Design Revolution: 100 Products That Empower People

I can't wait to get my hands on this book!

"Featuring more than 100 contemporary design objects and systems--safer baby bottles, a high-tech waterless washing machine, low-cost prosthetics for landmine victims, Braille-based Lego-style building blocks for blind children (...) that are as fascinating as they are revolutionary, this exceptionally smart, friendly and well-designed volume makes the case for design as a tool to solve some of the world’s biggest social problems in beautiful, sustainable and engaging ways (...) Pilloton challenges designers to be changemakers instead of “stuff creators.”
"
Watch a video featuring the author, Emily Pilloton on the Adobe site

There is a Book Launch Party October 1 in San Francisco, and a panel and reception at Cooper-Hewitt in NYC October 3rd
more info >

Google Making History With The National September 11th Memorial & Museum

Check out this website(maybe a bit chunky today because of high traffic) where you can add your story, search by location, and browse photos that tell the story of that fateful day: http://makehistory.national911memorial.org/ I thought it was quite a beautiful use of Flash.

Read a thoughtful intro by Jill Szuchmacher of Google here.

Mozilla Service week! Sept 14- 21 2009

This is really cool: Use your internet skills to help make a difference. Examples:

* Teach senior citizens how to use the Web.
* Show a non-profit how to use social networking to grow its base of supporters.
* Help install a wireless network at a school.
* Create Web how-to materials for a library's computer cluster.
* Refurbish hardware for a local computer center.
* Update a non-profit organization's website.
* Teach the values of the open Web to other public benefit organizations.

What Is Mozilla Service Week?

During the week of September 14-21, 2009, we're asking individuals to step up and make a difference by using the Web to better their community. We're looking for people who want to share, give, engage, create, and collaborate by offering their time and talent to local organizations and people who need their help.

Mozilla believes everyone should know how to use the Internet, have easy access to it, and have a good experience when they're online. By utilizing our community's talents for writing, designing, programming, developing, and all-around technical know-how, we believe we can make the Web a better place for everyone.

Not sure what you would do? Here are some great stories for inspiration.

check it out >

Useful Image for Web Design Screen Sizing

This image shows the different screen sizes you can design for and what percentage of people have them.

from methodologie

Human Centered Design Toolkit from IDEO

A free innovation guide for NGOs and Social Enterprises

For years, organizations have used Human-Centered Design (HCD) to arrive at innovative business solutions. In collaboration with the Gates Foundation and non-profit groups IDE, ICRW, and Heifer International, IDEO has specially adapted this process for NGOs and social enterprises that work with impoverished communities around the world. The resulting HCD Toolkit helps organizations understand people’s needs in new ways, find innovative solutions to meet these needs, and deliver solutions with financial sustainability in mind.

Download it here >

Design to Improve Life (INDEX Peoples' Choice Awards)

Browse the really cool projects (including Kiva.org!) and vote on your favorite designs

Yay Denmark for hosting this cool award!

(photo: the 700$ house)

(thanks to Aaron Sklar for the link)

Humanity-Centered Design: IDEO's Aaron Sklar Speaks About How and Why....

IDEO's Aaron Sklar speaks about the process of human-centered design and how it can be applied to solving the 'important' problems of the world...

He is speaking in the SoCap09 conference Sept 1-3 09 in San Francisco, which you should attend if you can...unfortunately I will be out of town. Ironically, doing user research for my current user-centric project!

This video really got me thinking about how to apply the methodologies I use every day in my work as an interaction designer to do something more...how shall I say...'important' for other humans out there. You will definitely hear me using the term, "humanity-centererd design" from now on!

Usability Week 2009 Conference in Berlin Nov 15-20

A great opportunity to learn more about usability and user-centered design, or to get inspired for your current project.

It's too late for the Sydney one but there's still:

Edinburgh
Sep 14-18

Las Vegas
Oct 11-17

Berlin
Nov 15-20

I'm going to try to aim for the one in Berlin. I can't believe it's been 20 years since the fall of the wall, I remember that day so clearly!

http://www.nngroup.com/events/

Maker Faire Africa!

Can't wait to hear more about it. http://makerfaireafrica.com/

First impressions video can be seen here. And photos here.

Maker Faire Africa (MFA) www.makerfaireafrica.com, a celebration of African ingenuity, innovation and invention, will take place August 14-16 at the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT in Ghana's capital, Accra. This event will showcase ICT, robotics, green machinery and software development. Maker Faire Africa asks the question, “What happens when you put the drivers of ingenious concepts from Mali with those from Ghana and Kenya, and add resources to the mix?"

Specifically, Maker Faire Africa will take an approach that will achieve these principal aims:

* Brighten the light on local examples of the “fabrication” ethos
* Provide mechanisms to incubate these innovators and their products to a point where they can be taken to market
* Connect refined plans to disseminate innovations with venture finance
* Inventions that can help with reliable green electricity
* How to use robotics to solve every day problems

Food photography that makes you want to lick your screen

Float

Shared via AddThis

Amazing Ceiling Art and Other Inspiration on the Web

Check out this really cool blog for inspiration. I found them on Twine because they were in the top 10 because of this post on ceiling art, with great images.
http://www.adistinctiveworld.net/?p=1538

Here are some of the images from their post.

