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Tech NewsDesignIkea Designed a new Dresser Line With Improved Stability Features to Prevent Dangerous Tip-Overs
In July of 2015, Ikea finally acknowledged the increased tip over risk of several of its Malm dressers when drawers were left open; first responding with free anchoring kits, and then following up with a full recall. Several children were unfortunately killed by the design flaw, which ultimately led to a $50 million lawsuit, several … Continued
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Tech NewsDesignThe Former Lead Designer of Gmail Has a New Chrome Extension That Kills the Confusing Redesign
Fifteen years of feature creep have left Gmail feeling a little cluttered and over-burdened for some users, including Michael Leggett, who served as the product’s lead designer from 2008 to 2012. (Fast Company has an interview with Leggett about the extension.) So who better to help strip Gmail back to its simpler roots? His free … Continued
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Tech NewsDesignAfter 36 Years, Helvetica Gets a Much-Needed Facelift
Everyone has an opinion about fonts, but Helvetica has long reigned over the modern era. It’s used for brands galore—Panasonic, Jeep, American Airlines, Motorola, 3M, Toyota, to name a few—but in recent years, tech companies like IBM, Apple, Netflix, and Google have been shifting to their custom Helvetica-esque-but-not-quite fonts to deal with some of its … Continued
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Tech NewsDesignThis Clever Hack Will Change the Way You Find Music on Spotify
My favorite thing about Spotify has always been music discovery. So when the company started building personalized playlists like Discovery Weekly and Release radar, I was hooked. The only problem was listening to all the new music takes forever. But an independent project from a couple of Spotify developers offers an amazing hack for exploring … Continued
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Tech NewsDesign
NYC’s New Tourist Trap Claims the Rights to Every Photo You Take Inside of It [Update: Not Anymore]
New York City’s newest luxury neighborhood, Hudson Yards, officially opened on Friday and visitors are already scrambling to photograph or mock its gilded pinecone landmark structure dubbed the Vessel. But, as Gothamist points out, Hudson Yards seemingly claims rights to all such photos of the $150-million giant honeycomb floating above an active train yard, so … Continued
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Tech NewsDesignRecycling a GoPro Box Into a Working Aquarium Is the Best Reason to Upgrade
Many factors have contributed to GoPro’s financial woes in recent years, but it doesn’t help that the company’s userbase simply doesn’t have a solid reason to upgrade their cameras every year like they would a fancy smartphone. YouTube’s Imaginative Guy actually makes a stronger case for upgrading your action cam than GoPro does. Built-in video … Continued
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Tech NewsDesignThis Japanese Slow Cooker Is the Ultra-Precise, Overkill Crock-Pot of Your Fancy Kitchen Dreams
On a recent night this winter, I found myself considering two new additions to my kitchen that promised to help me cook a proper Sunday night meal with little effort or opportunity to mess things up. On one end of the counter was the Instant Pot my mother got me for Christmas; on the other … Continued
By Liz Stinson -
Tech NewsDesignIt Took Two Years to Make This Complex Puzzle Box From Scratch, and It’d Take You Even Longer to Solve It
While you’re struggling to toast bread without burning it, metalsmith Seth Gould harnesses heat and fire to turn raw steel into masterful creations like this lock box featuring a complex series of steps that have to be perfectly executed in order to open it. It took Gould, who was in residency at North Carolina’s Penland … Continued
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Tech NewsDesign
Twitter Mulls Redesign That Looks a Heck of a Lot Like Facebook, Just With More Neo-Nazis
Twitter will be rolling out beta updates including “conversational”-style speech bubbles and indented/color-coded replies based on whether you follow another user in the coming weeks, the Verge reported on Wednesday. Other features under consideration, but which will not be available in the forthcoming beta, include green-colored status availability icons that might indicate whether a user … Continued
By Tom McKay -
Tech NewsDesign
Trump: What If the Border Wall Was Actually a Row of Pointy Sticks
