*notcot - 04.14.17 , 11:39 -

Unboxing: BioLite SiteLight Mini and XL

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BioLite makes the great outdoors so playful and FUNCTIONAL! What started with their first product the CampStove (that was innovative in letting you not only utilize all the twigs and material found around camp to power your stove while also let you charge your devices!) has quickly expanded to quite the product line! Also - they always have such great packaging.

On recent product trends that have been exploding - LEDs in versatile, portable, outdoor lighting have been EVERYWHERE! And it’s been a fun space to follow (remember the Luminoodles i’ve been loving?) - From buying led strips to hack into our NOTFZJ80 Land Cruiser, to working them into various client projects and experiments - they are just ridiculously easy to work with, and getting cheaper and more accessible constantly. Which naturally means that they are a great place for designers to get even more creative! When BioLite offered to send some of their new lights over, i couldn’t resist. How adorable are these SiteLight Minis? They are like adorable glowing macarons that plug right into a USB port (via a headphone jack). They also sent over the SiteLight XL which pops up like a lantern and can be daisy chained with the minis or stand on its own! And to power it all (though you can power them from any USB battery or plug too!), they also sent over the Base Lantern XL which is INSANELY bright (but can be dimmed,color changed and more with the buttons and app!) Anyhow, the whole collection is adorable, functional, and definitely on my gift list for outdoorsy folks (or even for use on patios or stringing up for a happy hour picnic under a tree!) Take a look at all the unboxing and details on the next page!

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*notcot - 01.26.17 , 00:01 -

2017 Corvette Grand Sport

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It all started with Shawn telling me about how we “could” drop Chevrolet LT1 E-ROD crate engine into our ‘96 Land Cruiser for our next step in our NOTFZJ80 Project… of course my first question was, “What does it feel like?” which prompted him to tell me it’s in the Corvette Grand Sport! So, when Chevy offered one to us for a week, it was the perfect way to kick off 2017 and try the LT1!

First impressions of the 2017 Corvette Grand Sport? So fun to drive, and it turns (surprising) heads everywhere you go. There’s something about styling (much like the original stingrays) that just makes people stare, grin, and wave… from little boys to old ladies, to everything in between. It was hard to stop in anywhere and NOT get asked about it. For lack of a better phrase, it definitely had a more all-American-all-ages vibe from the crowd it drew, compared to some higher end luxury sports cars. Even non car folks were excited by it. But to be honest, it is SO fun to drive, that the only time you notice all the grins and stares are while being a passenger. That sport mode on S curves is fantastic. And the touring mode was surprisingly comfortable for such a low car with a stiff suspension! While we can’t give you a ride, we can show you all the details that we love… so take a peek on the next page!

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*notcot - 01.16.17 , 13:01 -

Linksys Velop Unboxing

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Full disclosure - Daniel Frysinger works on the Linksys Velop, and he also founded NOTCOT with me and we’ve been friends for nearly 20 years! Weirdly enough, that means instead of being positively biased, we’ve been even MORE critical of the product (what else would you expect from designers?), and have let him use our home and studio space as testing areas, and turn us into UX guinea pigs while working through the design process! So when it finally made it to store shelves, we had to share unboxing it with you!

So that being said - i’m totally in awe of how good my internet connection finally is in the garage workshop and the pergola/deck… and every corner of the yard/driveway… even the furthest bedrooms are solid now! Mesh networks are definitely a hot trend/evolution in the home wifi router space, and they all seem to advertises how many nodes you need based on the size of your home to properly reach ALL the spots we hang out - both inside and out! With 4-5 Linksys Velop Nodes we cover ~13,000 sqft inside and out amazingly well, and it’s nice that you just need a power cord and close enough proximity to another node to expand coverage. Each node has 2 ethernet ports, so you can easily hook up an ethernet drive or other hard wired accessories where needed. Also, all nodes are equal - no master/slave situation, so they are completely versatile. In other words, if you move and find you need less nodes, you can always share them with a friend, or use them for better wifi at your vacation home.

The other fascinating wifi router trend is an industrial design one! They are finally getting prettier and more interesting as designers help consumers display (instead of hide) their routers. It makes perfect sense, the more exposed and centrally located they are, the better signal you get! Yet somehow, many of us have had them stashed in closets and behind objects on shelves and more. So while the Linksys Velop Nodes aren’t the tiniest, they are filled with thoughtful design details. (Also, when it comes to my wifi, i’ll take slightly larger router with WAY better signal any day.) While most press photos show you the plain, solid, white side with a logo, my favorite view is actually the back at an angle. There’s something almost sculptural with the perforated white square/squircle (?) tower with the cut out corner!

