*notcot - 06.30.10 , 01:00 -

The Things We Make Make Us - Jeep

jeep1.jpg Silly as it sounds, sometimes running an ad on NOTCOT may be one of the best ways to get my attention (not surprising when you think about how much time i spend on the sites daily!) ~ latest one to really suck me in? These new Jeep Grand Cherokee 2011 ads! I’ve always been a sucker for bold, concise text though… and they are fun and inspirational! And so pro-making things and living your life! And from there, i ended up on the Jeep page and the Manifesto video just pulls you right in. A nice reminder of American design/manufacturing… and a fun morning kick off video!

Also fun? The design videos about the making of Jeeps, and seeing old video footage of how they used to design cut in with the design processes of today! See more videos and visuals on the next page!

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*leo - 06.23.10 , 22:44 -

Nike lets you Tweet to Johannesburg

nike-football_lightup_johannesburg_mediawall.jpg Largest LED screens popped up in Johannesburg (half as big as a football pitch!) displaying user contributed Facebook msgs, Mxit msgs (local South African social network), QQ msgs (Chinese social network) and Tweets in support of their favorite player(s) from the World Cup! Nike Football has definitely gone all out on this social experiment, blending the contributions of fans across the world to share their voice all the way in South Africa! The messages will appear across the LED screen which triggers an animation of the player mentioned. The user is then pinged back with a photo of their headline on the Life Center. The Life Center is 30 stories tall and 138 meters high, making it the fourth tallest in Johannesburg. Surrounded by 90m tall images of Cristiano Ronaldo and Robinho, this interactive LED screen allows sports fans around the world to write their own headlines and light up the Johannesburg skyline, even if only for a few moments. A really fun and larger than life execution to bring the world closer together… take a peek at video, pics and more on the next page!

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*notcot - 06.22.10 , 15:55 -

My Phone Is Off For You

IMG_2590.jpg Unpacking suitcases just rediscovered this sticker in a pile of business cards! And it reminded me i was meaning to post this awesome project i ran into at ICFF from Parson’s New Schooler, Ingrid Zweifel of The Way We See The World. I have an ex who was never without his phone, and constantly looking things up ~ sure it’s useful like a real life wikipedia midconversation during dinner sometimes… but sometimes it’s just annoying! And likewise, i’m sure i’m guilty of peeking at my phone if it feel it buzz in my purse beside me too… it’s hard! So as a social intervention ~ perhaps we all need some of the tools from her My Phone Is Off For You project - “We may be sitting at the same table, but we are not together: a common condition of our over-wired world. It is time to question what truly nurtures the human spirit. MY PHONE IS OFF FOR YOU is a revolution; a series of tools designed to help engage in the present moment and spread this idea!” The tools? Awesome cell phone signal blocking handkerchief… sticker! rubber stamp! and i suppose the website is a tool too… to get you to take action! See shots from ICFF as well as closeups of the project on the next page!

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*notcot - , 00:30 -

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-Cell

ecellsls1.jpg How exciting is this prototype as far as greener sports cars go? But calm down a bit, unfortunately, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-Cell gullwing isn’t scheduled until sometime in 2013… 526 horsepower, 649-pound-feet of torque, 0 to 60 in 4 seconds… just a smidge slower than its gas powered counterpart. As for this paint color… wow. It is apparently called “AMG lumilectric magno” paint. For more technical details check out the piece by Automobile Mag, for more lustworthy images ~ including a look at the intriguingly simple dashboard and carbon fiber center console, see the next page!

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*notcot - 06.21.10 , 18:48 -

Dyson Tower and Pedestal Fans

newdysonfans.jpg New additions to the Dyson Air Multiplier Fan Range! In addition to the original desk fans, Dyson has now added a Tower Fan and Pedestal Fan just in time for the summer heat. Both are only available in silver, and like the others in the line, have no blades and no buffeting! The tower is 39.65in tall! The Pedastal can range from 46.77” to 55.43” and has a 17.2” diameter. See close ups on the next page!

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*leo - , 04:45 -

Slot Machines ~ A Design History

onlyvegas.jpg New sponsored content series ~ this time Las Vegas is letting me rant and share some vegas awesomeness NOTCOT style! As usual, my pics, my story, they just give me an excuse to talk Vegas..Click Here and share some of my favorite bits!

