Apples new product

There have been many watches created but very few like this one. The apple watch is the second to create a smart watch that is connected to a phone in this case is the iPhone. the difference here is that the apple watch comes in three different models, more designs offered. The product will be released in April of this year starting from $300 to about $500. The watch is like a phone on your wrist and has functions of a regular watch but better. Such as it being touch, the screen display, iMessages, and many other functions. The design and the idea are great because everything now is about technology and upgrades. It is great that there are different designs that can be chosen from instead of just choosing the basic design.

Tile?

 This product is a clip-on tracker that was created by a company called Tile. It was produced by engineers Mick Farley and Nick Evans. The product is a small white square that has an adhesive on the back. Tile’s price range is around $16-$25 for only one piece, but it is worth it. The purpose of the product is that it can be attached to any object and be tracked down. It is connected to an app in your smart phone where you can see the location of the object. There is another option where you can press a button on your app to let the Tile ring and listen for the sound. This is a great idea because it can be placed on keys, laptops, and many other things we use everyday. We don’t have to worry about where we last placed an object, with this it would be easy to find what you were looking for.

HTC phone

This is the Windows Phone 8x by HTC released in 2012 around September. They came out in four different colors, comes with Beats, and great storage space. It runs with windows software which is great, it also connects to your account with desktop windows. With that you can access some documents in your computer on your phone and vice versa. The phone works like a computer, most sites open as it would do on a laptop or computer instead of the mobile site. It is frustrating when you can access some websites because you do not have the right software, but you cannot upload those software’s through your phone therefore you cannot use the website. Another downside to this product is that you cannot access some apps that run in other android or smartphones. There are some good things about the product such as the Beats Audio which means great audio, the large screen, and live tiles which update each day. The camera is good quality it is 3264 x 2448 pixels, autofocus, and has LED flash with this you can have good quality pictures and videos. Another good thing is the alarm it starts of soft and gradually increases and vibrates until you turn it off. This alarm is great for deep sleepers. The phone has some ups and downs but overall it is a great idea and the design is great as well.

Tomato Robot ?

This robot is called Tomatan and was created by a Japanese Juice Company called Kagom. It is designed for people to carry it on their shoulders when they go for a run. The reason it is tomatoes is because it contains nutrients that help with fatigue. The purpose of this product is that it dispenses tomato into your mouth while on a run to help give more energy. On the bottom foot of the robot it has a button that activates the robot into feeding you a tomato. As an idea it is not great because it weighs about 18 pounds and why would people run around with a tomato robot on their back. The design its self is creative though, it could be used for decoration or for kitchen purposes it might work out better than what it is intended for.

Art comes in many forms

                                
Beachbot a robot that can do large scale of art in the sand, it was created by students from Zurich University of the Arts. They were working together with Disney Research. The robot works with Wi-Fi, lasers, and has a small rake like thing on the bottom of its tail. The tail is how the images are able to appear on the sand.  In order for the Beachbot to start drawing it has to sense where it is and how much space it has which is why they place reflective poles that help determine the drawing board. With the laser it scans it to see where it is. The students also control it by using software to create the images and then turtle like robot displays it onto the sand. The robot itself is great but it has no other use it is just meant to make people feel happy and entertained. The purpose of this was just a project for the students but now they hope to improve it and create larger scales of art for people to enjoy while at the beach.

Smart Doorbells!

There are many new ideas and this is one of the few, a smart doorbell. There are many different models but this one is called Sky bell. It is connected with your house Wi-Fi and to a smartphone. Its price range is about $200 and can be bought from Amazon or Best Buy. The purpose of this product is to be able to see who is at the door without having to getting up. It allows you see, hear, and speak with the visitor from your smartphone from any place. By being connected to a smartphone it has an app that alerts you when someone is at the door when they ring the doorbell or even if the person does not ring the bell it has motion sensors. The motion sensors help to inform the person if there is someone out there. This is a great idea just by looking at our phones we will be able to see who is at the door and speak to person through the doorbell. With this features we never have to miss a package and do not have to get up to see who’s at the door, all we have to do is check our phone.  

METRO

There are many maps that Metro developed to help the passengers know what other public transportation's are available around them.  The map on top is a very simple it displays the underground trains and the light rails. Each train is named after a color except the Expo Line the reason for that is because its route is mostly all the way through Exposition Blvd. In the map the routes are highlighted with the color of the train and it shows the destination and stops. It also shows a small key explaining what certain signs mean. These maps are located on most of the light rail stops and subways. Compared to the map on the bottom the top map is great and simple to understand. The one the bottom is more in detail and a larger view of what is around, it is a good idea for those who do not know the area but the one top is most helpful and straight to the point. When someone is in a hurry it is easy to read and can catch the trains on time. 

