Design

Trends 2008: Will 3D printing finally go mainstream?

Everyone wants to be a designer. That's the value proposition of JuJups.com, a new online service claiming it will allow consumers to design their own personalized and customized 3D content. 3D printing, as the underlying technology is called, is a form of rapid prototyping that builds up three-dimensional objects by "printing" successive layers of materials (polymer, cells, sugar, etc.) on top of each other.

As a recent Wired story points out, 3D-printing technology has been around for a while, mostly used by professional design firms and design-intensive businesses such as automakers, handset makers, and aerospace companies. … Read more

The one thing (question) for a better world

In fin d'ann?e mood, saving the world is en vogue -- and asking the "one thing" question obviously, too.

Inspired by Leonardo DiCaprio's gloom and doom documentary "The 11th Hour," OnEarth magazine asked a panel of leading scientists and activists to "move beyond bleak diagnoses and offer concrete proposals for a sustainable future:"

"Which one thing would you do to save the world?"

You can view it on YouTube or read a transcript of the entire conversation here.

In a similar vein, but slightly modifying OnEarth's impetus (and … Read more

Attention profiling: How radical do you want radical transparency to be?

Michael Pick of Particls has written the perhaps most comprehensive overview of attention profiling and APML (attention profiling mark-up language) to date. APML is a proposed standard that allows users to share their own personal attention profile and compress all forms of attention data into one portable file format that can be traded between attention seekers and givers:

"We have reached the point of information hyper-saturation. It can become quite a chore to find relevant content online, when there is so much other information competing for your attention. But by implementing attention profiling, it becomes possible to have the … Read more

Six-wheeled Porsche 928 pickup

If you're worried by the prospect of the forthcoming Porsche Panamera sedan, you might want to look away now.

Not content with his existing collection of exotic sports cars, Harry Thoma decided to take an axel grinder and his unique design philosophy to a perfectly respectable Porsche 928 GTS.

The result is this six-wheeled abomination creation that, unsurprisingly, has heads turning on the streets of Germany. In addition to the enhanced bodywork, the three-axle flatbed also gets an engine upgrade from a 5.4-liter to 6.1-liter plant to assist with the extra weight.

While you might take issue … Read more

Try cell phones before you buy, online

The buying experience of cell phones has always been frustratingly full of unknowns: you don't have a good idea of what the service coverage will be like before switching plans, you don't know what reception your specific phone will get, and you are usually stuck with a dummy non-operative phone to look at in the store that gives you little idea how it will actually work.

A new Web site has come into beta that aims to plug that last hole. TryPhone provides onscreen simulations of handsets and shows how different button presses let you navigate through the … Read more

Ford Mustang to offer better view

Hope you didn't buy that Mustang Bullitt for the Ali MacGraw in your life just yet.

Ford announced it's now offering a factory-installed panoramic glass roof option for both the Steve McQueen-inspired Bullitt and the Shelby GT500KR. The glass roof, as an option for its V-6 Mustang and Mustang GT, will become available in the summer of 2008, according to Ford.

To be clear, this is not a hardtop convertible, but a fixed glass roof option. It will be available for $1,995.

And, as no one wants an over-heated driver, the glass roof is made of tinted … Read more

Blade Runner: The Final Cut

I just saw the newest release of the classic noir sci-fi film Blade Runner, subtitled "The Final Cut". Undoubtedly it is the best version so far, surpassing the various other cuts that have come out over the 25 years since it was first released. I found that it raised new questions about identity in this MySpace world.

Like every designer nerd, I've seen Blade Runner at least a dozen times, a couple of times on the big screen. This Final Cut has been digitally retouched from a 70mm print and both the visuals and sound are stunning. … Read more

In search of: The perfect laptop bag

Women of the world, we share a common goal--if we're toting laptops anywhere, that is. Our goal? Find a decent freakin' laptop bag that doesn't look like an awful faux-leather dudecase but still has some semblance of professionalism attached. I myself am still on the hunt, but wanted to dish out a few sites I've stumbled across lately that might offer some good choices.

Uptown Bella

Recently described (by me) in an instant message to a friend as "omg, the cutest laptop bag site ever." The only reason I haven't ordered the Ashley bag … Read more

Study predicts rise of 'circular entertainment'

A new study from Nokia predicts that by 2012, a quarter of all entertainment will be created, edited, and shared within peer groups rather than being generated by traditional media.

Jointly conducted with the trend research firm The Future Laboratory, Nokia's study asked trend-setting consumers from 17 countries about their digital behaviors and lifestyles. The company also used information gathered from its 900 million customers as well as views of leading industry analysts.

"From our research we predict that up to a quarter of the entertainment being consumed in five years will be what we call 'circular.' The … Read more