Philippe Starck Says He’s Designing a Revolutionary Apple Product

World-class French designer Philippe Starck is apparently working with Apple on what he called a revolutionary new product. In a radio interview he even went so far as to say it will be available in about eight months, according to Hardmac.Mr. Starck didn’t elaborate on what he’s helping design, but that won’t stop speculation that he will have a hand in the rumored Apple television, or any other unconfirmed products that float up through the rumor mill.

The industrial designs Mr. Starck envisions are distinct, much like the creations of Apple’s own design wizard Jonathan Ive — the man behind the look of the iMac, iPhone and iPod. His website states,

For more than three decades, this unique and multifarious creator, designer and architect has been a part of our daily lives by creating unconventional objects, whose purpose is to be “good” before being beautiful; iconic destinations, that take the members of his “cultural tribe” out of themselves and, most importantly, towards something better.

That sounds like a good fit for an Apple product design collaboration, although it looks like there’s still an eight month wait before the public will see just what Mr. Starck has been working on.

posted by: Rob Alek

cameron brown

numen/for use creates large scale interactive sculptures made predominantly from tape. the austrian-croatian studio's latest work is 'tuft pula', whereby the adhesive material is used to form the structural framework of the organically shaped habitable space. the interior of the piece is precisely lined with carpet, achieved through the division of the floor covering into two-dimensional segments. executed using traditional tufting technology, the development and production was executed in a croatian factory, regenarcija. the backside of the carpet is deliberately exposed, its rough and industrial surface acting as a contrast to the warmth and softness projected by the red rug which creates an almost womb-like effect from within. situated within a former church in pula, croatia, 'tuft pula' hangs at a heigh of 4 meters above ground level, enhancing the tension and sensory perception of the visitor.

cameron brown

the increase of urban farming, whereby green spaces are opening up into shared gardens for new agricultural experiments, was the main starting point for werner aisslinger's latest work. the berlin and singapore-based designer and architect believes giving everyone the possibility of becoming a producer of agricultural products will be the future in regard to quality and sustainability.with this, he thought of way to invert the creation and development of furniture from globalized serial manufacturing to a resource-conserving local production. that is how 'chair farm' was conceived. it is aisslinger's vision of how this idea could be realizedwithin an agricultural lab. the project itself is a kit which offers one the ability to plant and naturally grow their own chair. this initial prototype consists of a perforated steel corset which acts as a mould to guide the direction in which the vegetation grows. once the plant has reached maturity, it is released from the frame revealing a naturally grown chair. with this philosophy, furniture is no longer produced in the classical sense of the word, rather it is brought down to simpler, more radical terms which aims to lead us into a new direction of ecological production methods and rethinking the future of the furniture industry.

cameron brown

'jyunpai' is a humidifier which incorporates an aesthetic sensibility that stimulates one's emotions and sensitivities. conceived by asa hirasawa, a graduate student of kyoto city university of arts in japan, the funnel-shaped, sculptural design goes against the conventional 'evaporation-style' system typically found in these particular devices. hirasawa has envisioned 'jyunpai' to capture the delicate changes which water goes through during the evaporation process, particularly at the moment when it changes from a liquid to a gas. the design not only improves the quality of air in one's home, but also adds a sense of charm and elegance to the domestic interior with its wooden shell, especially during the winter months.

Vibrating Alarm Clock Concept

Can’t stand the annoying buzz of your alarm clock? Designed by Meng Fandi, the Ring is a vibrating alarm clock that starts your day with a gentle buzz. It’s specifically designed for couples who wake up at different times and don’t want to disturb their better half in the morning.

touchscreen rotary phone

Here is an interesting design concept from designer Mark Miller, the Touchscreen Rotary Phone.

Nissan Concept Car

If you’ve been to the last LA Auto Show you’ve seen the exciting and cool Design Challenge, it is an event where automakers are being tested to come up with a cool concept based on the specific criteria. The challenge this year is to make with a stylish, engaging to drive and eco-friendly with a 1000-lb limit.

cameron brown

a collection of pieces which utilizes the raw materials from which they are made to create the overall look, dimension and proportion of the finished objects.

cameron brown

this historic mansion has been retrofitted into a contemporary office space which integrates a suspended library network above the main working level.

cameron brown

a collection of glass vases which nestle into one another allowing either a single flower or large bouquet to be displayed within the blooming vessel.

Audi R8 e-tron Engine Sounds

Electric cars are an important part of the changing transportation landscape. In the years to come they may play a pivotal role in the reduction of oil consumption and pollution. However, electric cars generate little to no sound. This may be an annoyance to a car enthusiast who loves the roar of an engine, but it can be very dangerous to pedestrians. Blind pedestrians are especially vulnerable since they cannot know whether or not a car is coming. Audi is tackling this issue by adding sound to their electric version of the R8. A sound engineer has come up with a distinct sound that is linked to the accelerator pedal. While some of his sounds are a little too Star Wars like, the final result is a well integrated, pleasing sound that should enthuse the driver, and provide warning for pedestrians.

posted by Paul Tucker

Moon Glass

Many people spend time contemplating the universe while drinking, and now there is a glass that helps one contemplate the phases of the moon. The Moon Glass is a small rice wine glass that looks normal on the outside, but has stepped gradations inside of the glass. As a person consumes their drink, the level in the glass looks like the changing phases of the moon. Insert pun about the man in the moon glass here.

posted by Paul Tucker

Flexible Displays

Display technology has come a long way in the past few years. From the new iPad retina display to the use of TFT's and LCD in cars and motorcycles, new displays are pushing the boundaries of how we look at and use products. Now a couple of manufacturers are going even further. LG is making a display that the user can bend (click the link in the article to see it). Even more interesting is this display from Atmel. The display can be on a curved surface, and have a bleed right up to the edge. Exciting new possibilities in display design and usage.

posted by Paul Tucker

Black & Decker Portable handheld inflator

Student project from 2009 exploring how to improve upon the VPX line of hand tools for Black & Decker and its consumers.

posted by: Rob Alek