On to the unboxing and up close with the design details! To the next page!

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*notcot - 12.02.16 , 14:40 -

Power Practical Luminoodle

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The Power Practical Luminoodle! Essentially an LED strip that you can power via USB - and before you just buy a basic LED strip and hack it together yourself, they’ve already done the work to make this waterproof with a nice light diffusion, attached adjustable magnets, included straps to attach it to things, and a little white stuff sack that can turn into a lantern. Basically - it’s an awesome stocking stuffer and gift for your campers, road trippers, cyclists, and more. Also, being USB powered, its easy to plug it in to anything from a USB wall or car charger, computer, or even that back up battery you probably carry for your phone… and for those who don’t already have somewhere to plug it in, you can also buy the Luminoodle Plus that includes one. (Ooh and for last minute shoppers, they are available and slightly cheaper with Amazon Prime!

While skeptical at first, i got curious while black friday shopping and impulse bought one… and i’m delightfully impressed with it! Such a simple idea, executed so thoughtfully, they’ve really elevated the LED strip in a lovely, functional way. Also, nice packaging! Take a peek at the details and unboxing on the next page.

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*notcot - 11.23.16 , 10:30 -

SnapBot for Snapchat Spectacles

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Snapchat Spectacles are having a moment… in fact i can’t imagine a better name than “spectacles” with the way they are launching and dispersing their foray into hardware this insane holiday week. When the WSJ article is titled “Snapchat Spectacles Take Video, Cover Mortgage Payments” you know it’s madness. Short story - only way to get them is currently through their adorable minion-esque vending machines that are popping up across America, and you find out where they are on their Spectacles Bot Map, but when they pop up, get there fast, rumors are there are only 200 or so in each one, and they sell out in under 2 hours? Also expect lines around buildings… they are all over eBay for $500-1000 (and you can swipe your credit card at a SnapBot to get one for $130) All this insanity as they get ready for a rumored IPO… and the Spectacles resell bubble may die down as their NYC store restocks more often?

But, lets look at the SnapBOT! It’s adorable, beautifully poppy and minimal, like a giant rectangular minion beeping cute noises and barfing out rainbow receipts (how very snapchat?) So when Shawn woke me up that the SnapBot was just over at Brentwood Countrymart - we popped out of bed and headed over - figuring worst case we could see the madness and grab a coffee. Apparently the bot landed around 7, and the line was already a few hundred deep at 8:30. It was quite the diverse crowd - and people were already scheming what they were going to do with the money they made reselling them… So with cappuccino in hand, we headed to the bot - just follow the balloons! And it was appropriately placed right in front of the toy store! With its big blinking eye that matches the Spectacles logo and the camera/led on the glasses - it’s a great interaction for the buyer and those waiting around the machine. See more pics and video on the next page.

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*notcot - 09.13.16 , 10:00 -

Plumen 003

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New Plumen bulb! The 003! They really do take bulbs to a beautiful new level with every launch. This latest bulb has stunning golden facets which combined with LED lighting gives off a warm, textured ambient light while also providing a downward spotlight. In addition to beautiful design and functional lighting - the central structure sits on a specially engineered plinth which serves as a heat sink for the LED, keeping it efficient and ready to last up to 10,000 hours. They are selling the Plumen 003 as a bulb and a pendant set. Concept and Design Direction by Hulger. Form Design by Claire Norcross. Facet Design by Marie-Laure Giroux. See images of the stunning new bulb and pendant set on the next page!

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*notcot - 11.27.15 , 23:50 -

Triggertrap Mobile Packaging

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I played with the Triggertrap Mobile App a while back - and it’s pretty fun! You can use it to control your phone camera in timelapse mode, sensor modes (clap, move, whistle, face recognition, etc!), HDR modes, remote modes (wifi! wearables!)… and if you buy the cable adapter to your proper camera you can turn your phone into a remote trigger/shutter controller for all kinds of cable release modes! To be honest, i played with it for a while, totally intended to buy a cable to try it with my Canon 5D MKIII… and one thing lead to another and i forgot.

