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Hottest Tech & 3D-TV:
Absolutely the most talked about new product rolled out for CES 2009 were the 3D-TV’s. And when I say talked about…I mean the manufacturers were talking about them. At the High-Tech Households seminar, Liz Claman of Fox Business Network posed the question “How many here in the audience are excited about new 3D-TV’s technology for the home?” Out of 40 people in the audience, 1 person raised their hand. Christy Matte editor at About.com and panelist, asked us to consider whether this tech is being pushed on consumers as the next big thing. Do we really need it and do we even want it?
I guess I am the type of consumer that does not embrace new technology IMMEDIATELY. I will make my own purchasing decision as I see the technology mature. I am not easily persuaded by trends, friends or peer pressure. Briefly going over TV tech, first it was the big CRT screen, then the huge project screen. They both had the lousiest definition and yet, many consumers embraced them for it’s size. Hmmmm…Finally there was HD. Even with HDTV, I waited until hardware technology converged with HDMI and Cable broadcasting technology
Continue reading “CES :: Day 3 – 3D-TV & Individuality” →
Like any other trade show, there are great designs/inventions and there is some mediocre crap. The challenge is to weave through all the junk and discover the cool stuff. One may think that since the consumer electronics industry is so popular and Americans are embracing gadgets, that you could easily find good design. With so many products out there it is sad to say good design is not as common as it should be, with 90% of the products destined for the landfill, many manufacturers make things good enough for today. After all, there needs to be a reason to make you feel that insecure need for the newer, newest igadget 6 months later.
As a sustainable designer as well as thrifty consumer, it’s always hard to justify any type of purchase. At this show, the biggest question I asked myself was, “What is going to by categorized as a luxury purchase and what is going to be a necessity?”
This year at CES, there was a huge emphasis on mobile technology, smartphones, gps tech, e-readers and of course 3D TV.
 Lg Chocolate Touch
While many of us were excited about CES, I was excited about my Zappos tour. Funny, how when it comes to anything related to shoes, no gadgets in the world can distract me (besides Apple of course!) But since Apple was not at CES this year or the last, I felt free to roam around outside of the super geek fest CES, Consumer Electronics Show.
Yes. I am one of the many geeks that found this CES show quite overwhelming but under-delivered. At least to me. I am sure many of you have read the highlights of the show from these great news sources: Cnet or CNN Tech. Hence my goal is to just share my own personal views and less of the products stuff.
Joe on the other hand, will have different insights than me, since he attended the Full Knowledge Track sessions at CES. He will have more hot notes to share, which we will on our next post.
Arrival:
 The infamous Zappos Van/ Shuttle
 Stephen Randall from LocaModa. Image courtesy of DMI. Social Media
I am a late adopter of facebook, twitter and even blogging. The only reason why we started BACE, was so that we could be the one holding the conversation and discuss topics that matter to us. And of course we hope those topics matter to others as well. The cool thing is, no one pays us to talk about them. Whatever is discussed on our blog, is unsolicited. It’s a venue for us to rant about the things we love and hate.
Continue reading “DMI Conf. Day 3 Recap: Social Media, National Design Policy, GE, US Military Healthcare, Futurist & a Vacation at BVI” →
Second day was a full day packed with provocative speeches and hot taboo topics.
Let’s start with John Maeda, the President of Rhose Island School of Design (RISD).
Design Education
 John Maeda, President of RISD Here is what John said:
Design + Art
= Creating solutions to meaningfully asked questions
Technology + Business
= Using new possibilities for customers
Design + Technology + Business
= Using new possibilities to create solutions for customers
Design + Art + Technology + Business
= Using new possibilities to create solutions to meaningfully asked questions for customers
All the discussion about “design thinking”, designers solving complex problems, designers role in corporations, got me thinking about the definition of design. How do we raise design awareness and the standards of design to the level where designers are treated as true professionals and as equals to other professionals like engineers, programmers, lawyers and doctors?
Maybe designers can’t be treated seriously because there are no standards to define our profession. Should there be standards? And what are those standards? And who determines them? Maybe there is a need for legislation similar to the interior design or architecture profession. If we have such high regards for design and expect designers to “change” the world and designers are the “catalysts” for innovation, then treat us with respect, dignity and as equals.
