design

America has fallen behind in the space race, folks. Oh sure, NASA may have little dune buggies rolling around up on Mars, but can Curiosity or Opportunity pop a bag of popcorn? Didn't think so. That makes it kind of hard to watch such outer-space classics such as "2001: A Space Odyssey" or "Spaceballs." There is only way to settle in with a bag of popcorn for a true sci-fi experience, and that is with a space-age microwave. And it's the U.K. that has it.

The Fagor Spoutnik is a microwave on its … Read more

Joining the battle to control as much of the production process as possible, LG has reportedly begun designing its own processors.

The South Korean electronics maker plans to unveil in-house designed mobile processors at the Consumer Electronics Show next month, according to the Korea Times. The company reportedly has more than 900 chip designers working on chips to be used in smartphones and Web-connected televisions.

LG is making the switch as part of Chief Executive Koo Bon-joon's focus on increased "independence and dignity," the newspaper reported. CNET has contacted LG for comment and will update this report … Read more

Sometimes, it's nice to just sit back and enjoy yourself as a mind-bending light show and distorted ambient music collide in the name of digital expression.

Throughout October, Belgian artist Romain Tardy displayed a mesmerizing art installation titled "Pagan" on an exterior wall of the Museum of National Antiquities in Toulouse, France.

The light show -- somehow inspired by a bacchanalian head from the third century -- consists of stars, lines, and abstract figures breaking apart and merging back together. Musician Squeaky Lobster provided the eerily calming music for the event, ensuring a total transformation of the senses for most observers. … Read more

A watched pot may never boil, but nobody said anything about a tea kettle. The Cuisinart DK-17 Cordless Stainless Steel Electric Kettle ($79.95) incorporates a large viewing window, dispersing at least some of the mystery surrounding the art of tea brewing. Like a window to see into its water-heating soul, the design of the modern kettle gives tea drinkers a glimpse into the inner workings of one of tea-brewing's most unassuming aspects -- even if it is just watching water boil.

But as it turns out the device does have something to hide -- in a good way. … Read more

SketchUp for Mac is a 3D design app that allows you to create 3D models and, using an online service, get those models built. SketchUp for Mac installs easily but was not available from the App Store when we tested the software, instead requiring a download from the publisher. SketchUp for Mac is a free app, but there's a Pro version for additional cost with more features and capabilities.

SketchUp for Mac lets you create surprisingly complex and detailed 3D models, but there's a learning curve to doing so. The interface is surprisingly clean and easy to work … Read more

I love little speakers, especially when they're as fine as the Music Hall Marimbas I wrote about recently, but the best little ones can't touch the big guys for sheer power. If you've only heard little speakers at home, you have no idea what you've been missing. Big speakers sound, well, bigger, and more like live music.

That's why I'm so jazzed by the Tekton M-Lore. This 34-inch high tower sports an American-made 8-inch natural fiber woofer and a European-designed 1-inch silk dome tweeter, so the M-Lores can really belt out a big sound. … Read more

CorelDraw Graphics Suite is a software package of design tools designed to run on Windows operating systems. The main application in this large package of tools is CorelDraw, which is used for vector designs and layouts. Corel Photo-Paint is designed to retouch and edit digital photos, and other apps in the package can do tasks such as screen grabs, collaborate with co-workers, and more.

The CorelDraw interface has the familiar Windows options with pull-down menus for File, Edit, and View. Main functions like effects are easily applied with large buttons on the left of the main window. New effects for … Read more

Design always has, and always will, play a big part in our purchasing decisions. Kitchen gadgets are, of course, not immune to our personal preferences. Perhaps they are even subject to a more stringent set of deliberations, seeing as additional kitchen appliances require the reduction of a valued commodity: counter space. However a device that may be frivolous or unnecessary dressed in one design sense may look the part of high fashion in another.

Depending upon personal tastes, the Nostalgia Electrics Retro Stir Popcorn Popper ($39.99) may or may not be the perfect accessory for your kitchen countertop. Those … Read more

Want to know more about the iPad Mini's stats while also seeing how it looks and works in users' hands? Well, Apple has posted a video to YouTube showing just that (see below).

Featuring Apple senior vice president of design Jonathan Ive, senior vice president of hardware engineering Dan Riccio, and vice president of iPad product marketing Michael Tchao, the video details the device's components and shows off its streamlined features.

"Our goal was to take all the amazing things you could do with the full size iPad, and pack them into a product that is so … Read more