Sound You Can See. Transparent Speakers From People People of Stockholm.

A well established definition of sustainability is to satisfy the needs of people, planet and profit. This speaker design by Stockholm design group People People tries to accomplish exactly that.



The transparent design lets the speaker blend in to any living room out there. The size can be big enough to offer a good sound quality, yet the speaker takes little visible space. The box is transparent, but the sound creating components are clearly emphasized.




The speakers come with a small rechargeable WiFi antenna that plugs into any headphone socket. It can plug in to any computer, music player or smart phone out there. It will also work for old stereos or vinyl equipment. The aim is to set the music free regardless where it’s stored.



The speaker is then assembled at home, IKEA style. This also means that the components that breaks first (the rubber ring and the speaker cone) can be easily replaced, keeping the product away from any landfill.



Being big is good for sound quality, but not so good for shipping. Any other speaker will ship a lot of air around the globe before ending up in your living room. This speaker ships in a small, flat package that goes in through your mailbox. The glass sheets making up the box is being ordered through the glass repair shop closest to every single customer. In that way the speaker reduces shipping with up to 90%, and supports local handicraft in one go. A very economical and ecological solution.


all information and images courtesy of people people

The speaker is still under development, and not available for purchase yet. If you are interested you can drop a mail to speaker@peoplepeople.se and we will keep you posted on the progress.

People People

The Nest. A New Smart, Savvy, Sensing, Stylish Thermostat For The Home.

This modern looking, smart thermostat, the Nest, has been getting a lot of coverage on design blogs and in the news recently - and with good reason. In addition to being great looking, the technologically advanced thermostat saves energy, learns from your behavoir and is wi-fi connected so you can even program it from a downloadable mobile app when away from home.



NEST PROGRAMS ITSELF AND SAVES ENERGY
Nest is the first thermostat that learns from you. Stay comfortable when you’re home, save energy when you’re away.


Builds a schedule: Nest programs itself in about a week. It creates a personalized schedule based on the temperature changes you’ve made. This flexible schedule adapts to your changing life.


The Leaf: The Nest Leaf appears when you set a temperature that saves you energy–and money. The Leaf guides you in the right direction and helps you be energy-efficient.


Auto-Away: About two hours after you’ve left the house, Nest will sense you’ve gone and adjust the temperature to avoid heating or cooling an empty home.


Energy History: Nest shows you how much energy you’ve used and if your temperature adjustments, Auto-Away or the weather affected your energy use most.

NEST SENSES AND LEARNS FROM YOU
Nest SenseTM is a combination of sensors and algorithms that help Nest understand what’s happening around it. It’s all built in.



Activity sensors: Nest's activity sensors have a 150° wide-angle view so Nest knows when to set itself to Auto-Away.


Temperature sensors: Three temperature sensors track your home's heating and cooling. A one-degree difference can reduce energy use up to 5%, so precision is important.

Weather aware: Nest uses its Wi-Fi connection to keep an eye on current weather conditions and forecasts so it can understand how the outside temperature affects your energy use.

Senses your approach: Walk up to Nest and it'll light up, but not too brightly. Light sensors automatically set Nest's brightness so it won't blind you at night.

NEST KEEPS YOU CONNECTED


Real-time control: Control your home’s temperature from your laptop, smartphone or tablet. Make adjustments in real-time, miles from home.

Your Nest Account: Log in online or download the Nest Mobile app to your smartphone. You'll be able to see and adjust your schedule, change the temperature and check weather.

Automatic updates: Software updates will load automatically as long as Nest is connected to your Wi-Fi.

Secure, private & reliable: Nest is completely secure and uses public key cryptography. Its security features include HTTPS, SSL and 128-bit encryption.

NEST IS SIMPLE TO USE
Since Nest programs itself, your job is easy.



Just turn the ring: Turn the ring to your preferred temperature. Nest will learn what you like and build a personalized schedule.

Save energy all year: Teach Nest good habits in the first week and it'll keep them up all year long. Just turn Nest down at night or when you leave the house and don't turn the temperature up too high or down too low. After a week, Nest will remember you.

Basic Specs:
• The brushed stainless steel ring around the exterior reflects any surface so the Nest blends in with any wall style or color.

• A bright LCD screen has a 320 dpi display in a 1.75" diameter

• Built-in rechargeable Lithium ion battery

• The Nest measures 1.44" deep and 3.20" in diameter




Learn more here

TouchFire - A Flexible, Featherweight Screen-Top Keyboard for the iPad!

Many people I know simply do not like attempting to type on the iPad for the same reason that several iPhone owners turned back to their Blackberry. They miss the ease of using a keyboard as you normally would. That's precisely why Steve Isaac and Brad Melmon of Seattle have come up with a thin, feather-weight device that puts the "touch" back into typing - TouchFire.



TouchFire makes typing on your iPad feel like using a normal keyboard. The silicone rubber keyboard is easy to type on, cushions your fingers and weighs less than an ounce.



It's ultra-thin and attaches to the inside of the iPad cover and folds up within the cover, so you can always keep TouchFire with your iPad without it getting in the way. It's so thin and transparent that you can even use the touch screen as you normally would and 'swipe' through it if you so desired. TouchFire fits right over the iPad keyboard and aligns itself magnetically.