Continue reading “DMI Conf. Day 2 Recap: Design Education, Empathy, Sustainability, Sex & Sensibility, Health & Coding.” →
I am a HUGE fan of Virgin. I love Richard Branson. His no nonsense yet playful gutsy approach to business has always inspired me to be true to myself, regardless of all the distracting forces of conformity on how businesses should be run.
 Joe Ferry, Head of Design, Virgin Atlantic. Image courtesy of DMI. To see how the creative team of Virgin Atlantic led by Joe Ferry, use design to differentiate the Virgin brand and placed the company as one of the most innovative airline company in the world, is simply remarkable. With a bit of humor and play, the design team carried their brand vision from print to the interiors of the plane, their clubhouses, all the way through their TV commercials, without ever compromising the details, quality and experience of the brand.(Check out this Q&A with Joe Ferry from WallPaper* Magazine)
 An in-cabin shot of Ferry's crowning glory, the Virgin Upper Class deck. Image from WallPaper*.
I have always believed that you don’t have to agree with people just to be agreeable or disagree just to rebel but rather, we should engage in a meaningful conversation.
And that’s what this conference was to me. Sitting on the other side of the room listening to great speakers talk, there were times that I was nodding like a bobble-head and there were times I was so stirred up, when I went back to my hotel room, I was busy googling and researching to find out what was this guy talking about! That’s the best part of this conference, it made me re-think my thought process; what I know now and what I have yet to learn. I felt like an eager grasshopper, prancing around the auditorium, waiting for the sifus to ascend their wisdom to me…
Therefore, instead of my covering every single segment of the conference, I want to share with you one of the conversations I had with myself.
Continue reading “Re-Thinking Design: The Businessman & The Designer – Part 2” →
 DMI Re-Thinking Design San Francisco 2009 I haven’t been to a conference this engaging, exciting and educational in a long time. Most of the design conference I attended in the past was filled with so-called “famous” designers plugging their works. And most of the time, I left feeling that I’ve not gained any useful information, instead I ask myself, “Did I just spend thousands coming here to listen to a bunch of people brag about their work? I already saw all of that on their websites!!”
Well, this DMI Re-Thinking Design Conference in San Francisco was none of that. I left with a belly of information that I can actually use to help my clients, grow my business and how to move forward in these uncertain times. Conversations were provocative, strategic, informing and inspiring. And MOST speakers tried their best to answer very difficult, complex questions.
Continue reading “DMI | Re-Thinking Design recap – Part 1” →
Some discoveries are simply so cool that you do not want to share with anyone else.
As a paper enthusiasts, visiting NIPPON Creative Printing Show Volume I, was spectacular, inspiring, powerful, satisfying and leaving me wanting more…
 Nippon Creative Printing Show Volume I There were 6 exhibits, featuring different types of unique printing techniques on carefully crafted paper. Just watching the video presentation, made me go, ooohhhhh and aahhhhhh as I learned how paper and printing is the only medium that triggers all 5 senses!!! The concept for this exhibit challenges many traditional printing business models, expanding the next stage for creative works by partnering traditional craft with technologies.
Continue reading “ICFF Preview Part 2 – Japan by Design again…” →
I love Japanese design. I have great admiration for their work ethics, dedication to craftsmanship and innovation.
This exhibition at ICFF is the 2nd kansei-Japan Design Exhibition, with the first held in Paris 2008. The Kansei Value Creation initiative aims at the “kansei value”, which is the concept of combining monozukuri (manufacturing) of Japanese design and the art of monogatari (story telling). It focuses on the new element of economic value, functionality, reliability and price competitiveness of Japanese products.
The first product that I was thrilled to see in person was Paro. I was introduced to Paro in 2003 by CNN. Paro is the 8th generation of therapeutic robot that has been used widely in Japan and Europe.
Unlike industrial robots, “Mental Commitment Robots” are developed to interact with human beings and to make them feel emotional attachment to the robots. Rather than using objective measures, these robots trigger more subjective evaluations, evoking psychological impressions such as “cuteness” and comfort. Mental Commitment Robots are designed to provide 3 types of effects: psychological, such as relaxation and motivation, physiological, such as improvement in vital signs, and social effects such as instigating communication among inpatients and caregivers. – excerpt from Paro’s website.
 Creator Dr. Takanori Shibata with Paro.
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