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Showing posts tagged product design

IKEA Cardboard Digital Camera

IKEA is taking names and kicking asses. First, a all-in-one sleek white modern TV set and console. Now, a low-cost digital camera made out of cardboard. While most people use their smartphones as digital cameras, the new IKEA camera could be really fun to be surprised as to what photos you’ve taken. We’re so used to instant gratification that we forget how much pleasure can be derived by waiting.

From ckck:

Seems like IKEA are really shaking things up this year. In addition to the previously announced TV set, they’re also going to release a digital camera made of cardboard called Knäppa (“Snap”). It’ll hold 40 photographs at a time and plugs directly into your USB port. While it’s not the prettiest camera the world has ever seen, I do love the idea of a screen-less digital camera that brings people back to the wait-and-see days of film.

Memory Weights by Shu Chun Hsiao The thought of equating the weight of digital files with their size is intriguing. Similarly, seeing a file folder icon actually fill up as you fill it up is another ‘digital as physical’ concept. Shu Chun Hsiao’s Memory Weights are literally the weight of your world. The cemented usb drive tells the digital capacity by its weight. A concrete volume may clearly express the concept of digital data.

Memory Weights by Shu Chun Hsiao

The thought of equating the weight of digital files with their size is intriguing. Similarly, seeing a file folder icon actually fill up as you fill it up is another ‘digital as physical’ concept. Shu Chun Hsiao’s Memory Weights are literally the weight of your world.

The cemented usb drive tells the digital capacity by its weight. A concrete volume may clearly express the concept of digital data.

Skull Sugar Cubes

Buy a set of 15 skulls for $10 here.

“Black Favor Boxes will set the mood for any occasion. These hauntingly sweet, sugar cube skulls are molded by hand in small intimate batched of 100% pure cane sugar. Set your table for a gothic tea party. Indulge with a nightmarish luxury in your morning coffee. Hex your friends on Halloween. Perfect favors for any special event. One Lump or Two?”

  • Each Skull measures 1/2” X 1’ and is slightly more than 2 teaspoons of sugar
  • Each Box is Black inside and out with a matte finish (not glossy), and is made in 2 pieces (lid and box) finished measurements are 2” X 2” X 2”
  • Each order has 3 Boxes of Sugar Cubes (5 Skulls per box) 
  • 2 days are needed to produce the sugar cubes

Map Pillows

From top left: UK, Arctic, Paris, Europe, Iceland, Solar System, Queensland Australia, Copenhagen and North America). Now you can travel the world without ever leaving home. Best to do this when you’re sleeping on on of these beautiful items, lest you start thinking too much about how you’re not actually visiting these places.

Buy each from My Bearded Pigeon for the really odd price of $56.78 here. 

Heinz Updates Ketchup Packets with New Dip & Squeeze While to many this seems like a no-brainer, you have to remember that ketchup packets were made the way they were for a long time because they’re cost effective. Think about it: you take two pieces of printed plastic, seal them together, squeeze ketchup in it, seal it up and perforate part of it so it can be torn. The new package will combine a hard plastic that needs to be shaped with soft plastic that is an irregular shape. By adding an irregular shape you add more cost to the process because you have to cut more. Before you could just sheet cut the plastic, as it was a uniform 4-sided shape. In addition to that, you now add on more cost by having to shape it into a hard 3D container. The new Dip & Squeeze packet may equal 3 old packets but the cost is most likely significantly higher. That’s the price you pay for a better branded user experience. Guaranteed that people will end up using it more in the long-run and Heinz’s brand affinity goes through the roof which results in sales lift across all Heinz products. Sometimes you have to lose your cents to make dollars. Some interesting tidbits from the Wall Street Journal article: To develop the new packet, Heinz staffers sat behind one-way, mirrored glass, watching consumers in 20 fake minivan interiors putting ketchup on fries, burgers, and chicken nuggets. Heinz believes traditional ketchup packets are so annoying that they stop people from ordering fries at drive-thrus. “Fry inclusion orders” at drive-thrus “have been going down for years,” says John Bennett, VP of food-service ketchup, condiments and sauces for Heinz. Since a supply spat between Heinz and McDonald’s that arose during a 1973 tomato shortage, Heinz, the country’s largest ketchup producer, has been locked out of most McDonald’s U.S. locations.  The new packets cost Heinz several times more to produce than the old rectangular pouches it has been selling for over 40 years. The new containers cost restaurants more than three times the old packets, as well, which could give pause to some chains. Heinz hopes customers learn not to grab more than one or two. President of a package-design firm that worked with Heinz, says the package subtly cues the consumer about the portion. Shaped like a bottle of Heinz ketchup and larger than the traditional packets, the “Dip and Squeeze” packs signal, “This is a serving, this is a bottle of ketchup. You actually don’t need 16 bags of ketchup.”

