I just want one! Perhaps its my recent lacking skills in math or dumbifying tech, but I just want one of these one-handed mobile calculators to strap onto my bag. Whip it out after a group meal and figure out the split price in style. I’ll assume it’s only in Japan… I want one!
One more pic after the jump.
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I’ve seen tons of books mimicking our alphabet using our environment, but it’s great to see this refreshing book and set of photographs using a medium we all have access to; the sky and surrounding buildings. I have no clue where to buy this book, but have a glance at this German website or babelfish the webpage to get a somewhat english translation of the page. If any of ya’ll can find out where to buy this book, please send a link by commenting. I’ll be looking up towards the sky more often now 😉
Pictures after the jump.
via slanted.de
update: This is the work of Lisa Rienermann at lisarienermann.com. Continue Reading
Here’s a great conversation defining the highly buzzed, perplexed (wikipedia definition), yet undefined term “web2.0”:
“dsully:please describe web 2.0 to me in 2 sentences or less.
jwb: you make all the content. they keep all the revenue.”
I am no longer confused!(does this make sharing profits with users a web3.0 thing?)
WOW! Uniqlo Japan has a stunning video for their lineup of color parkas and a pretty sweet mixplay website to to browse through.
Watch their awesome mixplay video (have sound on)(gets really nice after 2:00) of 4 dancers bustin out some sweet robotica moves, mixed along with matrix-like slow motion moves, mashed up with great beats, locks, and freezes. Some may think the films been edited, but my guess is it’s real time and purely mad skillz! They held a live version during the holidays in one of their stores in Japan and someone made a remix of their original with a more upbeat tempo here.
I’ll post all 3 videos after the jump. (Have your sound on)
I’d consider myself a knowledgeable sushi addict-fanatic, but I was caught by surprise to learn– “good sushi are made from fish which is at least a few days old.” Woa, really? I’m one to rarely eat at sushi buffets or $1 sushi places open on Mondays, but I guess it’s a bit like a good aged steak, a bottle of aired wine, or the secret to really good Asian fried rice (it’s gotta be a day old).
If your a sushi fan curious to learn more about the wonderful world of sushi, give this article a glance or listen to a great interview(54 mins) with author (The Zen of Fish: The Story of Sushi, from Samurai to Supermarket) and foodie Trevor Corson.
Article after the jump.
Audio Interview here.
WiseBread Article via spluch
Picture above: sushi I ate in Portland ME.
First came Jef Hans Multi-Touch screen a few years back, then came the over-marketed super hyped iPhone, followed by Jef’s bigger brother wall, then Microsoft launches a huge table sized Surface Computing idea, followed along with a hilarious parody of their surface table, and now this early developmental video of a multi-touch laptop which also has the same IR sensor as the super fun Nintendo Wii, that you can make at home. I wonder whats next.
I’m not a huge fan of touch sensors/screens when it comes to function…for the cool factor, yes I like it, and for the community multi-user reasons I love it, but when it comes down to one person using a touchscreen via a capacitor (the electronic component that detects touch) I’ve never fell in love with it. First off, if you have ever used a touch screen before on a remote or even on a laptop to turn up/down the volume, you’ll know instantly that there is no user feedback which us humans need. We can live without it, but it just isn’t as good, though there are some developments into piezo-electronic screens that vibrate once your finger does something.(The Wii vibrates when you hover over objects which is nice in the remote) Then there’s GelForce,a must watch (video demo) which is pretty fascinating technology because of the simple implementation and the scalability.(It’s incredible to play with)
I’ll post all the videos of each technology after the jump.
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What happens when a mayor decides to ban advertisements in a vibrant city of 11 million people with more than 8,000 billboards? Impossible, insane, absurd, or just plain genius? Well this is what happened this past January when mayor Gilberto Kassabs “Clean City” law was introduced in Sao Paulo Brazil banning any form of advertising throughout the city to rid of “visual clutter”. (reminds me of the “advertising is graffiti” stunt, or my dislike for posters in Milan)
I’ve always wondered what an ad-free environment would be like, how a persons behavior would change, or what a city’s culture and personality would become. I’m not sure how long this law will last, but for a huge city, its a definite moment to figure out the overall affects of ads in our spaces for the good or worse. The results have been surprisingly uplifting, peaceful, educational, and positive. As much as I hate and love the art of advertising, I must admit I can’t live without it, but then again, I’ve never lived in such an environment.
Read two articles by BusinessWeek and NPR(with a MP3 interview) then skip on over to photographer Tony de Marcos Flickr set of the changing cityscape, with insightful comments here.
I’ll post the articles with the MP3 interview and some pictures after the jump.
“SiCKO is a documentary film by Michael Moore, scheduled for release on June 29, 2007. It investigates the American health care system with a focus on the behavior of large health insurance companies and contrasts the U.S. system with those of other countries with universal health care coverage.”
via wikipedia
I’m not one to promote nor be against films by Michael Moore, but I do admire his messages though many individuals may find his messages factually lopsided. Even though this film is scheduled for release later this month, you can view it online though the links keep jumping around and closing. I watched it on Google video here, but now it’s here (watch it today or it’ll jump). Outer-Court seems to keep the listing up to date.(it keeps jumping)(new links below)It’s also up for downloading on various p2p sites. If you can’t track the film online, give a look at the previews.