Little Big Planet 3

 This is an image from the game Little Big Planet 3. The Game was designed by Sumo Digital which is connected with Sony Entertainment and was created for all ages. The idea of the game is very simple but it is fun with many adventures to accomplish. The problem here is the font in yellow. As seen above it is not that legible, making it hard to see what it is saying. In order to read it you have to squint your eyes to really focus on the font and by the time you can read it will finish loading. They were trying to inform the players that there is more to view in the store of the game. It would be best to choice a different color that is bright such as the orange from the title of the game. This way it can easy to read and it will communicate the message better.

Beethoven Poster

This poster is created by Inge Druckrey and was created in 1957 for the Yale Symphony Orchestra. The design is very artistic and interesting. The letter B is the center point and inside that letter it has a piece from Beethoven sheet music. There is also the placement of the letters which are all capitals and different sizes. The designer used the negative space to incorporate it in with the whole design. This is in between the letters E and T in front of the letter B. The use of the placements of the letters creates a type of visual movement where they eye follows the letters to form the word Beethoven. An issue with this is that some viewers might not understand or see the word all together which is why the designer included the name of Beethoven under the title of the event. Overall the design is a creative idea incorporating Beethoven music notes and staffs which has to do with the event where they are going to play his music. 

Metro Billboard

This billboard is simple but gets the point across. This is a billboard from Metro to the public, it was created by Michael Lejeune the creative director of Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. It uses two images and four words which makes it interesting because it has a bit of humor in it. This is meant to target the public in general but specifically drives. The reason for that is that gas prices increase and this billboard is saying that they could save some money by using the public transportations Metro offers. Metro does not really advertise on billboards it is mostly on the benches and the busses themselves but this a great idea to let the public know there are other options to transportation.



Avocado Saver?

 There are many products designed today but not all ideas are great. The avocado saver seems like a good idea because it helps preserve half of an avocado for another time. The price ranges from $1 up to $12 plus shipping and handling, which it is not worth it. It is designed for only half of an avocado but what if it is bigger than the product or smaller it would not fit well with the design. There are many different types of avocados but this product seems to focus on one specific avocado. There are many home remedies that can preserve the avocado just the same or even better like this product without wasting money. One of them is to squeeze a lemon and put it in a bag or Ziploc. Another one could be to place it in a paper bag with a banana or an apple. These remedies would be better than lowering the price of this product or changing the design.

Microsoft new idea!

Microsoft has come up with a new idea that can make a great impact. This idea might seem like Google Glass but it is not because HoloLens works with holograms rather than just focusing everything on a screen like Google Glasses. These smart glasses do not work with a phone; it is more like a computer on your head. It does not over heat so it would not cause your head to become hot because on both sides it has vents. It works by voice and sensors that detect hand movement and the environment. With the sensors it knows exactly where you are looking at. They have also designed HoloStudios where you can create a design and be able to print it out with 3D printer. That way you can see what you have designed in a tangible way.

The idea was pitched by Alex Kipman the same person that came up with Kinect on the Xbox One. The product was announced this year but Microsoft has been working on this for 7 years. The way that this works is that it tricks your mind into seeing the holograms. The glasses have 3 layers of glass in each lens where light particles bounce around into the light engine of the device where they echo between layers of blue, green, and red glass before they reach the back of the eye. The lenses are see-through so you can still see what is around you. These is meant to go public for consumers and developers, there is not much information only that it will become available in spring. The design works well because it is not concentrate on one side it is distributed evenly along the glasses and there not ugly their decent. As far as the idea goes it is also great being able to see what you are working on right in front of your eyes and being able to touch it and rotate it like a 3D object. The idea can help engineers, scientific studies, and designers the possibilities are endless.



Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv

Graphic Designers work together with the client to create a logo that captures the idea they want to show in a few letters or in an image. There are so many logos out there but there are only a few that work well and are well known. The designers Ivan Chermayeff and Tom Geismar are great designers and one of the few designers that have accomplished many well-known logos. They have a firm in New York called Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv; Sagi Haviv became their partner in 2003. Some of the logos they have done are for Chase, MOCA, Mobil, PBS, Showtime, NBC, and many more.