Applies magnetically to position directly over the iPad keyboard:

Roll it down to use the whole screen:

It attaches easily to the iPad Smart Cover with two plastic clips:

If you don't have a SmartCover on your iPad, the TouchFire is easily stored in its handy case:


Steve Isaac and Brad Melmon, the brains behind TouchFire:


Patent Pending, Steve and Brad are presently requesting funding on kickstarter

A pledge of $45 will pre-order you the starter pack which contains a keyboard, a storage case and a pair of cover clips, all in black. Shipping is free in the U.S. Please add $10 to your pledge for shipping to Canada, $25 for International shipping.

Help support this ingenious idea and buy one for yourself or a friend here.

TouchFire® is a registered trademark of TouchFire, Inc. Seattle, WA. All rights reserved. PATENT PENDING. Put the Touch Back into Typing™ and Screen-Top Keyboard™ are trademarks of TouchFire, Inc. iPad® is a registered trademark of Apple, Inc. Cupertino, CA.

The Ovei Pod, A Personal Cocoon In Various Forms From Artist-Decorated to Gaming.

above: Designer Lee McCormack with the Vince Fraser decorated Ovei (more pics later in the post)

The Ovei Pod is a self contained unit with a built-in 5.1. surround sound system, variable lighting control, climate control, luxury leather seating and the latest flat screen technology.








Way back in 2002, British designer Lee McCormack conceived the first, embryonic form of the Ovei. With ‘i-pod’ already registered by Apple, he instead called it the ‘Oculas’:



In 2005 discussions began with McLaren Applied Technologies – the specialised design & technology division within the McLaren Group – culminating in the all-new Ovei. Various customizable versions, specially designed SPA versions, gaming versions, branded versions and artfully decorated ones (like the one by Vince Fraser shown further down in this post) have since been designed.



In addition to the black and white ones shown, the Ovei can be produced in various colors:

And various styles:


“Ovei is inspired by the evolution of modern architecture, design and technology during the past twenty years. The underlying concept, is a sanctuary for the individual. It’s not about isolation or disconnection, it’s about nurturing inner wellness and strength. Focused and invigorated we perform better and become more resilient to the aggressive demands of modern life. The Ovei is now recognised by renowned architects and designers as a perfect compliment modern residential and commercial projects”.-Lee McCormack.

Designer McCormack in his Ovei:


The Ovei Pod at the 2009 Monaco Yacht Show:



The HALO 3 Gaming Ovei:


F1 Racer Lewis Hamilton in the Johnnie Walker Ovei:


Vince Fraser's 3D Ovei:

Vince Fraser with his decorated Ovei:

Vince Fraser 3D Ovei photographs by Christoffer Rudquist.

See Vince Fraser's promotional film for his Limited Edition 3D Ovei here.

Ron Dennis, the Chairman and CEO of the McLaren Group, sits in the Ovei 8 elements Wellbeing Capsule:


The Ovei pod has appeared in multiple exhibitions like the London Science Museum’s Fast Forward F1 technology exhibition:


Acoustics.
The Ovei format creates a perfect 5.1 surround sound environment; the interior has an acoustic surface design treatment supported by optimal material density.

Visuals.
The main viewing screen is positioned at an optimal 60cm from the user. Where necessary, additional side and control interface screens provide surround viewing.

Seating.
The seating position is designed to support the length of the body, reducing stress on the back for maximum comfort. The reclined position is surrounded by armrests, touch screen capabilities, work surface and screen positioning to facilitate the optimal work, play or rest conditions.

Encapsulation.
Ovei is a fully enclosed environment. Optional windows allow use within environments like schools, where a clear view of occupants is needed. As an encapsulated environment all external distractions are removed. This enables greater cognitive application to the task at hand.

Mobility.
Ovei is a plug and play device that can be transported and placed in almost any environment indoors or, in some cases, outdoors. Ovei can be deployed to remove the need to build traditional room environments. It is lightweight, easy to dismantle and erect, robust and hardwearing. It requires only 1m by 2m floor space.

Technology.
The design and engineering of Ovei focus on creating the perfect experiential environment for the user. The team’s approach to technology is one of facilitation; Ovei can incorporate most types and formats of existing consumer technology. In instances where Ovei is required for a specific function, the design team has created bespoke hardware and software.

Modular Design.
Ovei has been designed for maximum application flexibility. The device accommodates one, two or three people by addition or removal of extension modules. The interior works on a modular basis, transforming easily between videoconferencing, flight simulation, diagnostics, gaming, marketing etc. Mobile devices are supported by updating the mobile device module.

Branding.
Ovei offers a comprehensive suite of branding opportunities.

Exterior:
Window branding
Half exterior
Full exterior
Floor placement mat
Exterior Screen
Sponsors Placard Stand

Interior:
Seating fabric
Table area
Screen, speakers, and control devices

Screen based branding:
Corner logo permanent
Star-up screen welcome
Sign off screen message
Banner advertising
Interface screen branding
Advertising Commercials

Other:
Bluetooth Broadcasting
Augmented Reality Tools

The Ovei team will work with you to configure, install and support suitable capsules. In exchange for sharing your findings with us, the agreement gives you market sector exclusivity to use Ovei for the period of the trial.

Demonstration kiosk showcasing software, hardware or media? Point-of-Sale? Promotional device? Brand-building tool? Creative workspace? Everything is possible.

To discuss your ideas or proposals and for full commercial trial detail, get in touch.

Ovei