Mulberry will soon release an anticipated line for Apple products. Designed to house iPhones, MacBooks and MacBook Pros of varying sizes, it’s refreshing to see bags embrace the fact that we spend so much of our time with our computers and phones. The line allows you to be accessible and productive with you without looking like your lugging your office with you. Bayswater for 13″ Macbook (left) $1195. Daria Mini Messenger for iPhone (right) $250. You can view the full line here.
We all have fears of the effects of excessive cell phone use, especially from the iPhone which seems to interfere with radios, conference call units or any piece of electronics within a three foot radius. In response, Pong has released a cell phone case for 3G and 3GS which claims to redirect radiation away from the head without reducing signal strength. An extensive test by Wired supported the manufacturer’s claims finding a 65% reduction in radiation to the head. Available in green or black. Pick it up here for $60. Thanks to Heather for the tip.
It’s an exciting time. Technology is more powerful and accessible than ever. Take Audiotool by Hobnox for example. This browser based interface takes thousands of dollars of equipment and emulates it in flash. Now you can make electronic music using just your browser. Give it a try here.
It’s always fun to look at visions of the future from previous generations. Magic Highway USA is an excerpt from a 1958 Disneyland TV Show that’s particularly well illustrated and an excellent reference for those that dig the 50’s-ish retro-futuristic style. It would seem our infrastructure is still lagging a bit by the standards of the Jetson’s era visionaries. But at least there’s a good sound track to get your imagination working on how to build a hover car.
In most cases we would consider automated font adjustment (using the bold button in MS word rather than using a bolder font weight) a crime against the printed word. LAIKA however, seems to have taken the automated rendering of typography in a new direction with shockingly good results. LAIKA is the BA thesis work of Nicolas Kunz and Michael Flückiger and is one of the first examples we’ve come across of real time dynamic type rendering.
“Type has always been something static.
In considering type we speak, for example, in terms of bold, thin, grotesque, classical, roman, italic: terms that all describe a defined variant of the font family. Thus we only ever see individual fixed points in what is actually an infinitely wide space of possibilities.
With digitalisation, however, typeface has left its manifest image – cast in lead – behind, and with it all the associated limitations. Computer-based applications, the Internet and new, fluid advertising media allow us to go beyond the existing, static view of typography.” -from LAIKA website.
If your phone can have a touch screen with out actual buttons, why can’t your house do the same? The Living Wall project, led by Lisa Buechley at the MIT’s Media Lab uses conductive paint in wall paper. This allows for a flexible surface that can be used as a touch sensor and could control almost anything electronic via bluetooth (albeit within a certain distance). In the image above, LED circuitry is incorporated into the material and conductive paint stenciled as a design motif produce light directly from the surface.
From New Scientists interview with Lisa Buechley “Our goal is to make technologies that users can build on and change without needing a lot of technical skill,” says Buechley.
To create the wallpaper, the team started with steel foil sandwiched between layers of paper that are coated with magnetic paint – acrylic paint infused with iron particles. Over this base they paint motifs such as flowers and vines using conductive paint, which uses copper particles rather than iron. The designs form circuits to which sensors, lights and other elements can be attached.
“It really is just a sheet of paper, and could be produced with existing printing and construction methods,” Buechley says.
Having exposed circuitry on your wall might sound dangerous, but Buechley says the system runs at 20 volts, drawing around 2.5 amps when fully loaded with devices. “You can go up and touch the wall and not even feel a tingle,” she says.
There’s a lot of speculation going around, but all signs point to the reality of an Apple Tablet being released, possibly in time for Christmas. This is essentially a large format ipod touch with wireless internet access. This idea is largely considered to be apples next huge sea changing idea and for good reason.
Building on the tremendous success of iphone applications, a tablet would provide a larger format app developers to work with. This could be used to display anything from a browser, keyboard, photo gallery, to a video screen that could display HD video.
We’re guessing this would probably be about as big as a small- medium sized laptop, maybe 13-15 inches. Apple is speculated to release this for about $800 subsidized by a multi year internet access contract, rumored to be partnered with Verizon.
At last, a litter box which not only hides it’s unsightly contents, it looks at home in a minimal setting. The clever design also keeps litter inside so it doesn’t spill which your cat jumps out of the box or digs.
Available in five colors. 15″ t x 16″ d x 16″ w. You can buy it here for $180.
Finding a good laptop bag is a never ending search. In the latest chapter of our quest we found the Mrs Moore and Mr Miller bags from German boutique Aunts & Uncles. We are very much in favor of a decidedly retro look for transporting our technology. The classic look of waxed leather looks decidedly cooler after a few good nicks and scratches, so this bag may outlast your next three laptops. While black canvas and zippers have certainly had their day, we think it may be time for technology to stop looking so futuristic.
The BMW Lovos (Lifestyle of Voluntary Simplicity) concept is an interesting solution to how to integrate solar technology into a car body. The scale shaped cell panels can lift and turn to adjust themselves to the angle of the sun and absorb the most reflective light. The “scales” can also affect handling by lying flat for maximum aerodynamic performance or lifting to create airfoil braking and stabilization. Read the rest of this entry »
If your phone can have a touch screen with out actual buttons, why can’t your house do the same? The Living Wall project, led by Lisa Buechley at the MIT’s Media Lab uses conductive paint in wall paper. This allows for a flexible surface that can be used as a touch sensor and could control almost anything electronic via bluetooth (albeit within a certain distance). In the image above, LED circuitry is incorporated into the material and conductive paint stenciled as a design motif produce light directly from the surface.