The logo that stood out to me was the MOCA because it creative and interesting. Though its just geometric shapes it has meaning in this case they are the foundation of the letters. In Typography when you work on the letter M you use the square to help you design the letter. The same thing applies for the letter A which is the triangle and the O which is circular. As you can tell you can make a comparison between the shapes and letters. The C is the only one without a shape in the design because you already have the O. The letter C and the letter O resemble each other which is why they might have chosen not to give it a shape like the others. It would not work as well as it is now and it would not make much sense either. As it is now works really well and it is inventive that they used the base of the letters to make the logo for the museum. It also goes really well with it because the museum is called Museum of Contemporary Art which is where they have current pieces of art. The logo is modern, creative, and most of all recognizable. 

Google Glasses!

 Google glasses also known as project glass was first announced around April 2012. Though the prototype was created in 2011 and it weighed about 8 pounds. The current ones weigh much less which are the ones that started in April 2013 and are priced around $1,500. There are only certain people that qualify for this product which are called Glass Explorers.  Google has to invite you in order for you to get one of these glasses or has to approve you. The reason behind this is that Google wants to target developers first so they can help develop the idea more. In May 2014 they broaden a bit more by allowing residents of the US and UK 18 years and older to become a member of the Explorers. They do shipping but prefer that they go to one of the Google offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and in the London for UK residents.

The glasses work like a mobile device but on your head with a small screen placed on the right side. The lenses are separate and it is extra cost to put in a certain lens. In order for this device to work it would need to connect to Wi-Fi or via Bluetooth. It can work with any android device.  It has a touch pad on the right side, has the camera in front which is on the right side, and works with voice commands. The idea itself is a great idea the design itself not so much. Having a small screen only on the right side seems dangerous because the person is focused mostly on that side not paying attention to their surroundings.  Also everything seems to be focused on the right side having it stand out more. A suggestion would be to come up with an idea where the system of the glasses is not only on the right but on the whole design like going around the front to the left side. To find a way for the system to blend in with the design so that it can have a good surface and work well. This is just a prototype so Google stopped producing them as of this month but will continue to develop the idea so we just have to wait and see if they fix the design and issues.

Eco-Friendly

 There are many types of water bottles but not many that are eco-friendly such as Niagara drinking water. They have designed many sizes starting from 8oz up to 1 gallon, but the most popular item is the 16.9oz bottle. The reason for that is because it reduced its use of plastic by 60% making it 100% recyclable. They call it the Eco-Air Bottle which has received some awards such as the Southern California Edison and Water Innovation Award. By doing this it is helping reduce the carbon dioxide emission, which helps us and our environment. The idea is great but I would suggest in improving their label there is too much going on in the front. They have the name brand, the day it was established, shows that its echo-air, has a phrase, and states that it is purified drinking water. It would be better if they could remove purified drinking water and est.1963 to the back of the label if they want people to know that information. The phrase stated is a good idea so it’s fine in the front but they could enlarge a bit more. That way they can focus on the name of the product and emphasize that is an eco- friendly product.

Dollar Tree

There are many dollar and less stores all over the world but there is one that owns a big chain of dollar stores which is the Dollar Tree. They started off around the 1950’s in Virginia and gradually began to expanded their store into many parts of the US and Canada. Like many other discount stores it offers a variety of products such as household, school related, food and many other inexpensive products. The logo represents well what there store is about. The logo is a simple tree with the number one being the trunk. Instead of having leaves they have two directions of lines one going all across and the other stopping below that one.  The lines are also kept within this circular design which could represent unity or cents meaning savings. Overall the logo represents money and it caught my attention the way they emphasize on the 1 more which is what their store is about, helping people find what they need by saving them some money.

Big Belly Bin!

Trash cans are placed everywhere to keep our streets, parks, beaches, and other public locations clean. The trash cans that are public are circular with no lid, which causes trash to over pile and fall to the ground. This is a big issue because the trash that falls just ends up everywhere on the ground creating a bigger mess. It also attracts animals and insects making it an unpleasant area to be around. Not that we want to be around trash cans but it affects the parks, beaches, and other outdoor areas. 

There is a company called Big Belly Solar that came up with a solution. In 2003 they created a trash bin that has a trash compactor. The Big Belly Bin can take 5 times the capacity of a regular trash can because of the compactor inside. It has a sensor beam that lets it know it is time to compress the trash to fit more. When it is full it sends a sensor indicating that it needs to be emptied out.

