Pinewood Design » Home & Gadgets

Carnovsky’s RGB wallpaper

Pinewood Design — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 18:41:40 +0000

For the Milan Design Week, Italian studio Carnovsky created a series of wallpapers that react to different coloured lights

The designs were created for the Milan shop of Janelli & Volpi, a noted Italian wallpaper brand. Each features overlapping illustrations, different elements of which are revealed depending on whether a blue, green or red light is shone upon them.

Under red light:

blue light:

green light:

This one features the animal kingdom:

Color est e pluribus unus

RGB is a collection of wallpapers that mutate and interact with different chromatic stimulus.

RGB consists in the overlapping of three different patterns that results in unexpected and disorienting images.
The colors mix up, the lines and shapes entwine becoming oneiric and not completely clear.
Through a filter (a colored light or transparent material) it is possible to see clearly the layers in which the image is composed. Each one of the red, green and blue filters serve to reveal just one of the three patterns, hiding the other two.

We wanted to represent the antique theme of the metamorphosis intended as an unceasing transformation of shapes from a “primigenial chaos”.
For this purpose we have created a sort of catalogue of natural motifs starting with the engravings from natural history’s
great European texts, between the XVI and the XVIII Century, from Aldrovandi to Ruysch, from Linneus to Bonnaterre.
A catalogue – it naturally includes also human – that does not have a taxonomic or scientific aim in the modern sense, but that wants to explore both the real and the fantastic, the true and the verisimilar in the way medieval bestiaries did.

In each image three layers live together, three worlds that could belong to a specific animal kingdom or to an anatomical part, but at the same time connect to a different psychological or emotional status that passes from the clear to the hidden, from the light to the darkness, from the awakeness to the dream in something that could be a sort of exploration of the surface’s deepness.

RGB has been shown during Milan Design Week at Jannelli & Volpi store

Photos By Luca Volpe

Click for bigger photo.

Toaster looks and acts like a printer

channelman — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:20:34 +0000

Here’s a neat kitchen gadget — a toaster that “prints out” toast. It allows you to feed multiple slices at once from the feeder at top, and spits out finished products from the bottom. It’s a concept by Othmar Muehlebach, and it won second place at a design contest in Switzerland last month.

Artist’s main page via Designboom

Peru modern architecture: meets desert and ocean

Pinewood Design — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 14:49:08 +0000

Peru Modern Architecture – if only I could decide what’s more fascinating: the house or the location?

The only thing that rivals the awe-inspiring cliff-top view in Punta Misterio, Peru, is the amazing Lefevre Beach House designed by Longhi Architects. Overlooking the waters of the Pacific Ocean, this contemporary home blends raw nature and modern innovation, landscape and architecture. Built into a rocky cliff, this cool house boasts sand-garden roofs that bring a bit of the desert landscape into the design. Contemporary stone tiles surround a rooftop lap pool – a luxury oasis in this desert setting. And cantilevered over the edge of this cliff, a glass box boldly hangs above the ocean, connecting desert, water and architecture. Inside, expansive windows invite the magnificent outdoors in. Beyond the views framed by expansive windows and sliding glass doors, nature comes alive inside this house on the rock walls, sleek stone floor tiles, skylights, and the balconies and terraces that wrap the home’s facade. Longhi Architects
via Arch Daily
photo credit: CHOlon Photography

Juice Boxes With Realistic Fruit Skin Textures

Pinewood Design — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:00:42 +0000

How much better would you feel about drinking juice from a box if they box actually looked just like the fruit you were about to imbibe?

That was the question raised by Japanese industrial designer Naoto Fukasawa when he created these amazing looking (and fresh!) fruit juice boxes.

We think the banana and fruit designs are delicious and pretty, but we’re not really sure what the bottom ones are. Are they coconuts or kiwis, and is that box really appetizing? Can you imagine a giant Tropicana jug covered in orange peel? Now that would be cool!

I want an office pod!

Pinewood Design — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:53:35 +0000

think of all the work you could get done if you could just shut the world out.

here

Have yourself a Geeky Xmas

Pinewood Design — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 03:29:06 +0000

JUST been given a really cool new gadget for Christmas but a little unsure how to use it?

APPLE iPHONE 3G

Got a sluggish or frozen phone?

Perform a hard reset by holding down the Home key and Power button together for 10 seconds.

Don’t pay for ringtones

Use Garageband on an Apple Mac to create your own. Press the Cycle Region button to choose a song, then go to Share in the main menu and choose “Send Ringtone to iTunes”.

ASUS EEE PC

Always back-up your files

Purchase an SD memory card to store your work on

Easy Internet in the right view

Maximise the limited screen size by pressing F11 – this will put it into full screen mode.

TOMTOM GO 540

Don’t delay the downloading

Connect your TomTom to your computer via TomTom Home within 30 days of purchase to download the latest maps for free.

PLAYSTATION 3

Jump the games queue

The PS3 has no regional protection on games, so if you want to play the latest launches early, purchase the USA or Japanese versions.

