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| 3,500 Bacteria Per Square Inch Posted: 17 Apr 2009 12:01 AM PDT Holy crap that’s how much there is on the average elevator button according to designer Skeet Wang. Skeet Wang, yes, Skeet Wang, has taken the idea of the touchless button and applied it to elevators. Which is a good idea if the other fact Skeet Wang says is true: that the 3,500 is 17 times greater than the average toilet seat. Contagion! That’s what comes from elevator buttons. Instead of the black death, try this non-contact button method. The system uses “micro sensors mounted inside the hollow of each button, which will activate the order when people put fingertips through.” And say what? “The UV rays shedding from the buttons will sterilize our fingertips when pressing the button in the meantime.” Designer: Skeet Wang        |
| SpacePilot Pro 3D Mouse BREAKING! Posted: 16 Apr 2009 12:43 PM PDT A few weeks back 3Dconnexion gave me a sneak peak at the SpacePilot Pro 3D mouse. It addresses a number of issues I had with SpaceExplorer and ups the ante by adding a barrage of new technologies. It seems they really wanted to hear from users. Professionals spanning multiple mediums all gave their 2 cents and today the SpacePilot Pro makes its debut. Hit the jump for the official press release. We can’t wait to get our hands on one! FREMONT, Calif. – April 16, 2009 – To meet the rigorous demands of design engineers working in powerful 3D applications, 3Dconnexion today announced the new SpacePilot™ PRO. The company's flagship 3D mouse is designed to deliver advanced control of 3D models, easier access to the power of professional 3D applications, fewer interruptions in the design workflow, and superior comfort. Specifically, the SpacePilot PRO features a new color LCD Workflow Assistant, second-generation QuickView Navigation technology, Intelligent Function keys, and an improved design for enhanced comfort and control. "3Dconnexion's 3D mice have rewritten the rules on the way design engineers and professionals interact with 3D environments," said Dieter Neujahr, president of 3Dconnexion. "Our new SpacePilot PRO builds on our market-leading industry experience, delivering the most powerful 3D mouse we've ever made. It enables increased performance that ultimately results in better designs, created in less time." The SpacePilot PRO 3D mouse provides the highest level of performance features ever available from 3Dconnexion, including: LCD Workflow Assistant:The color LCD lists function-key assignments and provides at-a-glance access to Microsoft® Outlook® e-mail, calendar and task lists, allowing professionals to access important information for a fully integrated design experience with fewer distractions. Through 3Dconnexion's open software architecture, the workflow assistant can be further customized to meet the needs of individuals, companies and software vendors. Advanced MCAD Navigation:Five new dual-function QuickView Navigation keys improve error detection, design review, and design presentation by providing one-touch access to the following views: top and bottom, right and left, front and back, two isometric views, and 90-degree view rotation of any view either clockwise or counter-clockwise – for a total of 32 views. A short press activates a key's primary view command, while pressing and holding a key activates a secondary view command. In addition, new Navigation Setting keys offer simplified and customizable control, allowing professionals to turn pan-and-zoom, rotation and one-axis control on or off, making it easier to define navigation settings for certain work modes. Intelligent Function Keys:Five new fully customizable, dual-function keys offer immediate, one-touch access to 10 frequently used commands within any supported 3D application. The SpacePilot PRO automatically detects the active application and assigns appropriate function keys – whether default or customized. The color LCD denotes the function key assignments and application mode so engineers can easily identify commands and design states. Superior Comfort:The SpacePilot PRO has a new sculpted, soft-coated wrist rest that positions the hand in relation to the controller cap to support a balanced workflow. The micro-precision six-degrees-of-freedom sensor allows for fingertip control with minimal effort from the arm, wrist and hand, while frequently used commands are conveniently positioned at your fingertips. The intuitive and symmetrical layout of the function keys makes the device usable with either hand. Unlike traditional mice confined to motion on one flat plane, 3Dconnexion 3D mice enable design engineers to move in all three dimensions simultaneously, using six-degrees–of-freedom sensor technology. By gently lifting, pressing and turning the controller cap, design engineers can easily pan, zoom and rotate without stopping to select commands. Using a 3D mouse together with a traditional mouse engages both hands into a balanced and cooperative work style. 3Dconnexion provides advanced and affordable 3D mice that are supported by more than 130 of today's leading and powerful 3D applications, including Autodesk InventorTM, SolidWorksTM, CATIATM, Pro/ENGINEERTM, NXTM and Solid EdgeTM. For a complete list of applications supported by 3Dconnexion, visit www.3dconnexion.com/solutions. Compatibility, Pricing and AvailabilityThe SpacePilot PRO is backed by a three-year warranty, and is currently available at a suggested retail price of $499. The SpacePilot PRO is supported by Windows XP, Windows Vista®, Sun Solaris 8 (SPARC), Sun Solaris 10 (x86), and Linux® (Redhat Enterprise Linux WS 4, SuSE 9.3 or later). Linux and Solaris support workflow assistant function key assignments only. Company: 3Dconnexion No Tags     |
