The Free Key is an absurdly simple antidote to the classic nail-cracking key ring. Just pinch the Free Key in the right place and the end bit lifts up so you can painlessly slide your key of choice into it.
My thoughts on the Windows 8 logo design
I’m not going to beat around the bush, every iteration of the Windows logo has been pretty terrible. I’ve always found them to be symbolic of the operating system they represent- busy, inelegant, and typographically clunky. So at first glance the Windows 8 logo design is an incredible breath of fresh air. After decades of overly complicated, garishly coloured and amateurish logo permutations, the sight of a super clean, monochrome Windows 8 logo that not only is light years ahead of its predecessors in the beauty department, but also a truer reflection of the product it represents, really is a sight for sore eyes. Other than the earliest versions of Windows, which visually referenced a physical window, all subsequent designs, for reasons more mysterious than the creation of the universe itself, converted the window graphic into a wavy, multi-coloured flag, and in the process diluted the mental association between the Windows operating system and its product branding. The Windows 8 logo, however, returns to a more literal window representation, while also mirroring Metro, Microsoft’s new approach to the user interface for both desktop and mobile platforms.
Despite all the improvements, the Windows 8 logo still fails to impress. The angle and design of the window graphic still feels too close to an illustration of a flag. The oversized “Windows 8” type appears to be locked in a perpetual fight for visual dominance with the window icon. What about those pesky little trademark symbols, they are about as welcome as a pair of flies landing on your favourite painting. Some of the world’s most famous logos don’t contain trademark symbols, so can’t Microsoft let them go? Now this is not in any way meant to knock Pentagram, a world renowned design studio tasked with creating the new logo, as I sincerely believe they worked to the best of their abilities within the design brief limitations imposed by Microsoft.
Beyond colour, composition or typography, there is a bigger issue here, one of corporate strategy and philosophy. This new logo reflects a company desperate to reinvigorate its iconic Windows products but too afraid to let go of a name and a branding scheme from a product line that has generated so much revenue. Some of this branding inertia is also evident with Windows Phone, Microsoft’s foray into the mobile phone market. Pitting the name “Windows Phone” against “iPhone” or “Android”, isn’t it clear why it’s difficult for consumers’ interest to be piqued by a phone with a Microsoft operating system? Both Apple and Google have generated enormous excitement for their mobile products, and while great branding will not make a poor product better, it can certainly help a great product appear more attractive and approachable to potential shoppers. “Windows Phone” is completely uninspiring- it sounds drab, generic and, most importantly, is far too reminiscent of the older and more convoluted Windows Mobile operating system.
For the first time since the birth of Windows 27 years ago, there is a clear intent by Microsoft to go beyond the traditional window metaphor as the main method of interaction. This is also the age of the social web, of mobile devices and touchscreens, and clearly Windows 8 is an attempt to confront our new computing paradigms with great courage and confidence. If Microsoft is willing to be brave and take its operating system in brand new directions, why not be equally bold with it branding strategy? Why not simply wipe the slate clean and drop the “Windows” name altogether. Would Microsoft’s highly successful gaming console, the Xbox, have generated as much buzz before its launch if it was called something along the lines of “Microsoft Windows Gaming Hub”? Most certainly not. Believe in your new operating system, Microsoft, be proud of what it stands for and reflect that in a name and a logo that will get people talking about your brand… in a positive way.
Does your bank look like this? Nope, didn’t think so.
Via The Cool Hunter
Source: thecoolhunter.co.uk
What a cool record player.
From Retro Thing:
It has the same kind of small wheel that drives the record from below. It has no amplifier but instead includes an AM transmitter that works in the 250 to 300 m range. You have to put a radio next to the record player in order to play the music. This appliance is powered with batteries but unfortunately the size in not available anymore so I didn’t have the opportiunity to see it running.”
Source: retrothing.com
Jim Carrey’s Website Goes Nuts
From the site description: “Explore the eccentric, psychedelic corners of Jim Carrey’s mind on his official site.”
The Ghost Clock
A traditional carriage clock with a transparent twist, designed by Yee Ling Wan and produced by Innermost UK. From their web site:
Glass and Steel clock with analogue skeletal
mechanism in silver finish. A mirror background creates an optical illusion allowing bothback and front of the clock to be visible at in a beautiful colour printed giftbox.
If you live in the US this online store has it for sale.
Watch for the Blind
Sentio is a digital watch concept for the blind and partially sighted users, cooked up by designer Matthew Wagerfield. In his own words:
Sentio is a revolutionary timekeeping device that merges the boundaries
between mechanical timepieces and contemporary digital watches. Sentio
has been developed as an interactive watch for both blind and partially
sighted users. However, due to the universal format in which the time
is displayed, anyone can easily use it.
The face of sentio exhibits
a pair of 7-segment displays that would normally be found on digital
alarm clocks, watches or any other digital numerical display. This pair
of 7-segment displays outputs either minutes or hours depending on the
mode that it is dynamically set to. However, the 14 segments evident on
the face of sentio do not conform to the expectations of lighting up;
since this would be superfluous to visually impaired users. Instead,
these segments are mechanically animated. Each segment has the ability
to rise up 1mm above the face of the watch so that it can be both seen
as well as touched. This visual and tactile display provides a fully
inclusive format of displaying the time to anyone; regardless of
impairment.
Via Gizmowatch
A Community of Color
Link: COLOURlovers :: About COLOURlovers.
COLOURlovers™ is a resource that monitors and influences color trends. COLOURlovers gives the people who use color - whether for ad campaigns, product design, or even in architectural specification - a place to check out a world of color, compare color palettes, submit news and comments, and read color related articles and interviews.
