From the Portland, Oregon-based design studio New, comes a portable Bluetooth speaker solution for computers, laptops, tablets, and even smartphones. The Zooka speaker is made of durable silicone and produces sound that is five times the volume of built-in speakers of the previously mentioned devices. We are totally digging it.
One Laptop Per Child, the non-profit organization whose mission is to help every child worldwide gain access to an up-to-date education, in conjunction with tech company Marvell, unveiled the XO 3.0 tablet at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The low-cost, low-power tablet, which can be charged by solar panels, is the successor to the laptops that the charity has distributed to more than 2.4 million kids in 42 countries.
I’m sitting on my couch blogging from a brand spanking new Acer Aspire S3 Ultrabook, a new line of lightweight PC laptops inspired by Intel. I’m really stoked to have my hands on one of these to check out their design, as well as their power. Since I don’t travel very often (except the short walk between my office and the couch) I previously convinced myself that a slim, lightweight laptop wasn’t as important to me as having storage and power. However, based on my experience with this tiny piece of equipment on my lap, I think I can have my cake and eat it too.
I’m not a tech person, blogger, or a reviewer, but I do spend at least eight hours a day in front of a computer answering emails, downloading files, writing blog posts, resizing photos, tweeting and Facebooking (yes, those are legit parts of my job) and doing other online odds and ends. Having just purchased a powerful, yet bulky and heavy laptop, I decided to put the Ultrabook to the test to see if I could do my job just as easily using the Acer. But enough about me, let’s talk about how cool this computer is.
These colorful Hoptu Laptop Sleeves designed by Looptworks are made from 100% upcycled nylon neoprene from excess wetsuit material. They make sleeves for 10” and 13” laptops, each featuring zippered outside pockets to hold all your small stuff.
Grove has just launched new bamboo back covers for your Macbook. Get a custom cutout right where the glowing apple is to create your very own glowing logo. Or, you can choose from one of their pre-made designs. How cool would the Design Milk carton look?! I need one of these!
Nowadays, we all use devices with touch screens… do you miss the cursor sometimes? The designer Mike Mak’s Big Big Cursor is here to help! Big Big Cursor works as good as your finger except it helps keep your screen clear of fingerprints and dirt. Big Big Cursor attaches to your Smartcover and is available in an arrow or pointer style.
Christina Skouloudi Design Studio and Athanasios Babalis collaborated this year on a series of sculptural forms for the tabletop. Called the Argonaut collection, the series of six objects (five wood and one steel) were designed and made in Greece, but will travel the world in exhibitions, not unlike the journey of the Argonauts. Each object is named for the crew from the original Grecian myth.
I’m participating in a fun challenge from HP where I’m recreating some of the challenges from Project Runway Season 9 using an HP TouchSmart 610 PC. These challenges have been hard – like calculus hard. This week the designers had to create an avant garde design based on a painting done by a kid from the Harlem School of the Arts. I decided to base my design off of the wolf painting done by Josh’s kid. Since Josh lost, I figured my design can’t be much worse than his…
I created a costume dress in red. I chose red to symbolize the exposed heart as well as the tale of Little Red Riding Hood. I created a wolf tail that forms a headdress and then wraps around the dress until it falls to the floor like a train (or a real tail). I also exposed the chest just like in the painting. Hey – I never said I was much of a fashion designer but this is so much fun!
On another note, I’m actually headed to New York tomorrow for NY Fashion Week – I’ve never been so it should be exciting. I wish it wasn’t supposed to rain the entire time… While up there, I’ll also be attending the Project Runway finale show! So be sure to follow me on Twitter to keep tabs on my whereabouts.
See all of my designs and follow this fun challenge here.
Neither HP nor Project Runway are paying me for this post. HP provided me with a TouchSmart 610 PC to play around with for the challenge.
Love these simple Unit Portables shoulder bag – they seem to have thought of just about everything. Designed for 13″ or 15″ laptops, it also has smaller pouches for all of your components.
Eva Rielland is a young French designer who recently graduated from ESAD of Saint-Etienne. Her final project, Objects of Another Age rethinks high-tech tools and makes them easier to understand, for example, for the elderly.