Heinz Updates Ketchup Packets with New Dip & Squeeze

While to many this seems like a no-brainer, you have to remember that ketchup packets were made the way they were for a long time because they’re cost effective.

Think about it: you take two pieces of printed plastic, seal them together, squeeze ketchup in it, seal it up and perforate part of it so it can be torn.

The new package will combine a hard plastic that needs to be shaped with soft plastic that is an irregular shape. By adding an irregular shape you add more cost to the process because you have to cut more. Before you could just sheet cut the plastic, as it was a uniform 4-sided shape. In addition to that, you now add on more cost by having to shape it into a hard 3D container.

The new Dip & Squeeze packet may equal 3 old packets but the cost is most likely significantly higher. That’s the price you pay for a better branded user experience. Guaranteed that people will end up using it more in the long-run and Heinz’s brand affinity goes through the roof which results in sales lift across all Heinz products. Sometimes you have to lose your cents to make dollars.

Some interesting tidbits from the Wall Street Journal article:

  • To develop the new packet, Heinz staffers sat behind one-way, mirrored glass, watching consumers in 20 fake minivan interiors putting ketchup on fries, burgers, and chicken nuggets.
  • Heinz believes traditional ketchup packets are so annoying that they stop people from ordering fries at drive-thrus. “Fry inclusion orders” at drive-thrus “have been going down for years,” says John Bennett, VP of food-service ketchup, condiments and sauces for Heinz.
  • Since a supply spat between Heinz and McDonald’s that arose during a 1973 tomato shortage, Heinz, the country’s largest ketchup producer, has been locked out of most McDonald’s U.S. locations. 
  • The new packets cost Heinz several times more to produce than the old rectangular pouches it has been selling for over 40 years. The new containers cost restaurants more than three times the old packets, as well, which could give pause to some chains. Heinz hopes customers learn not to grab more than one or two.
  • President of a package-design firm that worked with Heinz, says the package subtly cues the consumer about the portion. Shaped like a bottle of Heinz ketchup and larger than the traditional packets, the “Dip and Squeeze” packs signal, “This is a serving, this is a bottle of ketchup. You actually don’t need 16 bags of ketchup.”
Facebook Platform Atlas Carrot Creative created a great interactive atlas of online platforms called Platlas (Platform + Atlas = Platlas. Get it?). To start off, they delved into Facebook by identifying all of the features in a feature key, cross referenced it with a color key and filtered with all of the actions that make the platform interactive (like, share, etc.).  This makes it easy for anyone to understand Facebook, even the most seasoned of professionals. Platlas is a great tool for any communications strategist when trying to give recommendations to their client. I’m looking forward to more iterations of this with other platforms - Twitter, Facebook and so on. Check out a fully interactive Platlas here.

Facebook Platform Atlas

Carrot Creative created a great interactive atlas of online platforms called Platlas (Platform + Atlas = Platlas. Get it?). To start off, they delved into Facebook by identifying all of the features in a feature key, cross referenced it with a color key and filtered with all of the actions that make the platform interactive (like, share, etc.). 

This makes it easy for anyone to understand Facebook, even the most seasoned of professionals. Platlas is a great tool for any communications strategist when trying to give recommendations to their client. I’m looking forward to more iterations of this with other platforms - Twitter, Facebook and so on.

Check out a fully interactive Platlas here.

SciFi & Fantasy Peg People

Remember when you were a a kid and you had little wooden peg people to play with? Well, some of you will (if you were born before portable video games replaced actual toys). These “toys” are customized pegs that are painted in the format of legendary people from tv shows, movies and pop culture.

“Jen (aka RandomlyGenerated) creates little geeky peg people based on her favourite movies and TV shows. From a gang of every single Doctor Who regeneration to Marty McFly, Jen’s creations have been sold all over the world and she is delighted to sell them through the magical world that is Etsy.”

You can buy them for as little as $15 for one and up to $100 for the whole set of all Doctor Whos. Buy them at Etsy here.

Create Your Own Starbucks Mug

This ceramic tumbler lets you express your creative side while enjoying your favorite Starbucks® coffee.

Create your one-of-a-kind mug using the Porcelain Art Pen included. Write a special message to your favorite person, or draw on the mug. Then bake it to make your words or artwork permanent. Fill the mug with a special treat and give it as a gift to make someone’s day. Holds up to 16 fl oz.