Quick thoughts: It’s very good, compelling, moving, and provoking along with the witty comments which Moore is known for. Much like the Climate Crisis in Inconvenient Truth, it makes you wonder, mad, angry, and question. I’ve somewhat known about this unfair health care system in the states, but I’ve never thought about it much until watching this film. It makes me want to move out of this country, move to Canada, or just sit here and complain about this issue as much as the Climate Crisis has made me change for the good. Give it a watch online if you can, otherwise, there are plenty of reviews and user reactions online if you dig around.
update: try these:
part 1 http://www.veoh.com/static/flash/player … ;version=4
part 2 http://www.veoh.com/static/flash/player … ;version=4
part 3 http://www.veoh.com/static/flash/player … ;version=4
part 4 http://www.veoh.com/static/flash/player … ;version=4
update: Michael Moore himself has posted a video on YouTube asking for users to post their own stories about health care issues, problems, stories here…Read the responses and watch the video responses.
“What will our world be like in 2050? This set of cards identifies some of the leading drivers of change that affect our future.
Each card depicts a single driver. A factoid and rhetorical question are on one face, backed up by a brief indication of the breadth and depth of the content on the other face. The set was devised by the Foresight & Innovation team at Arup, a group tasked with exploring emerging trends and how they impact upon business of Arup and its clients. The publication serves not only as a vibrant visual record of research, but also as a tool for discussion groups, personal prompts, for workshop events or as a ‘thought for the week’.”
I’ve had these cards for a few months (thanks TED)Â and they rock! Very inspirational, educational, great coffee table item, easy to read, and an amazing conversation starter for big topics in technology, our environment, economics, political culture, and social awareness in a globally changing sustainable future.
Drivers of Change website.
Drivers of Change Blog
Buy Cards here.
NowNow.com.au has a great post “desktop-desktop” documenting an ongoing series of desktops both physical and digital of creatives around the world. The collection includes French Designer Jean Sebastian from the playful design team Atypyk, guru graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister, and several others. After scanning through this series I felt inclined to snap a shot of my current studio space pictured above, though it changes constantly.(after the jump: close-up of my toys and desktop screen)
Otherwise, I’ve always questioned the impact of creative workspaces; minimal, cluttered, comfy, colorful, industrial, modern, goofy, cubicles, etc. I have my own preferences, but for a diverse visual list check out “10 seeeeeriously cool workplaces” from the Chief of Happiness. Also take a look at Guy Kawasakis recent trip photos to Threadless.com and their kick-butt space! If you have a nifty workspace ya’ll want to share, take a picture, send it my way, and if I get enough, I’ll post them here.
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I recently voyaged to one of my favorite hands-on testing grounds store BestBuy, but what I left with was a diminish in their brand value and trust. The events experienced were not new, but they were unnoticed in the past as in recent years my expectations in brands, customer-centric services, and brand experiences have changed a bit.
So, what happened? I needed an external hard drive since my measly laptop was under 1 gig of space. I went to BestBuy and bought a pretty nifty external Hard Drive that you basically just plug in via USB and your set to use. At the check out counter, the sales rep kept insisting that I have a GeekSquad service added to install it since there was a sticker on the box. I said no thanks, and she kept telling me about how much easier it would be to install etc. I told her that all I needed to do was plug it in. Then she said “oh, well I don’t even know what you are buying.” Right there and then, I lost my brand value and trust in BestBuy. First, they had a dumb sticker on a product that does not need a person to come help install it for $$$.(It’s like having a person come install a toaster at your house). Secondly, the person working and selling me the product did not even understand the product nor understand what I meant when I said hard drive.
For crying out loud, don’t hire people into your company that don’t understand the products you are selling. I’m not just ranting at BestBuy, but there are many other brands that have employees that don’t have a clue to what the company does. Yes, I know it cost more to hire people that breathe your brand, but I’m guessing it cost more money to re-market your brand value to customers that have had a bad experience. Good things are easy to forget and bad experiences are never forgotten. I’ll stop my ranting here, but BestBuy, take for example some kick-butt brands like Jetblue, Wholefoods, Patagonia, or TraderJoes; they get it, their employees do it, and their customers know, experience, and live their brands like a religion. Brands are truthful users experiences today, not just portrayed over-marketed lifestyles anymore. We live the digital age…we ignore ads, research deeply, and leave nothing hidden.
Here’s another pretty sweet interactive visual music map suggester(TuneGlue). You type in a band name, expand to see “like-bands”, delete a few, lock down the primaries, and after a few clicks you have a dozen more bands to check out.
The interface is simple, the branching is nice, and the suggestions are pretty good. It would be cool if a “listen” button was incorporated into the pod options rather than seeking a sound sample on your own. Be awesome if you could use this software for your own desktop mp3 collection as well..fun times at parties if ya ha a big touch screen for guests.(Microsoft Surface Table, or Jef Hans multi-touch wall)