This week, the Oogie Boogie Man made of deflated basketballs currently residing in the Oval Office, Donald Trump, made good on his threat to shut down the federal government if Congress doesn’t approve $5.7 billion in funding for his U.S.-Mexico border wall project. To recap, the president has previously claimed that said wall could be … Continued
By Tom McKay -
Tech NewsDesignMeet ‘Optician Sans,’ the Weird and Wonderful Font Inspired by Your Eye Exams
Before last month, you’d be hard-pressed to find the curiously shaped letters you’re asked to name from charts at your optometrist’s office in font lists in Word or Docs. But if you’re a typeface nerd who also appreciates mathematical precision, the newly minted “Optician Sans” is the font for you. Fast Company spoke with the … Continued
By Catie Keck -
Tech NewsDesign
Why Do Laptop Makers Have Such Terrible Websites
It’s Black Friday, and you have read all the great reviews, enjoyed the plentiful buyer’s guides, and now you’re ready to pull the trigger a freaking laptop. Only when you go to the website of Dell, HP, Lenovo, or nearly any other laptop maker, you find yourself in a hellscape. These websites are clunky, crowded, … Continued
By Alex Cranz -
Tech NewsDesign
Give Me This Adorable Case That Turns My Apple Watch Back Into an iPod
Of all the things you do with your iOS devices, listening to music is probably still one of the most common reasons you reach for them. The iPod isn’t dead; it just got lost in a sea of other features. But you could make it the star of the show again with this tiny case … Continued
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Tech NewsDesign
This Online Emoji Maker Is a Legitimately Fun Way to Kill 5 Minutes
Sometimes words aren’t enough, and that’s where emojis come in. But even then, there are times you just can’t find the perfect little pictograph that encapsulates your exact mood. Even the slightly more expressive kaomoji can fail you when you need them most. So why not build your own? Like an emoji that captures what … Continued
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Tech NewsDesignThis Solution to Phone Multitasking Is Either Genius or Totally Absurd
There’s a reason your computer’s home screen is often referred to as its desktop. The user interface is designed to emulate a physical desk covered in documents and tools. That analogy doesn’t work quite as well with a smartphone’s tiny screen, but this concept UI that switches apps automatically as you physically move your phone … Continued
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Tech NewsDesignHow Amazon Now Shapes What Our Stuff Looks Like
Tide just announced a new alternative to the classic bottle of laundry detergent. It basically looks and works just like a box of wine, which is sort of funny because of that whole meme about teens eating Tide Pods. But the new Tide Eco-Box is no joke. It’s actually a glimpse into a future where … Continued
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Tech NewsDesignThese New Photos of the World’s First 3D-Printed Steel Bridge Are Stunning
The creators of the world’s first 3D-printed steel bridge, a 40-foot stainless steel structure titled simply “The Bridge” that looks tantalizingly otherworldly thanks to its unique construction methods, say it is now ready for installation in Amsterdam following its ongoing week on show at the Dutch Design Week from Oct. 20-28. The team at MX3D, … Continued
By Tom McKay -
Tech NewsDesignThe Incredible Evolution of the Smartphone Notch: From Bezels to All Screen
Despite Essential being first, after Apple adopted the notch, nearly every other smartphone maker jumped on the bandwagon and made those stupid little cutouts at the top of the screen the most discussed and reviled feature on handsets in the last 18 months. The thing is though, notches were never really that cool, and while … Continued
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Tech NewsDesign
Banksy’s Predictable Criticisms of Capitalism Continue With Self-Shredding Painting
A framed canvas version of Girl with Balloon by Banksy, the pseudonymous street artist whose true identity remains unknown despite the best efforts of researchers and journalists alike, just sold at London auction house Sotheby’s for at least $1.1 million. At pretty much the exact moment the work was sold, a hidden device in the … Continued
By Tom McKay -
Tech NewsDesign
Quebec City’s New, Over-Designed Bike Racks Cost a Staggering $18,000 Each
Making a bustling city more bike-friendly can be a good way to cut down on traffic and congestion. But while introducing dedicated bicycle lanes to existing roads can be an expensive upgrade, adding more bike racks shouldn’t be, which is why cyclists in Quebec City, Quebec, are miffed that the city is adding just seven … Continued