Get a simple upscale

When watching a DVD on the PS3 using a high-definition HDTV, press Triangle and select AV settings, there will be an option to perform a full HD upscale of the film.

XBOX 360

Perform a simple shutdown

Turn off the wireless controller or console by holding down the silver button in the middle of the control pad.

NINTENDO Wii

Get some Wii for free

Access thousands of FREE online Adobe Flash-based games using the internet web browser on your Wii. Check wiicade.com.

BLACKBERRY STORM

Find the fastest keyboard access

Place your finger at the bottom of the screen and swipe up to reveal the keyboard. Place your finger on any top row key and swipe down to hide. This avoids having to go through the menu option.

Maximize your screen

A quick tap (not click) on the screen while in the web browser activates full screen mode and hides the toolbar.

G1 GOOGLE PHONE

Make room for some extra storage

Obtain more storage memory by clearing out your Browser and Streetview cache. (Settings – Applications – Manage Applications – Browser – Clear Data – Streetview – Clear Data)

Instant image saving

To save a picture from the internet, press and hold on the image for three seconds, or select it with the trackball and save via the pop-up menu.

HD TV

Work from home

Check your HD telly for a PC monitor input, either labeled PC or RGB. Plug in your laptop to create a giant PC monitor.

Contrast comparison

Always try and aim to get the highest contrast ratio possible to ensure a clear image

AMAZON KINDLE E-BOOK

Find the time to read

Press Alt-T while on the Home screen or reading a book to display the time.

Then find the time to play

On the Home screen press Shift Alt-M, to start playing a copy of the Minesweeper game.

Flatshare Fridge: Love It or Hate It?

Pinewood Design — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 02:33:40 +0000

Got roommates who steal your food? What you need is a flatshare fridge! This creative fridge consists of a base fridge and four stackable pieces that allow each user to have a private fridge. Made for the Electrolux Design Lab Competition by Austrian designer Stefan Buchberger, the flatshare — which comes in a variety of colors — can be customized to include a bottle opener or whiteboard. I think this fridge is incredibly clever, but wonder if the small compartment could hold all of my culinary needs. What do you think?

Source

10 links to walk you through today’s financial crisis — and make you smarter than 99% of other people

Pinewood Design — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 10:42:43 +0000

Source From: 10 links to walk you through today’s financial crisis — and make you smarter than 99% of other people

If u like his article, pls visit his blog:

All right, guys. I’ve gotten lots of emails about what’s going on with the economy and bailout, so I thought I’d put together a list of the articles I’ve been reading over the last two weeks. I added my own commentary to them below, plus links to stuff I’ve written that agrees/disagrees with each of the articles. My guess: If you read these links, you’ll understand more about the economy than nearly anyone you meet on the street. (Especially some of the fools I’ve been hearing lately, who are convinced that the U.S. will (1) go bankrupt, (2) start owning every mortgage in the country, and (3) think the entire financial system will be “crashing,” whatever that means.)

* * *

1. Ignore the Sensationalist Media
Gawker pulls off one of the finest pieces of reporting on the bailout. When I wrote The Media is Atrociously Bad at Prediction and I’m Sick of It, I highlighted how various business media point make bold predictions, get it completely wrong, and are never held accountable.

In this case, Fortune highlighted AIG as one of “10 Stocks to Buy Now.” When they later apologized, they posted “The Best Stocks for 2008,” which, as Gawker points out, included…Merrill Lynch.

2. Hedge Fund Surprise?
This is like a tuna surprise, only worse: Hedge Funds Are Bracing for Investors to Cash Out. Many people haven’t heard about hedge funds’ redemption clauses, which basically means that fancy investors (e.g., universities, pension funds, and really wealthy people) will be able to withdraw their money today (Tuesday, 9/29/08). If that happens, nobody really knows what the repercussions could be…but they would probably be Very Bad. I’ve previously written about why hedge funds are overrated for investors.

3. We Have Short-Term Memories.
If you think history doesn’t repeat itself, you’re nuts. In fact, 10 years ago this month, Long Term Capital Management, a huge hedge fund, nearly caused a global financial collapse. Yet here we are — with the same words being thrown around. Does anyone really think investment bankers won’t make their same salaries at some point in the future? Or that we won’t gradually move back to huge executive compensation? Still, as I pointed out last week, none of that really matters to the individual investor. What matters is picking the right strategy and sticking to it.

4. What We Can Learn From Warren Buffett
Huge, long Warren Buffett interview. He is the man. Read this. It teaches you so much about long-term investing and admitting what you know — and don’t know. Note: I just ordered this new book on Warren Buffett.

