David Lidsky's Blog, page 4669

AT&T Hikes Smartphone Early Termination Fees by $150

Early termination fees aren't by themselves unfair. Cellphones, especially smartphones, are heavily subsidized, a fact which is frustratingly not very well known; many people really do think their iPhones are ridiculously cheap, at $200, when in fact a 32GB iPhone 3GS actually costs $700--in that case, AT&T just charges a bit extra, month by month, until the $500 advance is paid off. Since the wireless carrier is drastically cutting the entry price of a cellphone in exchange for a multi-year...

Why Do Most Designer Toys Suck So Badly?

Design critic Alexandra Lange goes shopping for the perfect kids toy--and finds so much design falls short.

It was perhaps the fifth or sixth time I found myself, flat on the floor, arm extended, sweeping a broom under the couch to try to retrieve the quarter-size wheels of my son's Automoblox Minis that I thought, "This is not a good design."

Everything about them looked great. Automoblox share the traits of many toys sold at Giggle, the MoMA Design Store, and the overpriced kids boutique...

Obama Mandates Government to Develop National Efficiency and Emissions Standards for Cars and Trucks

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President Obama is taking the long view in raising fuel economy and emissions standards for the nation's vehicles. Last month, the US Government developed strict standards for cars and light trucks made in model years 2012 through 2016, and now Obama is ordering federal agencies to work on developing standards for cars and light trucks made in 2017 and for medium and heavy trucks manufactured in model years 2014 through 2018. And that's not all--the President also ordered the Department of...

Peter Calthorpe's Vision for California: Save the Cities, Save the World

New Urbanism has traditionally positioned itself as an antidote to the soullessness of urban sprawl, with an emphasis on "soul" -- the ineffable benefits in living in places built to human scale rather than breaking out hard metrics as to why dense mixed-use communities are both qualitatively and quantitatively better than the auto-driven suburb of single-family homes. But the 18th annual Congress for the New Urbanism is shaping up to be the year New Urbanists demand a seat at the table for...

Bubble Wrap + Computers = One Weird Bathroom

The simple joy of popping Bubble Wrap is transformed into interior design, courtesy of some technical geekery.

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These days, it seems like technology makes it possible to make anything you can dream of. Literally, anything, including a bathroom covered in tiles inspired by Bubble Wrap.

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Elizabeth Boone, Adam Buente, Eric Brockmeyer, and Kyle Perry are all graduate students in Ball State's architecture program, and they work together under the name PROJECTiONE, because really...

Arik Levy, Master of Detail: "Design Is an Uncontrollable Muscle"

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Arik Levy, along with perhaps Marc Newson, is among those designers that all other designers envy (at least secretly). He flits between mass-market and high art, designing everything from cell phones to giant, one-off sculptures.

But he takes both equally seriously--and he argues that any object can be transformed into something magical: "I try to evoke memories of other objects, and that lets a product be something else."

During ICFF this week, Levy sat down with FastCompany.com, to discuss...

Nora Abousteit on Her Close-Knit Virtual Sewing Circle BurdaStyle.com

In the latest installment of our video series on risk-taking, do-gooding young entrepreneurs, learn about an online community for lovers of sewing that offers downloadable, copyright-free patterns, advice, and more.

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*In Partnership with

 

About BurdaStyle.com: An online social community for sewing-lovers to sharpen their craft. This open-source site allows users to download copyright-free patterns, create and share their own looks, and seek advice from members around the world...

On a Wing and a Prayer, Dalai Lama Tweets to Chinese

Today the Dalai Lama will get to broadcast his thoughts to many thousands of Chinese, 140 characters at a time. He's considered an undesirable to the authorities there, remember, and his team has had to resort to some holy hacking to get the message out.

Hearing from His Holiness the Dalai Lama (HHDL, or Tenzin Gyatso to his pals)--about, say, his anti-establishment stance on Tibetan autonomy--is tricky for mainland Chinese citizens, thanks to the strict national control over media and...

AccuWeather's Grim Forecast for Florida's Coast: Crude-y With a Chance of Tar Balls

AccuWeather has apparently moved into the oil slick prediction business, forecasting that the Loop Current (a warm ocean current that moves from the Caribbean Sea into the Gulf of
Mexico before looping west and south, exiting through the Florida
Straits) will carry the growing slick over the Gulf toward Florida.

AccuWeather.com explains:

The speed of the current, which can reach several miles per hour, can carry part of the oil much more swiftly than waters over the slight, aimless drift o...

MuseumExpo 2010

One upside of a down economy: Museums are getting more popular. In 2009, 57% of U.S. museums saw an uptick in attendance, and the industry is looking to social media to keep the trend going. "By engaging people online, we can inspire more visits in person," says MuseumExpo director Dean Phelus. Talks on creating more immersive online experiences sound great, but we're more impressed with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, which already has an award-winning blog and YouTube channel. At...