Here’s a great inspirational article/list of 25 online start-ups to watch out for this year. If your an entrepreneur craving to see what’s hot in the web world then this is a must see list. Some services I live by, some I’ve never heard of…Time to start up the trial engine this weekend.
CNN’s article here and slideshow of all the groups here. I’ll post all the start-ups briefs after the jump.
Woa, cool…faceted curatins by Hannah Allijn ….I love the untraditional especially in fabrics! Reminds me of an incredible faceted purse a friend owned by master fashion designer Issey Miyake. ( I cant find a pic online of it, but it rocked…the triangulated black leather mesh cradled to any surface while flickering reflections in all directions just like a diamond)(made me very jealous but then again, anything from Miyake would make a designer drool)
via designsponge
update: This Faceted Gas Station oddly reminds me of these curtains. I prefer the curtains though…
Here’s another amazing project and video by the beloved urban communicators “Graffiti Research Lab” making a slick and beautiful interaction between a user, a simple green laser pointer, a projector, and some code! This is projected graffiti at it’s best! Here’s a nice Flickr collection from the project. I’m all for making art on buildings with projectors since there’s no damage done though I’m sure a huge flicker of light into your office space can be crazy annoying when your panicking to finish up a deadline without distrations…oh well. Keep it rock’n ya’ll!
Call it inspirational, funny, or plain cool…..when 9,000 people gather together to make snow angels in a park it makes me smile. The great image reminds me of “Where’s Waldo” though my eyes quickly gravitated towards the flock of orange lined jackets in the center….that would rock if Google Earth captured this over the weekend. Otherwise, it would make a cool micro print.
Another great find via bookofjoe. (washington post article)
Here’s a pretty interesting video tour into a few projects within Microsofts research team if you have an hour to spare. One interesting concept is a gestural interface from one’s keyboard using your hands. Is it useful, practical, or desirable is up to you to decide, but it’s good to see a variety of concepts working in reality… Watch it, ask questions later…
Thomas Raschke brings to us his wonderful series of “wire frame” artwork pieces ranging from full sized rooms, teddy bears, radios, power tools, and various other objects made from wire steel…yup I said wire steel (the above image is not from a computer). Most 3D designers are use to seeing wireframe on the computer screen, but having a wireframe table, house, or space would actually be pretty cool. I’ll post a few of his images after the jump.
Woa! Telepathic Thoughts, A Computer Inside his Skull, A Computer for your Eyes, and Wiring your Brain. PBS recently premiered pilot series “22nd Century” which dives first hand into the intriguing theory of the wired brain with some fascinating examples in our current society! If you have an hour, this is a must watch video for some serious questioning, inspiration, and mystifying wonder. (thanks Alycia!)
Rocketboom has a great video clip from graffiti research lab, eyebeam and the anti-advertising agency on nyc’s graffiti problem inspired by jo lee’s abstractor tv. Watch it, wonder, and get inspired! I never thought about advertising this way, but this video made me realize the obvious.
update:Here’s an interesting follow up to this story where a simple marketing ad campaign turns into graffiti which then turns into a huge media blitz on being a bomb threat in Boston considered to the big media an act of terriorism when it is hardly even that. If you have not heard about this somewhat stupendous media buzz yet incredibly successful marketing act, follow up on the story on some great coverage here, here, here, or the many links here….then the great sign to “the media” about what they should cover here!
If you’re an entrepreneur seeking the next vibrant Silicon Valley, give Paul Grahms essay “How to Be Silicon Valley” a read which breaks down the elements needed for another Silicon success. He has some great points which have swayed me towards certain cities more, but that’s just me. If ya feel stuck between a few key cities to choose from, this essay just might be the trick to make ya feel unstuck.(thanks keith)
Full article after the jump(incase the url vanishes)
“Nokia has released a number of short videos on YouTube that explore how mobile phone design may change in the next three or four years.
There is a video for each of the four categories, or put more simply different lifestyles, that Nokia focuses on.
The videos are not showing prototypes of actual phones or devices that Nokia is currently working on or plans to launch. They are exploring futuristic concepts and potential new ideas that may or may not be produced in years to come. They are designed to inspire and stimulate discussion around how the mobile device of the future might look and function in our lives.”
via experientia
videos and summaries after the jump!
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In the past few years, there have been tons of companies trying to find the next big snack for kids that are actually healthy. Well, for my taste, “Fizzy Fruit” just might be this next big thing!!!
“Fizzy Fruit — whole grapes or slices of apples or pineapples carbonated in a secret process with the same carbon dioxide that’s in soft drinks but without added sugar.”
Yup, it’s giving healthy fruits that pop much like in PopRocks, a fresh sparkling apple cider, or a nice bubbly Bellini. Personally I get that snap in a nice crisp cold grape, but this only guarantees that pop in a fizz format now.
I have not actually tried FizzyFruit yet, but I first heard about carbonated fruit at PopTech! when Chef Homaru Cantus of Moto Restaurant in Chicago showed us how he used carbonated oranges to squeeze fresh orange soda for customers right in front of them.
Another great find by the BookofJoe along with a “how to” for making this carbonated fruit yourself ;). Pretty simple.
steps:
1. Place dry ice in cooler.
2. Place fruit of your choice in cool, but NOT touching the dry ice.
3. Close the cooler and let it sit overnight.
4. Enjoy your carbonated fruit!
USAtoday article.(article after the jump)
A nice FastCompany article on Jef Hans Multi-Touch progression that I posted about last year. If you get the chance, check out the printed article which includes a fun Matrix-like cover image of Jef with multiple hands(image after the jump). Jef has launched a new company to further develop this project called Perceptive Pixel. Press on the image above to watch the video or go to the embedded video after the jump.(I embedded after the jump cause the video plays automatically with music that can be distracting)
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