… until i was over at Photojojo the other day, and shopping around, i stumbled back across the Triggertrap camera cable and decided it was time to play with it! And yes, it’s so so fun! It also arrived crazy fast and with a surprise toy dinosaur (Thanks, Photojojo!) But what REALLY surprised me, was how awesome their packaging is! How had no one shown me that part first… i probably would have impulse bought it even earlier. It’s also such a cute, easy stocking stuffer! It actually reminds me a lot of the Teenage Engineering Pocket Operator Unboxing. What i love most? It’s JUST A CABLE… but they’ve packaged it to feel like so much more as you “Rip it like it’s hot” to get inside to the nicely molded case… and even then there’s info printed inside the sleeve and a sticker inside. Nice details. Fun colors! And a simple, powerful, easy to use app UI! Awesome experience all around!

Packaging aside for a moment - i like that Triggertrap sells additional connection cables. So when you have the basic set, but buy a new camera, you just buy the piece you need. Also open source licenses! They are sharing the Triggertrap v1 and Triggertrap Shield for Arduino source code, schematics, and even eagle files.

But pack to the packaging… see the details on the next page!

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*notcot - 10.22.15 , 17:03 -

Inside Autodesk Pier 9

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There’s a magical place hidden in plain sight in San Francisco right on the water… between the Ferry Building and the Exploratorium, you will find Autodesk Pier 9. You’d never guess that half of this pier is filled with the ultimate creative workshop for design & fabrication - a dreamy, lust-worthy space filled with designers, engineers, artists, fabricators, and every machine they could need - from rooms filled with huge CNCs and water jet machines to 3D printers of every variety, sewing machines, photo studios, welding setups, test kitchen, electronics, industrial robot arms, and much much more. It’s also no surprise that this is where the Instructables team lives. Launched in 2013, it was designed as a state-of-the-art digital fabrication work shop to dissolve the boundaries between software and hardware while inspiring Autodesk to develop tools for the future of making! If you are interested in making something (anything!) odds are good that they will have what you need to make it from start to finish - on the pier!

Shawn and I were invited to review projects from the current group of Autodesk Pier 9 Artists-in-Residence (AIR). (Thanks, Madeline and Vanessa!) What started in Instructables, grew and evolved once they became part of the world of Autodesk. Today, every 4 months, 1-2 dozen artists, designers, engineers, scientists, etc. come to Pier 9 to bring their ideas to life. They get 24/7 pier access, $2000 monthly stipends and project supply budgets, and retain IP and physical work created during the residency… in exchange they must publish their work on Instructables and make a presentation at the end of the program. Not a bad deal, right? The current group will be presenting on November 12th. If you’re in SF, they will definitely be worth a peek - they actually shut down the workshops and present the pieces throughout (Yes, possibly even on or near the machines that made them!)

While there, we had a chance to tour the facility before the reviews, and it is pretty mind blowing. So as we walked and talked, i snapped iPhone pictures along the way for all of you to get a peek inside this wondrous place. Ready? Dive in to the pictures on the next page!

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*notcot - 10.19.15 , 14:28 -

Unboxing: Teenage Engineering PO-12

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So far we’ve loved everything Teenage Engineering for years… from afar… or through the internet. The design, photography, and ideas are always incredible! But between getting in to SF and meeting friends for dinner, we managed to squeeze in a few stores in the Mission, one of them being the unmissable Dijitalfix. Drawn in by the Freitag pop up in front, and sucked further in by so many design brands we adore… before i knew it, i lost Shawn. Turns out he ended up in the backroom completely engrossed by all the Teenage Engineering toys. And while he was busy pushing buttons and learning how they all worked, i couldn’t stop staring at the products themselves… and the packaging… and the displays! So that was settled… we had to buy one! While it was tough decide, we’re starting with the PO-12 rhythm

And of course, in the small amount of time between procuring the PO-12 and meeting for dinner… we couldn’t resist buying batteries, parking, and unboxing it in the car so we could play with it! So here’s a first for me… an iphone camera unboxing in our car parked on the street at night. Ready to see how awesome it is? See the pics on the next page!

