Caught this over on Mashable last week; “Google Acquires Marratech, WebEx Killer Coming?” (Link). Recall my earlier thoughts surrounding some WebEx news (reLink).

Increasingly I get the feeling Google is heading down a path toward something much, much larger. They seem to be acquiring pieces of a puzzle and fitting them together in the same fashion as I believed Microsoft was doing (reLink).

I’m not interested in making a second official prediction (because I’m uncomfortable with them, as some of you are probably aware), but I have a feeling something pretty interesting is on the horizon. Something along the lines of what I discussed in a recent comment (reLink).

I recently used the scientific term “free radical” to describe a blogger whose writing I enjoy. I used that descriptor to mean someone who doesn’t think about issues and problems the way others studying them might. It is, in my opinion, a very designer thing; and I don’t mean that in the applied arts context.

It’s easy to say that because even among professional “designers”, it’s not necessarily the case that someone developing products will maintain their objectivity. One of the things I never wanted for myself was to be pigeon-holed as a particular type of designer. It’s relatively common for designers to fall into categories: car designer, toy designer, shoe designer, aso. In my way of thinking, it seems contrary to what we should be doing. The moment I become too comfortable designing something, I want to move out of that comfort zone because I fear that remaining inside it is detrimental to how I might think about a product; detrimental to innovation. Sometimes not knowing how things are done is a good thing, imo.
Continue reading →

Anyone seen this thing: the Cricut cutting device (Link)?

Late last week while scoping out displays and purchasing some sample products, I walked by an aisle display with these things on it (actually, the smaller version). I may have heard of this device, but I’d completely forgotten about it. Apparently it’s only been out for about two years so my forgetting isn’t a big surprise. Just goes to show where my mind has been the past year or two and how little time I spend in craft departments at large retail chains. Only I didn’t see this in the craft department; I saw it in the general aisle with everything else.
Continue reading →

I just come across a post on New World Notes (Link) mentioning a competition I like: a virtual architecture competition with a $5000 EURO prize.

Meltemi Editore, a publishing house based in Rome, is sponsoring a contest to design their SL office…

First submission deadline is May 20. Winning design team comes away with 5000 Euros– about $6762, or L$1,818,978.

Continue reading →

Okay, so I read yesterday about the competition to design Coca-Cola’s virtual dispensing machine over on Mashable (Link). Initially it sounded like something in which I’d participate, especially since I have what I think is a pretty good concept. Unfortunately, having just surfed through the competition site and read over the details, I’ve decided to keep my ideas to myself instead of volunteering them to a mega-corporation in exchange for … hold onto your drinks … a possible plane ride to someone’s office.

Read this and explain to me why I should reconsider: Continue reading →