While exploring the inspirational side of Las Vegas ~ i challenged Leo to look in to the history of Slot Machines, after all technology has certainly changed it quite a bit! But where did it begin? Visually? And where is it headed? Take a peek at what he found on the next page… everything from where they started in the 1880’s to Star Wars slots to targeted advertising in machines today…

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*notcot - 06.17.10 , 17:50 -

#NY <3 LeBron = Buttons IRL + Twitter

lebron0.jpg Leave it to Poke NY to enable 12 year old twins, Jason and Corey Grant, who desperately want LeBron James to join the Knicks (see the NY Daily News story). The result? A playful on and offline campaign that lives at nyHeartLeBron.com ~ where there is a giant counter next to a #NY<3LeBron button you can click… three ways to make the counter go up? 1. Click the digital basketball button on the site 2. Tweet with the hashtag #NY<3LEBRON 3. (and my absolute favorite!) Find one of the few #NY<3LeBron BUTTONS in real life around NY and push it! These adorable half basketballs encased in wood are circulating the city waiting for you… oh, and of course, they have a facebook page too. Peek at more pics on the next page! Including to the guts of the actual #NY<3LeBron BUTTONS!

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*leo - 06.15.10 , 16:50 -

Moleskine Kindle Cover

moleskine_kindle_amazon-07.jpg Moleskine officially gets into the gadget case game with its Moleskine Kindle Cover~ It’s about time. For every gadget that involves reading that comes out, there’s always a moleskine styled case right behind it (think ipad, iphone, kindle, etc.) Interesting choice that they started with the Kindle… fun that they added a notebook in there to doodle alongside of the screen… They are touting it as a Digital-Analog Hybrid ~ and explain on their blog that they were even inspired by the “hackers” - “The very idea of this new cover came from the Moleskine “notebook hackers”, who create their own custom-made accessories weaving together paper pages and digital tools. Throughout the web, hundreds of communities and discussions can be found where such Moleskine “hackers” publish their inventions. Dedicated blogs, Flickr pages, and even YouTube videos highlight the power and vitality of the Moleskine digital-analog connection.” What do you get when you buy it? “Each cover includes a package of two reporter-style notebooks with black flexible cover, rounded corners, and blank ivory paper for jotting notes and insights.”

It seems like a good first step ~ obvious questions? Where’s the iPad version? And is it for lefties? Exciting none the less, i can’t wait to see what else will come from this direction of the iconic (analog) notebook maker! See lots of detail pictures on the next page!

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*notcot - 06.13.10 , 17:05 -

Hard Graft Tilt iPad Case

hardgraftroll1.jpg It’s no surprise that one of the sleekest most unique looking iPad cases i’ve run into yet ~ is by our friends over at Hard Graft. The simplicity of the concept, and the beautiful workmanship of the Hard Graft Tilt iPad Case are amazing ~ a nice clean felt/leather sleeve to protect your iPad, and simply fold it back to get the required viewing angle, rolling it up to tilt it further! My only question? As the leather and felt age, will your viewing angles decrease? Still confused? Or just want to see more images of this beauty? Video and pics on the next page!

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*notcot - 05.31.10 , 20:30 -

Cool Hunting x Speck PixelShield

chtree1.jpg On fun long weekend emails ~ friends over at Cool Hunting sent over some pics of their new collaboration - “We partnered with Speck to produce 15 one-of-a-kind cases to giveaway along with the iPads we’re giving away to celebrate our Cool Hunting iPad app.” Fun thing? All the 15 limited edition cases can be combined to make the tree image! So whoever their 15 winners are, someday, somehow, Cool Hunting will need to get them all together to hold them up just like in the image above! Also the cut corrugated cardboard box these come in looks pretty sweet! See all the details on the next page!

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*notcot - 05.29.10 , 05:45 -

Nike Golf Oven: Design Labs

nikefactory24.jpg You’ve now seen the Nike Golf Oven Testing Facilities, and the awesome Putting Lab… i’d be remiss not to show you some of the fun machinery in the Nike Golf Oven Grind Shop, Machine Shop, Tour Shop, Engineering Labs, Durability Testing Labs and more! Personally, the manufacturing/prototyping/testing phases of industrial design have always fascinated me so ~ and there is some of the cutest iconography on the warning labels! So take a peek at fun machinery, labs, close ups into microscopes, prototypes and more on the next page!

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*notcot - 05.28.10 , 16:46 -

Nike Golf Oven - Putting Lab

puttest0.jpg On geeking out at the Nike Golf Oven ~ i love their Putting Lab! (You saw the rest of the Nike Golf Oven Testing facilities in the last post!) A super lit platform to test putters ~ surrounded by video cameras from above, beside, in front all capturing every moment as the striped ball rolls from the moment of impact… determining the exact amount of skid, rotation speeds, and more. The physics lessons learned during Nike Golf were so fun, if only someone had explained it to me in those terms when i was younger, understanding how putters differed would have made far more sense! (The gist of it ~ minimize skid, to get it rolling faster, faster it’s rolling the more stable it is.) So take a peek on the next page of the multiple camera set up, as well as the custom software made in collaboration with Vertex Golf to handle and process the various feeds. Thanks to Dusty from Gear Patrol who is the putting model in all of the shots and footage (and yes, the putt did go in)! So check out pics of the set up, the UI, and close ups of the Nike Golf Method Putters on the next page!