The Senedd(National Assembly for Wales), Cardiff

The Alcázar, Spain
image source

VIDA International Contest

submissions are open as of today July 6th, 2009, for the VIDA competition of art made with artificial life technologies. Think robotics, avatars, cellular automata, projects that fuse biology with technology and art.

Zipcar Mobile - Part 2Mobile

It makes me happy when a truly useful app comes out. This one is an official Zipcar iPhone app that uses your iPhone's GPS, and it will even beep the horn of the reserved Zipcar and unlock it!

I am very excited about this– I even wrote
another post about Zipcar for mobile a while ago.

To see a demo, check out this CNET video >

You can sign up to get an alert when it launches

Thanks to Springwise for the good news. (the image above is from them too)

Full Body Motion Capture - HD Project Natal

HD Project Natal Trailer - 3D MOTION SENSING
Amazing potential for new kinds of interaction!
Controller-free entertainment....

I love Swiss Miss

I don't know how she finds all this great stuff!

http://www.swiss-miss.com/

She's cute too, check out this photo in an article about her. I'm lucky I got to work with her a bit at Smart Design and C&G!

Art VS Design

This looks like a fun opportunity:

http://www.artistswanted.org
Deadline May 31st @ 11:59 PM.

An international Open Call for Unique Talent
Details & Submissions >

Images are power. In this dynamic era compelling design can move millions and transcendent art can inspire a generation. From cave paintings of early man to today's industrial designers, art & design has uniquely shaped the world around us, each in its own distinct way. This contest is designed to answer the age old question: What shapes our world more, art or design?

Join thousands of creative people in this visual dialogue.

Mark Mothersbaugh, acclaimed artist and lead singer of art-rock band DEVO leads a panel of judges including Jarrett Gregory (curator at NYC's New Museum) and Donwan Harrell (founder and creative director of Akademiks clothing) in selecting the top artist or designer to be featured at a gala reception at the New Museum in June. The public also plays judge - determining the most powerful medium of the moment - in an online face-off that pits art submissions against design submissions.

Opportunities will be created for everyone who participates and we are awarding over $11,000 in prizes.

Grand Prize & Student winner will be awarded with:

* A gala reception at the New Museum in New York City
* $2009 cash grant
* International Publicity, including a feature in Filter Magazine and work shown through Gawker Artists exposing the winners art or design to hundreds of thousands of visitors across 190+ website galleries
* $500 in gear from Akademiks
* Plus the Red Bull Prize: Offering a choice of: A vintage Vespa OR a trip to London to visit the Tate Museum and the Design Museum OR a fully loaded Mac Book Pro


Every participant gets:

* An online portfolio and international exposure
* A $70 "Thank You" package with gear and discounts to help further your work


Registration is open now and continues through Midnight May 31st.
Details: http://www.artistswanted.org/

Art VS Design was put together by a handful of Brooklyn based artists and designers who have experienced first-hand the difficulties of achieving national attention. We believe both Art & Design hold a powerful place in our society and it is our intention to break-out new talent through a process that is dynamic and open-ended.

Deadline: May 31st @11:59 PM

Testing "GoodReads" - Frank Lloyd Wright

Loving Frank: A Novel by Nancy Horan

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
I was so shocked by the ending that I read the cover, the reviews, the bio...looking for some reason...I didn't want it to end that way. At first I thought it was a cheap ending, like she didn't know what to do to end the book and so resorted to this...but then I found out it was true (ish)!

This book is full of beautiful moments, and is insightfully written, but some things about the main character's personality irked me. I wouldn't have made the same choices in some parts. The whole thing about breaking free from her family was all fine, but from her children? Selfish. The author, Nancy, does let us know Mamah felt guilty about it, but I still find it hard to believe... And then instead of following her own dream or writing, she was only following Frank, really. Or translating other peoples' work.

I would say I have mixed feelings about the book -- I suppose one sign that it is impeccably written is that the mixed feelings I have are about the characters themselves! I alternate between getting mad at them, and feeling sympathy for them, and ultimately sorrow. (I get so mad at Frank and Mamah! Then sometimes I love them. I guess that means the author did a good job!)

If you begin this book expecting to learn about architecture, you may find yourself disappointed but ultimately you will remember it for its portrayal of the struggle for happiness its two main characters went through...you will definitely not forget it!

I had trouble giving this book 3 stars, I am conflicted between whether it deserves 5 or 2. You'll see what I mean.


View all my reviews.

New Sony MMORP has "something for everyone"

Free Realms, the new MMORPG from Sony, gets a good review in the NYT...

--downloadable from the website
--geared as much to children as to adults
--"refreshing palate-cleanser" after proliferation of WOW-like games
--graphics don't force you to upgrade your machine to play
--free to play
--if you pay $4.99/month, you get premium features:


Unfortunately only for Windows PCs right now, so I couldn't try it first-hand.

check it out >

high-res images >

see the video:

Funny Twitter Cartoons

via webdesignerdepot via Twine

Cool Rug

Little Field of Flowers by Tord Boontje (via Moss)

Cute Munny Video

Munny, the world's cutest do-it-yourself bunny toy has a cute video.
check it out:

MUNNY Sprouts! from Kidrobot on Vimeo.