Driverless Cabs
When money is not really an issue, and the leadership is willing to try out innovative ideas, then the designers have freedom to realize their dream ideas. One of the ideas - PRT, Personal rapid transit, a system of transportation featuring compact, driver-less “podcars”. Podcars ride on small overhead guideways and are powered electrically. Since the whole system is computerized, there won’t be any accidents. I expect that a “podcar” can accommodate minimum of 4 people.
This cab reminds me of Automated Guided vehicle system (AGV’s) used in industries.
The transportation system can vary for different cities. Some of the vehicles can be offline to meet ‘On demand’ situations of commuters. Dynamic structural analysis shows that the weight of the guide way is reduced to a much lower value than might be expected if the smallest size vehicles are used, down by a factor of 15 from conventional elevated rail systems(Data obtained from a research paper). To minimize cost, the vehicles have to be small enough so that they can be used by small parties of people traveling together by choice.
Let’s drive ourselves for a clean environment. Let’s make vehicle to wait for people rather than people waiting for vehicles. I’d like to see this system in chennai. At least, we won’t be late to office because of traffic. We have imagined how the whole system should be in chennai to help commuters. Maybe, someday we can share them, over this space.
Samsung memoir
Digital camera with a touch screen mobile phone?
Have a look at this product, which looks like a digital camera(8MP) from front side and a mobile phone from the rear.
The Samsung Memoir (aka the SGH-T929) will work on T-Mobile’s 3G network and will also feature a full HTML browser, a virtual QWERTY keyboard, and a whole lot of other multimedia features. Tentative launching date -25 Feb. (Yet to be confirmed from reliable sources).
Here’s the Samsung Memoir’s unconfirmed specifications… from samsungmemoir.net
Advanced Responsive Touch Screen
Quick Access Customizable Widgets
Web Browsing (web2goSM) Supports POP3 Emails
Full QWERTY Touchpad
8.0 Megapixel Digital Camera
Multiple Messaging Options (Text Messaging, Picture Messaging, Video Messaging, Email, IM)
Bluetooth® Wireless Technology Organizer
Alarm, Calculator, Calendar, Converter, Memo, Task List, Timer, Stop Watch, RSS Reader Advanced Speech Recognition Voice Memo 72-Note Polyphonic Ringtones Volume Up/Down Keys Vibrate Mode Phonebook
From PC world –
The Memoir’s feature set is focused on multimedia, with sharing in mind. Photos can be uploaded directly to online services such as Flickr, Photobucket, Snapfish or Kodak gallery. The 8 megapixel camera, which includes a 16x (digital) zoom, will also shoot video. On the downside, the Samsung Memoir lacks Wi-Fi (like the BlackBerry Storm), something that might disappoint many, especially considering T-Mobile’s 3G patchy network coverage.
You should also keep in mind that the Memoir is not an iPhone replacement. Its multimedia features make it highly desirable for photography fans, but the phone’s TouchWiz user interface–though appealing–doesn’t come close to the functionality of the iPhone. Oh, and did I mention there’s no App store? You’ll be better off if you consider the Memoir more of an 8-megapixel camera that also makes calls.
Here are Samsung Memoir’s key features at a glance:
- 8 Megapixel Camera with Xenon flash and 16X digital zoom
- microSD slot for storage capacity expansion
- A-GPS for navigation and location based services
- 240 x 400 pixels touchscreen display (262k TFT)
- Full HTML browser and POP3 e-mail support
- TouchWiz interface with customizable widgets
- 3G/EDGE/GPRS data access speeds compatible
- Wireless Bluetooth 2.0 technology
Flying Cockroach
There are people who would like to just buy and try the product, then add it to their collectors list. I too belong to this category. This USB drive comes with a remote control. The remote control also acts as a docking station, allowing you to charge the insect. A 30 minute charge yields five minutes of flying.
Specifications: 5.7×3.4×3.5 inches (145 x 87 x 90mm), requires 6 AA batteries.
Fine details, good finish are strong points.
Packaging design trends for 2009
Retail setting is full of disorder and confusion. Since the customers are becoming selective in spending money, businesses need to respond creatively and quickly to consumer needs and desires.
Trends to be expected in 2009 (based on online study)
Purity and Simplicity
Simple and clear communication of product benefits
Simple to use
Convenience
Purity of ingredients
Growth of organic and natural products
Green responsibility
Consumers are looking to stay at home more and looking for products which can re-create outside experiences
Economy range and luxury range products will rule the marketplace, and the products in the middle may find themselves squeezed out. It means, product without any differentiation factor, risk being squeezed out of the market.
Shelf space efficiency - Retailers are beginning to demand it.
