Creepy Technology!

The Japanese are known for their innovative technologies. From the flat panel television to digital cameras, Japan provides top-of-the-line technology products. Robots have become popular lately, but not the kinds you would expect. No metal skin and no squeaky sounds when moving. These new robots might as well be called humans. They have very similar characteristics to us, it's scary. Check out the photograph of the Japanese female robot in the slideshow above!

iPad2!

Finally! The much anticipated announcement of the iPad 2 has arrived! What really stood out about the event, besides the actual device of course, was Apple's various speakers regarding the iPad as "post-PC" and "a revolutionary product." It sounds cheesy, but they are so right. The iPad is now being provided to students across the nation, doctors working in hospitals, and autistic children to improve their communication skills. The event really touched upon all of the great things the iPad has brought to people. I am sure that the iPad 2 will further all of those aspects and eventually help the entire world.

Guest Speaker: Lorena Duran

I really enjoyed Lorena Duran's lecture today about her life so far as a designer. I thought she presented herself very nicely and everything she said was fascinating. I loved all of the design work she showed and the advice she gave was invaluable. Here is the list of notes I took throughout the presentation:

- Designer = wide-range of things to do.
- Advise on products related to design.
- Communicating to people visually is one of the fastest ways to get a point across.
- Has worked on identity programs, branded environments, brand development, exhibition design, naming, architecture, experimental interactivity.
- Works for Christie's Global Markets (art auction house).
- Need a creative brief in order to follow through with a project.
- Her role is to write the brief.
- Working all over the world you encounter different rules/limitations (ex: Hong Kong specifies where certain things go based on Feng Shui).
- Must be able to place the same exhibition in different sites.
- A logo translates what the product/service is about.
- The brand is not the logo!
- Deals with lawyers, marketing directors everyday.
- Uses a max of 3 typefaces.
- Form and content = 50-50
- Worked on AIGA 365 Competition (exhibition designer).
- Looked at etymology of the word "competition" and found a totally different meaning the real word.
- Influenced design work.
- Must have basic knowledge about exhibition design materials.
- Partner with other companies (ex: engineers).
- Consider flow in exhibition design.
- Ex: curves to embrace welcoming, no 90 degree angles.
- Think about dominant, sub-dominant, and complimentary forces when designing.
- Combine experience and emotion.
- Good open source communication as an undergrad now.
- Look for design interests.
- Have no fear.
- People are much more willing to teach.
- Be daring.
- Things take time.
- Have a lot of passion.
- Be humble.
- No ego, no attitude.

Supporting the Enemy

Rahul Sood, a high-ranking employee at Microsoft, recently stated in an interview that "every executive in the PC industry should use an Apple notebook." This is really great news because someone on the opposing team is actually rooting for a product that does its job very well. I've had my fair share of problems with a PC and finally made the switch to a Macbook Pro. It was the greatest decision of my life. Technology evolves, just like people. If you don't have the right traits then you won't survive. Apple is the epitome of the perfect "species" that everyone wants to copy. Someone once told me that to make it big in the technology world, you need to be a trend-setter, not a trend-follower. In other words, you need to be like Apple, not Microsoft/Motorola/Driod (Google)/etc.

Xbox Kinect: You Are the Controller

Since the Nintendo Wii came out in 2006, video game companies have been striving to create the next best motion-sensor game controller. Playstation made some headlines with the Move, but it was Microsoft's Xbox that really stole the show. The Kinect requires no handheld devices; only a thin rectangular box that sits above your television. But how does it work without any handheld controller? That's the best part: you are the controller. When you jump, your character on-screen jumps. When you move to the left, your character on-screen moves to the left. It's pretty accurate too. Just another example of the fading line between the physical and virtual worlds...

Powerpoint Icons

Here are the five icons I created. Each one represents a specific section of my powerpoint which I will be presenting at the end of the semester.

Egypt and Social Media

If you haven't heard/read about what's going on Egypt, then you must live under a rock. Several days ago, the government shut down social media outlets like Twitter to prevent its citizens from forming protests against former "President" Hosni Mubarak's regime.

What is significant about this situation is the role social media has played. I'm guessing that most people who use Facebook and Twitter have not really thought about it in depth. Why is it so special and can we live without it? The Egyptian revolts have brought a new thought-process into our minds: the idea that we, as humans, cannot live without social media. We crave interaction and the ability to socialize without being face-to-face with someone makes organizing events a lot easier. If it weren't for social media, then Egypt would still be under the rule of Mubarak.