design

Concept gadget would cook better than a microwave

Once upon a time, microwave ovens were only a concept. Now, freezers everywhere can be stocked with frozen food as easily as taking a trip to the local market. But it still requires a trip to the store. Sure, frozen foods can be ordered and delivered, but since frozen foods are frozen there lacks a certain urgency of need; they can be stockpiled for months on end. But what about freshly-made convenience food?

There exists a gap between microwaveable meals and restaurant delivery. While some might say, "yes, that is called 'cooking,'" others might ask "how many … Read more

From $99 and up, audio component manufacturing is returning to the U.S.

We don't manufacture TVs, computers, cameras, or phones in the U.S., and American audio companies have been outsourcing production for years, but it's starting to come back. Not just for ultra-high-end products -- Schiit Audio's $99 Magni headphone amp and $99 digital converter were designed and built here. Magnepan, Tekton, and Zu Audio are all making affordable high-end speakers in the U.S. And this past Wednesday, Dan Laufman, president of Jade Design, announced the acquisition of Bob Carver, LLC, a manufacturer of tube amplifiers.

I've interviewed Bob Carver a number of times -- he … Read more

Video mocks Samsung's (lack of) design principles

Apple spent the previous days trying to restate its values and show that it is a company of principle, not one of fad or glut.

Some think the WWDC presentation was no revolution. Others believe it offered some sturdy indications of the right sort of obstinacy and of a consistency of design perspective.

In an attempt to reinforce that thought, Apple released a video (embedded below) that expressed its simple intentions -- not to confuse abundance with choice, for example.

I am grateful to The Loop for spotting that a wag who might have been positively moved by these thoughts … Read more

Apple trims 'industrial' from Jony Ive's title

Apple Senior Vice President Jonathan Ive began last week with a new title, the company's Web site shows.

Instead of being listed as the company's SVP of "Industrial Design," Ive's updated title is now simply "Design."

The change, which was spotted on Apple's site by 9to5Mac late Monday, appears to have taken effect last week. Apple introduced Ive with the new title in its video for iOS 7, which was released shortly after last Monday's WWDC keynote (pictured above).

Last October, Apple put Ive in charge of the "leadership and … Read more

Explore 360-degree 3D models of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4

Even if you've seen a plethora of images and videos showing the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 from every possible angle, the following high-quality 3D renders, with 360-degree pan and zoom, give you a fuller impression of each console.

Using modeling programs like Blender and Maya, designers JC Volumic and Sylvain Bernard created very accurate 3D renders of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. The interactive experience, hosted on Sketchfab, lets you check out just about every conceivable angle of the two highly anticipated gaming devices. Most modern smartphones should be able to view these renders, too.… Read more

Adobe competitors pounce after subscription backlash

Adobe Systems' competitors smell blood in the water.

Having seen the torrent of criticism that greeted the company's move last month exclusively to subscription sales for most of its software, many are launching promotions and otherwise scrambling to win over the disaffected.

"We've put in place our outreach program to users, saying, 'Hey, come and try us,'" said Nick Davies, general manager of Corel's digital media and productivity software group. Corel launched a promotion that lets Adobe CS4, CS5, and CS6 users buy Corel software for the upgrade price rather than the full price.

"… Read more

Review: Internet Designer is a stylish app, but won't replace other calendars

Interior Designer offers a solid project management solution for businesses involved in interior design that also looks great. It lets you color code different employees and contractors and connect with your customers. However, it doesn't completely outdo other popular calendars in regards to general features.

This download sports a very modern layout that lets you manage multiple employees and tasks at once. The only way to organize them is with color-coding; you can't overlay multiple calendars over each other. Only one person can manage the calendar, which is nice for oversight but makes multitasking hard. Luckily, anyone can … Read more

Apple's Design Awards highlight games, organizational apps

As the first day of Apple's 2013 World Wide Developer Conference draws to a close, the results are in for what the company found the best apps running on its platforms.

The annual Apple Design Awards recognizes the achievements of developers who created particularly well-designed software, be it in looks or overall functionality, for the iPad, iPhone, and Mac.

Apple began its annual design awards program in 1997 under the moniker the "Human Interface Design Excellence," changing to its current name just a year later. Those who win get promotion on Apple's developer site, as well … Read more

Logitech buys Kickstarter-funded TT Design Labs

Logitech, a company focused on selling tech accessories, has acquired a company that got its start on Kickstarter.

TT Design Labs was founded a little under two years ago by Derek Tarnow and Zahra Tashakorinia. The company's first product was an iPhone accessory, known as TidyTilt, that doubled as both a stand for easier viewing of the iPhone, as well as a case protector. The TidyTilt could also handle the wrapping of earbud cords to keep everything, well, tidy.

To get off the ground, TT Design Labs brought the concept to Kickstarter, where it raised more than 2,000 … Read more

Unhappy with Adobe subscriptions? QuarkXPress offers upgrade deal

Users of the InDesign layout software who are disgruntled by Adobe's move to sell its software solely through subscriptions might be interested in a promotion from rival Quark that just arrived.

The Denver-based company announced Wednesday that those who buy or upgrade to its QuarkXPress 9 software will get a free upgrade to QuarkXPress 10.

"Until June 30, 2013 anyone who purchases or upgrades to QuarkXPress 9 from any previous version will receive version 10 for free. After June 30, 2013 only QuarkXPress 8 users will be eligible to upgrade to QuarkXPress 9 for a free upgrade to … Read more