swatch – the gent lacquered
every one of swatch’s new ‘the gent lacquered‘ watches is unique. each internal component comes in a variety of colours and are randomly assorted when constructed, making for a different one every time. very nice!
via sub-studio
lego movie maker app
lego and dc have released a movie maker app to rival the recently posted about frameographer app. like frameographer, the app allows you to simply and easily make stop-motion animations. the intentions being you use your lego men, but it works equally well with anything.
the advantage over it’s rival app is that it’s free, the disadvantage is that you have to have their own lego-and-dc-inspired titles at the beginning. it doesn’t look as professional as frameographer but it has almost all the same features, and is very simple to use.
the app designers say: “we wanted to create a unique experience that helps bridge the gap between the digital world and the physical world of lego”. definitely worth trying out!
via design taxi
sigg aluminium box
as well as the wide mouth bottle i got to try out, i was also lucky enough to get hold of one of sigg‘s aluminium boxes. one of the few products they do that isn’t a bottle, this box has the same high level of quality and design that you’d expect from sigg.
equally useful on a camping trip as it is on your desk, it is a simple aluminium box, with minimal decoration. it has a rubber seal on the inside, and two clips to close it. it’s simplicity is what i love about it, it’s a really nice thing.
they are available in 4 colours, and come in two sizes: the larger (pictured) one measures 228 x 145 x 77mm and the smaller one 170 x 117 x 60mm, and cost £29 and £26 respectively. see them on the sigg website.
osso stool
as well as the chairs and tables for magis shown in milan, the bouroullecs also showed a stool version of their osso chair for matiazzi. like the chair version (shown last year), it uses sophisticated 5-axis milling machines to create seamless joins in the wood, giving it a very organic, sculptural look.
they come in low and high versions, in a simple, muted range of colours. as with the chair, i like the plant-like look of them, and the process used to make them is very impressive.
via stylepark
pen usb stick
these usb sticks are by big game (whose castor chair, also shown in milan, i posted about a couple of weeks ago). the ‘pen’ usb’s for praxis have the extruded-hexagonal body of a pen or pencil, blending into the flat usb at the head.
when usb’s have got pretty much as small as they can get (see freecom’s databar xxs), it’s nice to see what designers come up with to make them more useful or interesting. these are simple, brightly coloured, and fun, i like them!
via collate
copenhagen parts magnetic bike lights
these lovely little bike lights by copenhagen parts attach to the bike with magnets, which is also what turns them on! available with either a polished aluminium shell or a silicone rubber case (in a range of colours), they are extremely minimal indeed.
using the steel frame of the bike not only as a means of attaching but to complete the circuit is a great idea, meaning there is no need for an on/off button. although maybe not quite as versatile as a knog or bookman light, it can still attach in the right places on your bike (as long as it it steel!). i thought those previous two lights were quick to remove but these would be even quicker, and (unless you’ve got some steel tube in your bag) much less likely to accidentally turn on.
i’ve posted about copenhagen parts’ bike porter handlebars before, which looked like a great product. these lights, released in autumn, look like they might be even better!
via moco mr
diagram.ly
diagram.ly is an excellent site. a web-app for creating diagrams, it’s useful whether you need it for a quick sketch, to try out some quick shape combinations, or you can spend time and make something really complex!
via swissmiss
sigg wide-mouth bottle
being a big fan of sigg bottles i was delighted to be able to review some of their newer products. i’ve had a classic traveller bottle for a while now and have found it great for all kinds of activities. one things that had caught my eye on their site recently was the addition of the wide-mouth bottles.
there are three main benefits i’ve found with this bottle over the standard top: firstly, it’s much easier to clean. being able to get inside and scrub is a big advantage and makes life a lot easier. secondly, it’s easier to fill fast. you can run a tap into it and not have to worry about not spilling it. the reverse of this is that it’s quick to empty, be it to replace the contents or just quench your thirst.
another important advantage is being able to put ice cubes in. these bottles aren’t insulated like some bottles, and after a few hours in the sun can warm up. i’ve often tried to crush ice into smaller pieces to fit in my other bottle, but with this one it’s much simpler.
available in a whole range of colours in 0.75ml, 1.0l and 1.5l sizes, prices range from £22 – 26 on the sigg site, i can highly recommend them!
during my research i also found this excellent ‘making-of’ video, which is definitely worth watching.
