“If you view the mass adoption of 3D printing as an inevitability – whether it be through people all…”

121127_lumia820_022 David Meyer at GigaOM about the release of 3D templates, case specs, recommended materials and best practices  related to the Lumia 820 phone shell:
If you view the mass adoption of 3D printing as an inevitability – whether it be through people all owning their own 3D printers or, more likely, paying by usage at a local 3D-printing store – then it follows that many more people will start ripping out and replacing static components of various devices, such as smartphones. If that happens, then many less skilled practitioners of the art will start messing up said devices with parts that just don’t fit as well as they should. Nokia’s 3DK release should reduce that risk for customizers of Lumia 820 phone shells, making it more likely that they will remain satisfied with the overall product experience. It’s like releasing a solid SDK, only for hardware, and it’s a smart move on many levels."
>Why do I blog this? Although I don’t necessary buy the “
3D printing as an inevitability” argument, I’m intrigued by the consequences of such move by Nokia. Will users follow the best practices? Will there be any weird repurposing? Is that a weak signal of something that will be more general? I’m frankly not sure everyone will/can do it but it’s curious to think of “amateurs” trying things (as “choosing something on Thingiverse and modifying it a little bit”).

“Did Google Kill this Donkey?” asks Jalopnik. The…



“Did Google Kill this Donkey?” asks Jalopnik. The answer is no: “Because of the way our 360-degree imagery is put together, it looked to some that our car had been involved in an unseemly hit and run, leaving the humble beast stranded in the road. As our imagery below shows, the donkey was lying in the path - perhaps enjoying a dust bath - before moving safely aside as our car drove past. I’m pleased to confirm the donkey is alive and well.”

Knight Rider’s red light interface. According to the…





Knight Rider’s red light interface. According to the Wikipedia:

KITT’s scanner is similar to that of Cylons from the science fiction series Battlestar Galactica. Glen A. Larson, the creator of both Knight Rider and Battlestar Galactica has stated that the two shows have nothing else in common and to remove any fan speculation, he stated in the Season One Knight Rider DVD audio-comments, that he simply reused the scanning light for KITT because he liked the effect.

Why do I blog this? I’m currently in a seminar with design students and we are discussing interface from science-fiction pieces, their meaning and their implications. This example popped out as relevant.

(via Stefano Mirti), as reported by Dezeen Royal College of Art…



(via Stefano Mirti), as reported by Dezeen

Royal College of Art student Gabriele Meldaikyte has designed a set of interactive exhibits for a museum of iPhone gestures. “There are five multi-touch gestures forming the language we use between our fingers and iPhone screens,” says Meldaikyte. “This is the way we communicate, navigate and give commands to our iPhones.”. She used wood and acrylic to make five 3D objects that recreate the physical actions required to operate a touch-screen smartphone, using newspaper clippings, book pages and paper maps to represent the data being manipulated.

Why do I blog this? An interesting design research approach to highlight new interaction rituals. Surely a good complement to our curious ritual project with a more tangible format.

The Bubble Bonnet, aka the Space Bubble Helmet: In 1964,…



The Bubble Bonnet, aka the Space Bubble Helmet:

In 1964, Braniff airlines was looking for a way to differentiate itself from its competitors by adding a touch of glamour and weirdness to its service. So it hired Italian fashion designer Emilio Pucci to design the uniforms of the stewardesses. What he came up with was the plexiglass Bubble Bonnet, aka the Space Bubble Helmet. Its purpose was supposedly to protect the hair of the stewardesses from wind and rain as they crossed the tarmac. Stewardesses complained that it was hard to hear anyone while wearing the things.

Why do I blog this? It looks rather retro-futuristic now but I guess the designer was sincere at the time. A too heavy future though.