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*notcot - , 07:08 -

Nike Golf Oven - Testing

nikegolfmain.jpg Nike Golf’s R&D Facilities, The Oven, in Fort Worth, Texas are a little golfing haven all on their own (far from the Beaverton, OR Nike HQ!) ~ Amazing to hear the stories all of yesterday about how Nike has broken into the more traditional golf industry moving from apparel and footwear to balls and most recently to clubs the last decade… and their shift into clubs didn’t start from scratch, they acquired the 5 man team of IMPACT, lead by Tom Stites ~ an impressive golf focused engineering team with years of experience working with top brands and athletes… and they let them continue doing their thing in Fort Worth! Now here’s the part that i found most fascinating at the facilities ~ their testing space is essentially like an indoor putting green equivalent to a 6+ car garage, and on a nice day, you just open the three large garage door/windows and instant driving range clear out into their own short course complete with water features! What i’m hearing from all of the golf fanatics on the trip is that Nike takes a very technologically focused approach to product development and are one of the most daring with visually innovative designs in contrast to the traditional companies… so when it comes to testing, no wonder their set ups are fascinating! Between endless heads and shafts to mix and match in this one room ~ you have an incubator (a fridge FILLED with golf balls), walls of premade clubs to test, the robotic golfer, and a putting lab. More to come on the putting lab next, but first take a peek at the testing facilities on the next page!

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*notcot - 05.17.10 , 03:35 -

Jawbone ICON Packaging + Bombshell

gillettepack.jpgThis post is a sponsored series that takes a fun peek at the gorgeous details of modern life. The irresistible design details that enhance our lives… Gillette is the sponsor… but, as always, the post and ideas are 100% NOTCOT

Fun on so many levels ~ let’s start with the packaging on the latest Jawbone bluetooth headset ~ the Jawbone ICON! Touted as the World’s First Intelligent Headset ~ it’s been great having it able to literally TELL me how much talk time is remaining, who’s calling, etc ~ i can even change voices and add apps! Their new MyTalk system allows you to Personalize & Update your headset. But back the packaging ~ seldom does packaging tell you about itself and its creation process like this one… apparently “Jawbone ICON’s compact eco-friendly package is 100% recyclable, and took many months of research, design, & engineering to perfect.” And when you see the close up pics of the way it unboxes, it’s impressively efficient with space and materials, and an incredibly beautiful box! From nice matte sleeve, to the box “lid” of molded paper holding the various ear piece options… to the pull tab to free the charger/cable from the paper lining below… it’s fascinating to see how it all unfolds. See the details on the next page as well as a peek at the Bombshell itself! Tiny, golden, functional jewelry of sorts…

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*notcot - 05.12.10 , 15:30 -

Incase iPad Convertible Book Jacket

incaseipad.jpg Firstly, Incase ~ THANK YOU. (They were so incredibly nice, and while i was chatting with them about ipad cases and where all this touch goodness is heading, upon hearing my ipad might travel naked to NY/London, they just messengered over a sample Convertible Book Jacket case to help protect it before tonight’s flight!)

Secondly, this case is awesome! (I posted it as the most tempting case i’d seen so far on notcot.org earlier.) Feels great, super solid quality of course ~ and their signature topographic pattern in the microfiber lining! Best part of all, is after having the ipad around for a bit. i’ve found its great to leave around the house and in the kitchen when friends stop over and either need toys to play with, or start talking about some website ~ so much easier to have them use that to pull it up, rather than hand over my laptop or try to view it on a tiny phone… only problem has been not having a nice way to tilt it ergonomically to share and poke at it simultaneously, so definitely needed a case that allowed for the different viewing angles! While it does add a little heft to the ipad, i actually like it better with the case, versus how it feels naked, its just so slippy and uncomfortable to hold/use in most situations! Anyhow, need to pack and get to the airport soon, but take a peek at close ups of the Incase Convertible Book Jacket for iPad on the next page!

p.s. while preparing for #ObjectHunt ~ and cutting sooooo many stickers the last few days, couldn’t resist adding a little NOTCOT one to the spine of the jacket!

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