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*notcot - 10.07.15 , 17:30 -

LIGHT L16 Camera

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Light launched the L16 Camera today - a “multi-aperture computational camera that packs DSLR quality and capability into a device that fits in your pocket.” I had the opportunity to get up close with the prototype a few weeks back, and peek at what is actually INSIDE this fascinating camera. The potential is awesome, but i’m definitely curiously skeptical about the “computational camera” aspect. Basically this camera is a collection of 16 cameras in one - all simultaneously shooting an image at multiple focal lengths then fusing the resulting images together for a single image (up to 52 megapixels) which means you have all the data to manipulate the depth of field, exposure, and more after the fact. What Light L16 promises may remind you a bit of Lytro, but what makes it immensely more intriguing to me is the form factor and peeking INSIDE of it! The 16 cameras are supposed to be exceptional for low light and give you the equivalent of 35-150mm true optical zoom.

Aesthetically it resembles something between a large touch screen cellphone and a bluetooth speaker/radio… with 16 eyes staring at you from the glossy face! The size is quite a bit larger than most big screen filled phones. Trading in my DSLR for this form would definitely be quite the adjustment… so the real trick will be seeing not only how it shoots, but how their software works into photographers work flows. To make the most of the Light L16, it’s all about taking advantage of the post processing that is possible in their proprietary file type that houses the immense amount of data captured with each press of the shutter. Of course for quick manipulations or exports you will also be able to send files like jpgs to your phone or laptop for quick sharing. The potential is huge, and i’m definitely excited! Chatting with the Light L16 team, future possibilities were easy to imagine - putting this technology into cars, cellphones, and beyond! The future of the technology side is a no brainer - the user experience of shooting with it, processing/developing images with it, and having it nestle its way into my workflow i’m dying to find out.

Take a peek at the details of what is inside the Light L16 as well as the intro video and how it’s made on the next page!

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*notcot - 05.30.15 , 14:30 -

Unboxing: Roland MODELA Pro II MDX-540S

rotest0a.jpg There’s a CNC mill in NOTlabs! While Shawn has been playing with (and missing) the full shop of 6-axis robots, huge CNCs, Objet 3D printers and more in his grad school days - i’ve been catching up and getting my hands dirty with it all through our NOTlabs projects! So when the awesome folks at Roland offered to lend us their Roland MODELA Pro II MDX-540S desktop mill, we were ecstatic! While we’ve been doing a lot of 3D printing (remember the Nescafe Alarm Caps and Free Universal Construction Kit?) - as crazy as you can get with additive processes, there’s a lot that subtractive can do (and in some cases, do better!)

We’ve been in the getting-to-know-you phase with this “desktop” beast of a CNC recently, but to catch you up - here’s the unboxing of what two shipping palettes in the driveway is like. We definitely needed to bring in an extra pair of hands to help move the machine itself. In addition to the Roland MODELA Pro II MDX-540S main mill, there is the case, the automatic tool changer, the rotary (4th axis!) and then a starter set of various bits… and of course, Roland’s software to get to know. Ooh and then there’s also various materials to try!

First impression? SO MESMERIZING! We’ve been spending hours and hours working alongside the machine to keep an eye on things, and experimenting with a few models to test out how it handles various types of curves, materials, and details. See the full unboxing and a peek at our experiments so far on the next page!

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*notcot - 04.03.15 , 11:30 -

Patagonia Worn Wear Tour + Delia

wornwear0.jpg “IF IT’S BROKE, FIX IT!” That’s the motto of the Patagonia Worn Wear initiative. While the creation of new things can not be 100% waste/harm/etc-free, we can do our part by using things for as long as possible and consuming less! And a huge part of that comes from taking care of the things we have - from cleaning and caring to repairing when needed, especially when it comes to clothes! So yesterday we joined Patagonia at their Ventura, CA HQ for the launch of the Worn Wear TOUR!

The incredible Delia is setting off across the US - and this stunning Worn Wear Rig designed and built by Jay Nelson is a biodiesel ‘93 Dodge Cummins D250 fitted with salvaged redwood wine barrels and sewing machines inside! It is also being followed by a truck with an adorably woody store of used/vintage Patagonia goods inside! Meet up with the tour across the US and bring your broken clothes and they will help you fix it up - from rips and tears to broken zippers and more… it doesn’t even have to be Patagonia. Take a peek at the great design details on the next page…

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*notcot - 08.15.14 , 12:08 -

NOTFZJ80: PART IV

fzjupdate.jpg The NOTFZJ80 Project is being sponsored by our friends at AutoNation: America’s largest auto retailer with 270 stores selling 33 brands nationwide backed by industry-leading policies like SmartChoice pricing and no-hassle money back guarantee. They are helping us turn our 1996 Toyota Land Cruiser into an overland adventure rig to go discover inspiration off-grid! Follow the progress here as we build up to our first trip.