Packaging design for small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs)
Design process is very important to influence creative outputs. Corporate culture of big companies can accommodate the lengthy design process in their time and cost budget, whereas the approach of smaller enterprises is different from corporate, and that affects the creative output. Such SMEs are abundant in number, particularly in FMCG market. Opportunities for design agencies to tap into these small-scale entrepreneurial businesses are huge, but one of the main obstacle being small budgets and tough challenges. SME owners have limited budget and they cannot afford money for research activities, multiple concepts, concept iterations etc…As a designer, we need to help these companies to see the benefits of design.
How to serve this market segment? There are few techniques by which we can address this market.
1. Spread research data cost among your clients. Research data required for SME products will be limited due to their limited area of coverage, smaller target segment. Following FMCG trends (online) and fortnight observation of retail shelves will be sufficient to collect research data required for this market.
2. Have thorough knowledge of manufacturing constraints and cost. Since SME clients are much cost conscious, a designer needs to know about capabilities of low end vendors to come out with a successful container/carton.
3. Develop a good vendor base, who can develop molds at low cost with good quality in the specified time. Since most of the products are blow molded, locating vendors, screening them will be a easier task.
4. Have knowledge about package production cost including its material cost.
5. Understand client’s process of filling, transportation, logistics etc…
All the above points will help a designer to resolve the concepts during conceptualization stage, which will ultimately reduce the concept iterations. Once the concept is approved, with minor modifications, the concept can go straight to prototyping an then to manufacturing.
Leverage brand through packaging design
What does your product packaging say about your brand and your product? Is it projecting the brand value, product’s function or is it lost in the retail shuffle? Should your packaging be redesigned to fully leverage its brand’s assets? Does it have to be repositioned to reach the desired consumer?
Packaging - first touch point for consumer product brands in a retail environment. Have you observed yourself by standing at the end of an aisle in a supermarket? Can you pick out some, which are instantly recognizable and few others which grab your attention? There has to be something outstanding to make a product identifiable from myriad of other products. Outstanding can be because of colour, brand association, packing shape, photographic images, illustrations or combination of few or all of the above. Meaningful experiences of using a product will begin, only when your package attracts customers and motivate them to use it. And about consumer - Consumers are becoming more sophisticated, premium oriented and they look for brands that match the perceptions of their lifestyles.
Few points to leverage brand value
1. Package should reflect brand’s uniqueness. Generally, the brand association is brought to the product through brand’s signature colour, identity etc…
2. An ownable package structure - Unique container design or unique structural packaging. Packaging need not be expensive but at the same time structure is increasingly important as a differentiator among the crowded products in retail shelves. (Coming up with something new and different enough to get noticed, without being so different as to move it out of the chosen category is a big challenge for the designers).
3. Enhanced usability of the product
4. Right kind of graphic imagery targeting the specific audience. The graphics and photography should support the product and the brand, by conveying the relevant message to the specified target audience/demographic audience.
Modular Mobile phones?
What is this? Heard about modular furniture, kitchen cabinets etc… But mobiles? Are we going to buy a mobile in various parts and assemble to suit our needs? Will there be a market? Is it feasible? The complex circuit board inside the mobile phone may pose a problem. Probably they can sell a unit where we can add camera, FM, Keyboard, etc… according to one’s need. The basic unit will have the circuit board inside which is programmed to work based on the configurations connected. But, already manufacturers are coming out with so many options. You name your requirement and you’ll get the model easily. How about form, aesthetics in modularity? Very complex! But, can be explored. When you can assemble computer on your own to match your requirements, why can’t you assemble a mobile?
Communicating is the key!!
World is changing!! Present generation male are becoming more metro sexual. As designers, We need to keep track of the trends to provide good solution for our clients. We don’t find metro sexual around us. So why then we believe that present trend is of more metro sexual. What is the advantage, if a guy is a metro sexual? Why I’m more bothered?
We are into design and development of lifestyle products, which involve fragrance to cosmetics. Selling a lifestyle product to a male is not easy. If he is a metro sexual guy, then he can be easily convinced to buy an item. Unfortunately, very few of them are metro sexuals. Make up, Skin care etc… comes last for them. Few points which we need to keep in mind, while designing product and also for product’s positioning & promotion
- Most of them don’t prefer to join metro sexual category.
- Men admire toughness, authority, responsibility.
- Men aspire to power, money and status.
- Men are reluctant shoppers, remaining loyal to certain brands.
- Men appreciate humor.
So, men need to be explained about product’s functionality and how it will solve his problem, authenticity, performance etc… Communicating right is the key!
-
-
Subscribe to RSS
