Tag Archives: Design

Google gets a makeover

You can call it Exteme Makeover: Google Edition. Over the past few weeks Google has been rolling out a new look across many of their services, including the Google homepage, Gmail, Google Calendar, and YouTube. “The way people use and experience the web is evolving, and our goal is to give you a more seamless and consistent online experience—one that works no matter which Google product you’re using or what device you’re using it on,” explains Google. In a word they’re simply streamlining all their intertwined experiences, and the changes are ” founded on three key design principles: focus, elasticity and effortlessness.”

At Google‘s homepage you’ll surely notice the new black strip located across the top; the colorful logo is smaller and centered, the Search and Lucky buttons have a new hue, and the About, Privacy, and Advertising links have been moved to the bottom left-hand corner of the page. In Gmail and Calendar everything is bolder and more roomier to match the new homepage aesthetic. Design cues were certainly carried over from Google+. Google’s also experimenting with YouTube’s look; Cosmic Panda is the codename for the video player’s new sheen. YouTube is positively sleek in its new coat of paint.

Google’s homepage and Calendar changes have been rolling out to users automatically. To experience Gmail and YouTube’s new flairs you must enable it manually. In Gmail, select “Preview” and “Preview (Dense)” themes in the Themes tab in Gmail Settings; to play around with Cosmic Panda head over to this YouTube portal and click “Try it out.” Since Google’s still testing it out and awaiting customer feedback, you can revert back to the classic look at any time.

It will take time for every Google service to fall in line aesthetically with the new homepage, but there’s no denying that Google’s first wave of cosmetic changes is simply delightful and, well, downright sexy.

Don’t stare directly at the center..this deck will suck you in!

Ok, this deck is not a vortex in disguise, but it sure looks like one.  This trippy, mind-bending deck belongs to Jeff Dauber, an Apple senior executive of all people.  “I wanted someone to barf when they look at it,” says Dauber.

The Japanese maple in Jeff Dauber’s San Francisco backyard is not at the center of a carbon-sucking vortex. Sorry, sci-fi fans, but the Berkeley-based architect Thom Faulders’s perfectly flat deck only looks like its far corner has its own warped gravity. Ever since Francesco Borromini’s Gallery Spada, in Rome, forced perspectives and architectural patronage have gone hand in hand, but whereas the Renaissance architect employed a mathematician to make that arcade seem longer through foreshortening, Faulders used 3-D–modeling software to achieve Deformscape’s dipping effect.

[Via Gizmodo; Metropolis Mag]

Shower has three modes, one that washes your crotch area

The Smart Shower by Hansa combines three different shower heads into one setup.

The aptly named Smart shower lets you activate three different shower heads and alternate between modes with the push of a button.  Set your water as a gentle shower or a cascade; start the pivoting body spray [(aka the crotch spray)]; or wash away the cares of the day using the new slim hand shower. And it looks as good as it feels…

Oh, I’m sure it does.

[Via Gizmodo; Trendir]

The Beatles x Bape

Japanese clothing brand Bape has teamed up with Apple Corp. Ltd. to fashion out new Beatles-inspired Bape t-shirts, sweaters, and coin pouches.  This follows Apple Corp. Ltd.’s collaboration with COMME des GARCONS that features Beatles-branded t-shirts and bags.  The latter collab is expected to sell later this month, but there’s no word on the Bape set.  With The Beatles Rock Band and now all these clothes it seems like The Beatles are taking over yet again.  Fine by me.

[Via KanyeBlog; MTV]

Coke design concept is green-friendly

Designed by Harc Lee.

A convex logo substitutes colorfully sprayed can. Naked can help to reduce air and water pollution occurred in its coloring process. It also reduces energy and effort to separate toxic color paint from aluminum in recycling process. Huge amount of energy and paint required to manufacture colored cans will be saved. Instead of toxic paint, manufacturers process aluminum with a pressing machine that indicates brand identity on surface.

[Via Gizmodo; Likecool]

‘Dancepants Kinetic Music Player’

Designed by Inesa Malafej and Arunas Sukarevicius (from Lithuania).

The “Dancepants” convert kinetic energy from your rapid movement into electricity to run your MP3 player.  In layman’s terms: you run and the music plays; you stop running and the music stops playing.  The designers say the leggings are a “100 percent interactive way to feel the value of energy on your own.”

Pretty neat way to keep you going at a fast pace when exercising or making a quick dash to your next class.  If you want your beats to keep playing you gotta shake your groove thang, shake your groove thang.

[Via Engadget; Ecouterre]

Concept: ‘Milky Way’ alarm clock

Conceptualized by Henrik Amberla.

The creator of the Milky Way chose the shape in order to “reflect on the duality and unity of the sleep/wake cycle.”  To engage the snooze function you simply turn the device.  Setting the clock and the alarm is also done through another turning motion.

Ah, to wake up to such a smooth, chocolatey nougat-filled–oh wait, that’s Three Musketeers.  Anyway, cool idea.

[Via Gizmodo; unplggd]

Dress made of 24,000 LED lights

Designed by Francesca Rosella and Ryan Genz of CuteCircuit.

The GalaxyDress provides a spectacular and mesmerizing effect being embroidered with 24000 color LEDs, it is the largest wearable display in the world. Constructed using the smallest full-color LEDs that are flat like paper and measuring only 2 by 2 mm.

Says the duo: “The circuits are extra-thin, flexible and hand-embroidered on a layer of silk in a way that gives it stretch so the LED fabric can move like normal fabric with lightness and fluidity.”  They add that the dress uses the same amount of electricity as two household bulbs.

[Via Gizmodo; Wired; YouTube]