How To Create

  1. Shake Porcelain Art Pen well and use to write or draw on mug.
  2. Allow mug to dry for 1 hour, and then bake in oven for 20 minutes at 450 °F (230 °C).
  3. Remove and let cool for 1 to 2 hours.
  4. Fill with treats and make someone’s day.
Buy it for $14.95 here
Reason number infinity why our President is awesome: He brews his own beer - WHITE HOUSE HONEY ALE! No, you can’t buy this and NO you can’t try this… unless you get a chance to meet with Obama and you request a White House Ale. More info on White House Honey Ale from ABC News: “The First Lady’s office confirms that the White House chefs made one batch of beer using about a pound of honey from the First Lady’s honey hive, on the South Lawn of the White House. The chefs used the traditional methods to brew the beer, and the First Lady’s office confirms that the Obamas paid for the equipment. The batch was made so that the nearly 200 Super Bowl guests – from members of Congress to celebrities like J-Lo — could sample the new beer. In a picture provided by the White House the beer even has its own logo: a picture of the White House highlighted on a maroon background circled in yellow which reads, “White House Honey Ale: brewed with White House honey.” 

Reason number infinity why our President is awesome:

He brews his own beer - WHITE HOUSE HONEY ALE!

No, you can’t buy this and NO you can’t try this… unless you get a chance to meet with Obama and you request a White House Ale.

More info on White House Honey Ale from ABC News:

“The First Lady’s office confirms that the White House chefs made one batch of beer using about a pound of honey from the First Lady’s honey hive, on the South Lawn of the White House. The chefs used the traditional methods to brew the beer, and the First Lady’s office confirms that the Obamas paid for the equipment. The batch was made so that the nearly 200 Super Bowl guests – from members of Congress to celebrities like J-Lo — could sample the new beer. In a picture provided by the White House the beer even has its own logo: a picture of the White House highlighted on a maroon background circled in yellow which reads, “White House Honey Ale: brewed with White House honey.” 

Steampunk Star Wars Robots

Jordan Thomas creates these amazingly imaginative steampunk robot sculptures. I’ve included just a couple above from Star Wars: R2D2, C3PO & a Stormtrooper. Added bonus points for Thomas including the Princess’ message with R2.

Some others include characters from The Wizard of Oz and WALL-E. While you can’t buy any of his known characters, you’re still able to buy custom steampunk robots that are all one of a kind.

You can see the rest of his artwork here, buy some cool robots for $60 & robot wine stoppers for $20 here and check out his website here.

The Vans DQM General Store in SoHo NYC

“The Vans DQM General shop is DQM‘s second brick and mortar store in collaboration with skate company Vans. Located in the heart of SoHo, the store fuses DQM’s authenticity with the timeless heritage of the Vans brand to create a shop geared towards the growing skateboarding and lifestyle community. The General store will carry select Vans and DQM footwear and apparel products for men, women and kids as well as a small capsule collection between DQM and Vans that’s only available at the new shop. Check out The Vans DQM General store starting September 15 at 93 Grand Street.”

See more photos of the new collaboration store’s interior at Hypebeast here.

Greg Melander gives us a little insight into the now iconic Windows wallpaper that he helped bring about: “This photo is a blast from my past. I came across this article (Ever wonder where the Windows XP default wallpaper came from?) I just so happened to be the designer who helped choose this image for XP in 2001 and contrary to what this article says, yes, I did end up making slight Photoshop modifications. I raised the saturation levels, adjusted a few flowers in the foreground, took out a few clouds in the sky and adjusted the mountain the far distance. At the time I would have never thought this image would become so prevalent around the world. I also ended up doing the silver and olive themes for XP back in the day. Later on I also did the black XP theme for media center. That was my favorite one.”

Greg Melander gives us a little insight into the now iconic Windows wallpaper that he helped bring about:

“This photo is a blast from my past. I came across this article (Ever wonder where the Windows XP default wallpaper came from?) I just so happened to be the designer who helped choose this image for XP in 2001 and contrary to what this article says, yes, I did end up making slight Photoshop modifications. I raised the saturation levels, adjusted a few flowers in the foreground, took out a few clouds in the sky and adjusted the mountain the far distance. At the time I would have never thought this image would become so prevalent around the world. I also ended up doing the silver and olive themes for XP back in the day. Later on I also did the black XP theme for media center. That was my favorite one.”

ThumbSaver Magnetic Nail Setter

Even though this magical device [F*cking magnets, how do they work?] is likely to help even the most handy of us from smashing our precious thumbs when hammering in a nail, I have this feeling that this will end up in the same area as the rest of the As Seen On TV timesaving kitchen appliances. How many times do you actually hammer in a nail? And out of those times how many times do you hammer your thumb?

Unless you’re an exceptionally uncoordinated carpenter like my uncle then this probably isn’t necessary in your life. If you are inclined to buy this awesome device you can always buy it here for $13.

Coca-Cola: Space Invaders Edition is a concept design by Erin McGuire dreamed up for Coke products Coca Cola, Diet Coke and Coca Cola Zero. Erin’s designs bring the 8-bit world of Space Invaders to the 3D world of Coke cans. This is a perfect fit considering all of the custom can collaborations that Coca Cola is doing. The only problem would be officially collaborating with Space Invaders on this. Maybe a 35th anniversary edition in 2013? We can only hope.

Check them out here.

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