5. Should You Buy More? Sell More? Something???!
“Should I withdraw money from my 401(k)?” After 10 people sent me this link, I knew I had to check it out. In the article, 24-year old Bodie Partsch worries about the economy and contemplates withdrawing money from his retirement account, saying, “I could have the money sitting in a jar on my kitchen counter. It’d be safer than in my 401(k),” he said. BAD MOVE! Here’s a quote from my upcoming book:

Recently, a group called Dimensional Funds studied the performance of the S&P 500 from January 1970 to December 2006, during which time the annualized return of the market was 11.1%. They also noted something amazing: Of those 36 years from 1970 to 1986, if you missed the 25 days when the stock market performed the best, your return would have dropped from 11.1% to 7.6%, a crippling difference.

Now, if only we could know the best investing days ahead of time.

But, of course, you can’t. Trying to time the market is for fools. So you keep investing carefully and methodically, while spending as consciously as possible.

I’ll also add this link from JLP: It looks like Market Turmoil is Scaring Off Young Investors, where he notes:

Isn’t it crazy how we do the exact opposite of what we should be doing? If the stock market was going up, up, UP, people would be jumping in left and right—essentially buying over-priced stocks. Now that the market is on a downswing, people are sitting on the sidelines.

6. Cool Data Visualizations of The Economy
The New York Times does extraordinary data visualizations to give you a fresh perspective on the news. Check out What Your Global Neighbors Are Buying and A Year of Heavy Losses. From the first one:

How people spend their discretionary income – the cash that goes to clothing, electronics, recreation, household goods, alcohol – depends a lot on where they live. People in Greece spend almost 13 times more money on clothing as they do on electronics. People living in Japan spend more on recreation than they do on clothing, electronics and household goods combined. Americans spend a lot of money on everything.

7. Q&A: What’s Actually Going On With the Bailout?
If you don’t understand exactly what’s going on, that’s because nobody does. But there are some excellent overviews of the financial situation floating around. I like this one by Suze Orman, where she tells people the following:

What to do with $100,000 in debt and a $39k/year job.
The huge mistake first-time homebuyers make. (Hint: A $1,500 rent is not the same as a $1,500 mortgage.)
What to do when your mutual fund’s account value drops from $120,000 to $88,000.
Should you stick with stock funds in this tumultuous environment?
How to buy a car (I disagree with her on this one).

I also like this overview by NY Times Columnist David Leonhardt. If you like audio, check out this excellent program from This American Life. Finally, last week I linked to this excellent explanation of the market crisis on the Freakonomics blog.

8. What Gmail Has To Do With Your Money
I’ve been thinking about this post on a tech blog recently. It shows the early sketches/designs of Gmail, and what you realize from looking at them is that we only see the finished result — not the sausage-making in the back room. The same is true of rich people: We hear about people going on $50,000 honeymoons or driving brand-new Mercedes, but we don’t see the hard work behind it. This is an important concept that’s being more revealed with today’s economy: Many of the people who drove the expensive cars and bought the expensive houses couldn’t afford it. The people who were quietly accumulating wealth will do much better. Read more about this in one of my favorite personal-finance books, The Millionaire Next Door. (Btw, if you haven’t bought a couple good finance books recently — or anything that will help you turn your income into more money so you can hit your goals — please read this.)

9. Don’t Let Your Friends Be Morons
Don’t let your friends be idiots. If you read this site, chances are you understand that having 20, 30, or 40 years before you need your money gives you plenty of flexibility to invest for the long term, even with major or minor dips in the market. Yet with these terrifying headlines every day, it’s like people have become blind, yet highly literate zombies who wander aimlessly from one newspaper to another. Being dumb is not just focusing on the wrong things, it’s making poor financial decisions and then throwing up your hands and wondering why you don’t have enough money a few years later. If you own only one stock — especially if it’s your employer’s stock — then you are a fool. If you are going to buy a $1 million house with no research because you think it’s a good investment, you are a fool. If you don’t realize that your expensive, worthless mutual fund is costing you tens of thousands of dollars over your lifetime, you are a fool. Worry about the things you can control, not the headlines.

10. Get More Reading Material
Want more links? I keep my delicious bookmarks up to date every day, especially the section on finance.

* * *

I hope this helped. I’m thinking of doing a live video/webchat next week. What do you think? Would you attend?

Worker Accidentally Takes Pictures of iPhone Factory (On iPhone)

Pinewood Design — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:57:54 +0000

We’ve seen pictures from the factory coming loaded on new iPhones before, but this is the first time we’ve seen what appear to be intentional snapshots loaded on a new iPhone. Surprise: the person who put your iPhone together is a cute girl!

This is has got to be one of the coolest thing in our digital, mass-production, globalized age.

iPhone factory girl, you are now world-famous. you knew this was going to happen, right?

The photos were found on a new iPhone shipped to the UK, and one of the pictures was even set as the home screen. Aaaaaaadorable!

Invisible Streetlight

Pinewood Design — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 17:44:55 +0000

Invisible Streetlight emits light at nighttime by saving energy from sunlight during the day. The most innovative element of Invisible Streetlight is that it does not require a support because the flexible body in the shape of tree branch is directly installed to the trees lining a street. Installation is simple in parks and outskirts of urban centers. Also, Invisible Streetlight does not spoil scenic beauty of the surrounding areas.

More information here.