The design does not take up space because it is about the same size as a regular trash can. Its material is made out rubber and is solar powered making it a bit more eco-friendly.  The purpose of this product is to save time and fuel keeping the garbage trucks out of the city. That way trucks lower the consumption of fossil fuel and contribute to reduce the pollution in the cities. It also was designed to keep our streets and parks clean. There are only a few places that have them for instance Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and some parts of California such as Ventura and Oakland.  I have seen two in Los Angeles, CA mainly in downtown LA. This idea is great and works, it is helping our environment and we just need to do our part and use it. 

Gorilla Glue

 There are many types of glues but not many like this. It is called Gorilla Glue it is used for wood, stone, metal, ceramics, and much more. It is very easy to use, one simply makes sure that where it is going to be applied is dry and then just apply it on. As stated on the front of the bottle it turns white when it is dry. The front of the bottle has a gorilla holding the products name using the colors yellow, brown, and orange. It goes well with the product because the gorilla represents strength showing that this glue is strong and trying to tell the consumers that it works. The label also states right away what it does and has great and useful information to grab customers’ attention.

    This product is used by many people because it is simple to use with little or no mess. I have used this product for an art class where we worked with wood and metal. The product turns white and expands as it dries, which is why when used you only apply a bit. The problem is that when I used it on MDF wood or Medium-density fiberboard it did not work well. The glue would not hold the pieces of wood together even though I left it to dry for a whole day. Aside from that I have used this on plastic and it worked really well. Therefore it does work but not on all the products it stated. It would be good if the product stated on the front the specific type of material it can be used on. If not that then state that it only works on specific type of material and state them on the back of the label. This would help the product sell more because the consumers will know with detail where they can use it on.

3D Printing!

  

  There are many printers but not many like these 3D printers.  We always think about the changes and advancements technology will develop. This is one of the amazing technologies that show us that the future has great possibilities.  For these printers the idea might seem knew but in actuality they were developing in the 1980’s. The idea was by Chuck Hull who developed stereo lithography which is a process where one is able to print solid figures. This is able to work with something called additive process which is a method that allows an object to be created by polymer and ultraviolet lasers, creating layers of materials to build one at a time. By using this information and new technology they were able to create these processes of printing.

    In order to have the 3D object printed it first has to be created or transferred into a programming of 3D modeling.  From there it takes a couple of hours to be processed into the object desired. The first printers started off with plastic as the material, most basic 3D printers still use it but others gradually have made it to work with about 20 different materials. Some of the materials are powder of metal, plastic, ceramic, and glass. There is also this type of liquid that helps to develop this cross section pattern and then hardens to create the design. The good thing about this is that with material chosen it is able to become any shape imaginable. These printers are also like regular printers there are different brands and functions to them so it depends on the 3D printer used that determines what material can be used.

    This design was originally invented for engineers to build prototypes for their designs in a more convenient way. That idea has changed into something bigger now; it has been used in just about everything. They are starting to use it for clothing, accessories, industrial design, space, military, food and even in the medical field. The medical field is starting to use it to create organs, help skin growth, prosthetics and many more things that can help many sick or injured people and make a great impact on many lives. The possibilities are endless with this product one has the power to create anything. They do range about $300 to approximately $200,000. There are some places that offer these services such as Staples, UPS, and other locations. This product is great for the industry and also for the consumers it is a glimpse of what to except for the future.

TRESemmé hair product

This is one of many hair products by TRESemmé. It is distributed by Unilever a company founded in 1930 in the United Kingdom. The product is intended for people who have unmanageable hair and wish to have workable hair. This product helps to manage frizzy and dry hair, making your hair nice and smooth. The front of the bottle states that it lasts up to 48 hours and illuminates shine. The product itself is really great it does help your to be smoother such as one would have it when it is straightened. Also has a pump at the top to control how much to pour in your hand that way you won’t apply to much.  The down side to this product is the front label of the bottle. The color choice for the text is hard to read due to the text being so light. It also has a reflection and blends with the liquid inside. Especially the text on the bottom left you cannot really see what it says. It would be better if they had gone with a darker color such as a dark red close to a muted color. They could even keep the same hue just trying making it darker so it could be visible. Aside from the color the text at the bottom left does not really have to be there. It is already stated at the top which says Keratin Smooth; therefore there is no need to state the same thing again. Instead they should remove that and make the text that says helps eliminate frizz and illuminates shine a bit bigger to show the main function of the product. By doing so it will make the font easy to read and will also grabs the consumers’ attention.