David Lidsky's Blog, page 4680

Biomimicry Challenge: For IBM, Smart Design Draws Water Conservation Inspiration from Ecosystems

Our biomimicry challenge What Would You Ask Nature? drew dozens of real-world business problems submitted by companies from all over the world. We assigned three challenges to three firms and paired them each with a biologist. Each team is now reporting their bio-inspired solutions.

You've probably seen ads for IBM's SmarterCity initiative, a program that uses the company's information technology to help municipal governments create healthier, more intelligent urban environments for their...

Cisco Buys a Product-Design Firm, Takes Aim at Consumer Electronics

The networking giant has bought itself a design firm, to shore up its in-house product-development chops.

Cisco--who's best-known for making backbone infrastructure for the internet--is getting serious about consumer electronics. And today, they announced another big step in that direction, the acquisition of Moto, a somewhat obscure design firm.

Moto, it should be noted, isn't one of those big hot-shot firms like IDEO or Frog or Smart. But what they do seem to possess is an intimate...

Viktoria Harrison | charity: water

[vimeo 10329828:]

*In Partnership with

About charity:water: The goal, to bring every person on the planet clean water. The non-profit gives 100% of money raised to fresh water projects around the world and teaches sustainability to the communities in need. Relying on a cutting-edge brand crafted by design wizard Viktoria, charity:water has improved the lives of millions worldwide.About Viktoria Harrison: Born in Russia to artist parents, Viktoria moved to Brooklyn as a child. The design darling...

Pink Faces at Financial Times as It Pulls Amnesty's Crowd-Funded Anti-Shell Ad

This is the ad that Amnesty funded via social media last month. And this is the newspaper that turned it down. The Financial Times waited until "the last possible moment" to pull the full-page ad, according to Amnesty's UK blog, and the NGO's campaigns director, Tim Hancock is not a happy man. "We gave them written reassurances that we would take full responsibility for the comments and opinion stated in the advertisement," he said.

All publicity, it has to be said, is good publicity, but...

Chevy Volt Android App to Use Google Technology

It was only a matter of time before Google managed to wedge itself into the electric car game. But the search giant isn't building an EV of its own--it's teaming up with OnStar to develop a bunch of new navigation features on the Android app for the upcoming Chevy Volt EV.

The new features, set to be exhibited this week at the Google I/O conference and shown in the video below, will allow Volt users to access a new "Navigation" tab that displays the current location of their Volt on Google...

Fresh-Faced Kids at ICFF and New York Design Week

Every year, young American design grads flock to ICFF with hopes of parlaying a few thousand dollars spent on booths and new works into a full-blown design career. It works for just enough people to keep the dream alive for the next batch. Here's a look at the best work by youngsters who managed to make it to ICFF 2010.

Foxconn Calls in Counselors, But Its Suicide Rate May Be Normal

Foxconn, the Chinese high-tech manufacturer and Apple partner, has been so shaken by a cluster of recent suicide attempts that it's hiring in mental health staff to aid its employees. There's even a Buddhist monk on staff.

We know of six suicides so far at Foxconn in 2010, though it's possible there were more attempts that went unreported, given the highly sensitive nature of news like this for a company with a high-profile client such as Apple. The bad news seems to have started back in...

Hulu, Best Buy Battling for Your Web Streaming Movie Custom

Best Buy's movie service is primed and ready to launch this month, meanwhile Hulu's premium content system is apparently not due to arrive as soon as we'd thought it would. The net-streaming TV business is never short on drama.

BestBuy bought CinemaNow from SonicSolutions as a vehicle for its high-value paid content, and the name isn't going to change. From later this month it'll be serving up DVD-fresh "first run" movies to owners of LG Blu-ray players with Net connections, then other home...

Video Games as Thrill-Art: Behind the Scenes of Alan Wake

Remedy, the creators of Alan Wake, channeled Stephen King and David Lynch to create its latest thriller. Managing director Matias Myllyrinne spoke with Fast Company about the inspiration for the game, the eclectic soundtrack, and how games ARE art.

Kevin Ohannessian: How did Alan Wake come together?

Matias Myllyrinne: We wanted to establish what we feel is the first real thriller in games. We thought that horror has been done quite a bit in games--and that's usually monsters and blood and...

Panasonic, Skype Want You to Talk To Your TV, for Google-Rivalling VoIP Plan

Well what'd you know? As soon as we get interested about Google's rumored TV tie-up with Sony and its potential plans for Skype rivalry, up pops Panasonic. It's just announced a deal with Skype to bring VoIP to your Panny TV. 

The new system won't be available on any old Panasonic unit, however--it'll have to be a 2010 IPTV one enabled with the company's proprietary Viera Cast system. You'll also need Panasonic's "Skype-enabled communication camera," which comes with a pretty high recommended...