Monday, November 27, 2006

Dangle - Short Film


While out walking in the hills, a guy finds an unusual red rope dangling from the sky. Pulling on it he discovers that it is a switch for night and day.

View it here...

The Future Of TV According To The BBC

An interesting investigation into the future of television on the BBC news site.

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Japanese Web Designer



Fun interactive toys from this Japanese web designer.

Rollout - Wallpaper Design




Stuck for how to decorate the walls of your new appartment or office? Look no further that Rollout that have some beautiful wall coverings and can also take your own super creative ideas and make them into a wallcovering reality.

This Canadian creative studio designs and prints custom single, or low run wallpapers. They feature the works of a variety of graphic artists and illustrators. The agency was born out of the need for graphic expression in the interior design industry.

According to Rollout - "Gone are the days of slick minimalism. Texture, expression, emotion, and color have filled the gaping hole left by modernism. We represent a culture of creativity and warmth that denies conformity."

Relying on community-based recruitment, ROLLOUT constantly hunts for exciting ideas from any inspiration. Illustration, photography, graphic design, and industrial design provide media; the walls provide the medium.

Check their designs here...

Cover Pop Music Visualiser


A beautiful flash animation that generates music and visuals based on variants of simple mathematical algorithms.

View here.

Monday, November 20, 2006

Fuel For Travel


Fuel for travel is a new service available at Amsterdam's Schipol airport that allows travellers to download video and music content onto their MP3 players, mobile phones and portable video devices. Top selling albums, TV series, audio books and travel guides can be bought and downloaded from the special kiosks. They are already partnering with RedBull, MTV and Nickolodeon who are providing digital content. I assume that this branded content is provided free?

The content is only available for selected devices and currently this does not include Apple's iPod.

Vallery - Now Open



Barcelona is home to a new must see destination for people interested in art and creativity. The new Vallery gallery/shop, located in the centre of Barcelona, is host to exhibitions and has a store featuring clothes, accessories, toys and books from outstanding talents from around the world. If you can't make it to Barcelona, then you can still indulge in a little shopping from their online store.

Vallery is an initiative of the Spanish creative design agency Vasava. It just so happens that the Vasava boys also have their home in the back of the gallery!.

The inaugeral exhibition of Vallery is Make a Fuss, by Non-Format.

Visit site...

Monday, November 13, 2006

Ornithopter


One of the last remaining aeronautical breakthroughs occured recently. I heard about this story on The World podcast, a technology based weekly update made in collaboration with the BBC, WGBH Public Radio Boston and Public Radio international.

Like so many breakthrough discoveries they are so often down to the relentless passion and dedication of a few individuals that seem to persevere no matter what. A wonderful example of someone continuing to fight against all the odds and achieve their dream is in the case of Dr James DeLaurier of the University of Toronto's institute for Aerospace Studies. who for his entire career had made it his goal to prove that it was possible to create an ornithopter. Together with the students of his university classes (of which saw many unsuccessful prototypes and failed attempts), he finally realised his vision.

He set out to prove that despite successul flights to the moon, hypersonic flight and travelling around the world without refueling, that the unfulfilled promise of ornithopter flight was possible. That is to say, a plane that it propelled by flapping wings, much like a giant bird.

After more than 15 years fo research and failed attempts the record was finally broken.

July 8th 2006, saw the first successful flight of an ornithopter. Reaching a speed of just over 50 mph, the ornithopter took off and flew for 14 seconds, travelling 1/3 km distance in the process. The momentus flight ended in an abrupt fashion, rolling left and collapsing into the runway in dramatic fashion.

One wonders if DeLaurier or his partner Harris will get the same level of recognition as the Wright bothers, or if their design for planes will get much further off the ground than their first ornithopter. One thing is for sure, and that this is a wonderful story and an inspiration to everyone to keep on plugging away in pursuit of your vision and dreams.

Check out video of the historic flight and images of the ground breaking plane here.

Friday, November 03, 2006

Fuel Efficient Car For The Future


The Loremo is a facinating concept car that aims to provide a fun and sporty transport solution with greatly reduced fuel consuption - upto 1/5 of normal fuel consumption according to their figures - making it an interesting proposition for our globally warmed future that by all accounts is heading our way.

Scott Snibble - Digital Artist


Scott Snibbe is best known for creating interactive artwork that reveals people's interdependence. Most of his works do not function unless the viewer actively engages with them—by touching, breathing, moving, etc. The works present systems in which the viewer is an essential component. Although his works involve significant technological infrastructure, visitors’ experiences predominantly involve human-to-human interaction. The pieces provoke communication among the viewers, which, more than a mere reaction to the work, becomes its very essence.

Snibbe's largest electromechanical sculpture to date was commissioned for a solo show at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco in 2005. Blow Up, records, amplifies, and projects human breath into a room-sized field of wind.

Plan59 - Retro American Illustration Museum


This site is an insanely rich and extensive archive of illustrations and photographs of American cars, trucks, advertising, fruit crate art and interior design. Plan59 must be one of the most extensive collections of retro commercial art online and is a useful research tool for anyone interested in design through the 50's and 60's. The images are available to buy online, or you can order prints of a vast selection of images.

Visit the site.