Wow. We’ve so much has changed since the last update on our NOTFZJ80 Project. When you last saw it, we installed the front bumper + winch and were in a holding pattern as it got some work done at TLC. Well - it’s back! It’s had front axel, transfer case, bushings, and differential rebuilt and new Old Man Emu suspension, DBA brakes, radiator and rear bumper installed. Since it’s been back we’ve also installed a 40” LED light bar and snorkel on the front - awning off the passenger side and annex under the rooftop tent - and filled the rear bumper with jerry cans, spare tire, MaxTrax, and grill! Needless to say - we’ve been busy, and we’re just about ready to go test out camp with the NOTFZJ80. Check out our progress on the next page.

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*notcot - 08.14.14 , 11:40 -

Toyota FT-1 Second Edition

ft0a.jpg Concept cars are like mythical creatures. Stunningly beautiful, comprised of so many things you wish you had… packaged up in a way you’re not sure would survive in the real world. Often you see them poised spinning on a platform at car shows, behind the rope on the Pebble Beach putting green, raced as renders in a video game… So I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to go play with the updated Toyota FT-1 when they offered a chance to put it anywhere I wanted at Calty Design Research, their North American design studio in Newport Beach, last week before it headed to Pebble Beach. With all the stunning (usual?) press photos coming, I was thrilled to imagine what it would be like if it was a real car, in real life, that you could really drive home… to look at the details, as if imagining them coming out of your driveway as you head up the coast along the beach…

The Toyota FT-1 second edition that Toyota just unveiled last night… is not a new car. The Second Toyota FT-1 Concept LOOKS a lot like a new car, but it’s really a second styling of their FT-1 Concept that was launched in January 2014 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Calty Design Research. The original was an experiment in what they love to call “functional sculpting,” where everything you see is contributing to the function of the car. They designed it around beautiful puddles of color, which is apparent in every mesmerizing reflection.

For this second edition, the Interior and Color+Trim designers were challenged to make the maximum impact with minimal changes, and wow. Unlike most cars - which start out designed and rendered in silver/grays, the FT-1 was always designed in RED, and has gone back to the more traditional for its second edition in Graphite. The Graphite Exterior with Saddle and Black Leather Interior couldn’t make it feel more different than the racer reds of the first edition. The look and feel have taken the Speed Racer feel of the first and made it more Bruce Wayne. It still screams sporty superhero, but with a bit more of a luxurious, understated twist. Ready to dive into the details of this stunning new colorway on the next page?

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*notcot - 08.05.14 , 13:10 -

Unboxing: Formlabs Form 1+

formlabs0.jpg I’ve been curious to see a Formlabs desktop stereolithographic 3D printer in action since they blew up on Kickstarter back in 2012. Since that time they have now launched the second iteration, The Formlabs Form 1+, and i’ve been learning far more from Shawn with our NOTlabs experiments and projects about the trials and tribulations of consumer desktop 3D Printing - so it has been quite a treat to spend the last few weeks experimenting with the new Formlabs Form 1+!

Physically, the design of the Formlabs 3D printer is a stunning iconic object that you can’t help but be drawn in any studio. It’s a piece of art! That glowing orange acrylic cube, that opens and closes so nicely (I particularly love how precisely tiny the gap is between the cover and the build plate when you open it!) and there’s a single button on the front - all the details are so well thought out! And the quality of the prints - wow - the resin layers can get down to 25 microns now! So thin, they are nearly undetectably smooth. The prints are lovely!

Before we jump into the unboxing and look at the printing process and outcome - I just want to address a few key things i’ve learned as i’ve been playing with the consumer 3D printers and the questions that keep coming up. Yes things always go wrong, prints will fail, tweaking is always needed - be it in your file, the hardware, some tiny overlooked detail (from the tape you put down to the resin you poured in) - there is ALWAYS something. I’ve accepted that as just part of it at this stage in the maturity of consumer 3D Printers. But they are getting there! Every new machine we play with impresses me more and more - but for something to get plugged in and have everything consistently churn out perfection - I know that patience and learning with each print is key. We’ve played with a slew of printers for various projects - from Objets to Makerbots, Z Corp to Stratasys, and more… so just know that going into this review, i’m approaching it with patience and curiosity!

That being said - to the unboxing and test prints on the next page!

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