ReubenMiller

Don't Eat Your Cell Phone Charm

These are so convincing, even the closeups look like legit cookies. I'd sure like to know what they're REALLY made of, if it isn't cookie dough.

Closeups after the jump.

[Via 7Gadgets]

 

iKvetch - Why We Complain About Cutting Edge Brands

An interesting post on Core77 caught my attention today.

Here's the post:

"iWant, therefore iComplain
Posted by: hipstomp on Monday, October 29 2007

Maybe we're crazy, but we think the following might contain a lesson for product designers vis-a-vis human desire.

Apple is widely recognized as selling people easy-to-use products that they actually want, but these products are often attacked relentlessly in forums and online chatter. Did you ever notice that when people criticize Apple products, it often starts "I love the [iGadget] but..."? Seems to us people never used to complain about products in this way.

Our theory is that when you give people what they want, they actually complain more than they did when they were simply putting up with whatever was doled out to them. It's kind of like you're in the Soviet Union circa 1985 standing in line for 220-grit toilet paper, then you get whisked to a 2007 supermarket where there's aisles upon aisles of soft, fluffy Charmin, and suddenly you want the Jumbo roll so you don't have to replace it as often, and you want a coupon to pay for it."

I was intrigued so I decided to ask Ernie Schenk, who just has a really smart way of looking at marketing and advertising concepts.

Here's his response:

"Young creative team starts winning awards.

Alright brother! Good for those guys. Everyone loves them. They’re cool.

A year goes by. Same thing. Same team cleans up.  Hooooray!  We love you guys!  Hugs and kisses all around.

A third year. They do it again! Little less applause. Not so many hugs and kisses.

This goes on. The team keeps winning. Fundamental shift point.  Or tipping point, whatever.  People are still in awe of the team, but they’re not such big fans anymore. 
Why? Because the team got too big for its britches. Too successful. 

We love success as a culture. But only to a point."

So, our excitement with Apple and all it's wondrous glory has maybe hit a tipping point and we demand vastly more from such icons of perfection and greatness in design. Indeed when you give people what they want, they are only more alert to what little flaws might still be left.

 

Ivan Lovatt: Chicken Wire Series

British-born artist Ivan Lovatt has created this new series of portrait busts by layering, twisting & mangling chicken wire.

His work is currently on exhibition at the Jackman gallery in Melbourne, Australia.
The sculptures range from $9,000 to $18,000 a pop. Not bad for twisted chicken wire.

See the exhibition here.

Is It a Bike, Is It a Car?

My kinda wheels!

[UPDATE]

For those interested in getting more info & maybe even buying one, go to FLYTHEROAD (thanks jimmyg for the link).

Steam Powered Insect

                                                                                                   [photo credit: Amanda Dutton]
This is the latest from Christopher Conte

Google Map Shows Bad Neighbors

Want to know if the house your looking at buying is next door to any less-than-savory neighbors? Until now, avoiding a bad apple neighbor was left mostly to chance. With Rotten Neighbor, things are looking better for prospective new neighbor seekers. Search in the neighborhood you're looking to buy in and up comes a Google-powered map showing all the folks marked as 'rotten neighbors' (red houses shown above). The data is posted by others who already live in the area (most are anonymous, for obvious reasons).

We thought this was both an ingenious and useful new real estate service, but at the same time  entertaining and just plain funny.

(thanks, Daily Candy!)

Cardboard Play Kitchen

I'm alway on the lookout for cool repurposing projects. Especially when it comes to kids toys. Why bother running to big box department stores and doling out loads of cash for made-in-china toys?

I think Anna's little kitchen unit built entirely from recycled (as in, salvaged from the dumpster) corrugated cardboard is brilliant. Now I'm wishing her plans might become 'shareware'.

Read more here.

[Thanks GoodyBlog]

British Humor - Security Sign

Photoshop?

Regardless, it made me smile.

[Via Mike's Blog]

 

Night Lights

[Thanks darkroastedblend]

 

Designer Packing Tape Review (over 20 designs)

Ordinary packing tape takes on a whole new dimension when printed with pretty or clever designs. We've put together an international collection of designer packing tapes that were too cool not to share. Designer packing tape has been known to go out of stock frequently due to demand and limited print quantities. Still, we hope you'll find this comprehensive resource useful.

Check out all 21 packing tape picks after the jump!