allows my Bravia 40″ to automatically setup the best resolution of 1080i.


All set up in less than 10 mins including unboxing and then I was already online surfing the forum and FaceBook. Then I put in a disc (Metal Gear Solid 4) and it took to about 8mins to download into the system (while I had my dinner).

Without using an instruction manual I tried to play games and surf the internet with basic input of text using the virtual keyboard, and that’s the tough part. The DUALSHOCK®3 wireless controller has 16 buttons and it really took me a while to understand it’s functions (I was not a PSone, PS2 or PSP user before) but after getting aquainted for a couple of hours it gets a bit easier. I still can’t input what’s on my mind in FaceBook.. don’t seem to work… and one on one combat always gets me almost killed… but I am learning.

Finally, FM in an apple! Nano now comes with FM radio built-in as well as a feature called Live Pause. This is similar to time-shifting found in digital video recorders and is achieved by recording live radio once you hit pause, so you can go right back to where you left off.

Another significance is a camera added to the iPod nano. This records video at VGA (640 x 480) resolution in H.264 format.
The new iPod nano will cost S$228 and S$288 for the 8GB and 16GB versions.

Extract from Apple Sg

Aperitivo Table designed by Eon Ju Park from Korea, is one of the 100 shortlisted entries from the designboom competition ‘it’s aperitivo time’ in collaboration with Peroni Nastro Azzurro.
The Aperitivo Table is a simple and stylish way in which to hold your food and drink. The table looks like a tree with branches of small circles which allow you to place and remove glasses with ease – the table itself appearing like a small party space decorated by colorful drinks and food.

Extract from designboom

Palm has officially announced its second webOS device called the Pixi. Like the Pre, this will be launched in US which means it’s a CDMA device and won’t work in Asia and Europe.
The handset sport a QWERTY keypad under a 2.63-inch 320 x 400 touchscreen. According to Palm’s Webpage, the Pixi doesn’t come with Wi-Fi, though it has Bluetooth and GPS. The company also announced back covers for this new smartphone designed by artists for those who like to personalize their Pixi.

Extract from Crave

Sponsored By: Design Sojourn | Strategic Industrial Design Blog

Green your world from the inside out and upside down!

Via: BOSKKE

Sponsored By: WiiGolf.net | Real Golfing on the Nintendo Wii

Via: YUEN’TO

Measure twice, cut once PRODUCT DESIGN AND PRODUCTION. Established to produce considered, practical, relevant and reasonably priced products, originated by emerging and recognised design talent with longevity in mind.

Via: VG&P

Via: Fast Company

Out goes Futura, in comes Verdana and all caps!

Via: Creativity Online

I did.

Via: LEARN SOMETHING EVERYDAY