| Bookworms, From Concept To Consumer Posted: 16 Apr 2009 09:50 AM PDT One of the toughest parts about being a designer is balancing the need to satisfy our creativity with that of the market - ultimately what the consumer wants, the consumer gets right? - Even at the detriment of design and in some cases rationale. Our very own Brian Ling recently dished on the realities of working in design but the end goal is to always satisfy the client and make money off your product. Today’s high-tech sector is probably the best and first place to see how one’s ideas can turn into money. Phil Baker’s latest book “From Concept To Consumer” irons out those details and shows us all how to avoid the pitfalls so we can enjoy the successes. If you’re a designer or thinking about becoming a product designer, PICK UP THIS BOOK. As someone who’s been in the industry, Phil lays it out like it is. You have a great idea? Awesome but if you don’t understand how the high-tech industry works, how the players play, and how the market deals - you and your design ultimately end up in a cycle of “going nowhere fast.” One of the most commonly asked questions I get is “how do I get my concept made?” It’s a daunting task. I myself have had tons of failures and reading thru Phil’s book gave me a few of those Oprah “ah-ha” moments. There’s no clear direct path. It’s about navigating what’s happening now and what you think will happen in the future and to do that, there are a TON of things we designers aren’t taught in school. It’s the kind of stuff only experience can teach. I’ve read a couple books from would be “pros” who offer nothing more than theories but Phil’s actual account from his experiences make me more keen to believe him. He’s been directly involved with some of technology’s defining moments like the original Polaroid SX-70 to the Apple Powerbooks and to my fave, their Newton MessagePads. It’s going for $17 so do yourself a favor. In these hard economic times the smartest thing to do is invest in yourself. Get this book, smarten up and most importantly face the reality. Yanko Design has always been about embracing the future - be it far fetched and wild but we’re trying hard to help you guys know the truth. Brian’s article, Dark Side of Design and Phil’s book, “From Concept To Consumer” are two great places to start. Author: Phil Baker [ Buy It Here     |
| Posted: 16 Apr 2009 09:28 AM PDT Truth be told if I saw this thing barreling thru a forest, I’d probably wet my pants but wait! The Harvester is Forests’ best friend. The Designers wanted to create a machine that could sustainably deal with the forest and its natural resources without damaging our very limited supply. It optimizes the entire process and analyzes the work flow so future improvements can be made to guarantee the proper usage and protection of our forest grounds. I adore the little wheel plates that spread its surface area while lifting a heavy tree. Designers: Niko Kugler & Georg Heitzmann     |
| Stay Organized, Bluelounge SpaceStation Review Posted: 16 Apr 2009 09:13 AM PDT You can call it a desktop organizer but it doesn’t hold paperclips, pens, and pencils. It’s all the other stuff we ignore - the cables and wires that make our laptops look like they’re hooked up to Skynet. The Bluelounge SpaceStation is a $79 peripheral that’ll clean up clutter and elevate your laptop while saving a few of those USB ports because it’s hiding a few of its own. Hit the jump for my review. It’s a hollow plastic 60 cm long bar slightly angled towards you and fitted with a full length rubber mat. Underneath there are a series of rings and hooks to ribbon cables leading to a 4-port USB hub. The execution is simple and pretty flawless. By neatly tucking cables underneath the bar and only leaving enough length to plug into whatever it is that needs charging/syncing - you literally clear your desktop. At its most extreme - the SpaceStation is perfect for minimalist interiors. The elevation is just enough to gently “offer” your keyboard at a very ergonomic angle. There’s even a rear accessory rail, sort of a notch running behind the rubber mat for business cards and the included document clip is perfect for office workers.
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Yes I would buy it even at that price. You may be pressed to believe the price tag is worth the investment and in these economic times - even $50 is an investment. The convincing argument for me was comparison shopping at a number of computer retail outlets. There were a few generic options with gangly looking USB hubs haphazardly screwed on - to the uber sexy options the Apple store sells, but none of those have USB hubs. What Bluelounge has done is create a product you didn’t know you needed until you tried it. Company: Bluelounge [Buy it Here]
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