David Lidsky's Blog, page 4739

Chevy's Volt Minivan to Electrify Beijing Auto Show Next Week

After billions of dollars in losses, numerous production problems with the upcoming Chevrolet Volt PHEV, and the recent announcement that GM's director of global battery systems engineering is leaving, GM could stand to catch a break. That break is, of course, the Volt--a lithium-ion powered hybrid electric car that will cost somewhere around $32,500. And even though the Volt has yet to hit showroom floors (it is scheduled to arrive in November 2010), GM is already working on a...

Traditional Artistry, Revamped in Contemporary Architecture

Architecture and design writer Marc Kristal's new book Re:Crafted: Interpretations of Craft in Contemporary Architecture and Interiors features 25 architectural projects that challenge the traditional view of craft. Here's a look at some of these projects and how each of them have incorporated the "personal touch" in a modern way.

Infographics of the Day: What's Up With That Crazy European Ash Cloud?

Real-time information about the ash cloud, and the airports that are gradually being reopened.

Six days ago, a volcano erupted in Iceland, halting most European air flights and stranding hundreds of thousands of people. Today, the flights are finally starting to begin again--and we finally have a couple infographics that make sense of the entire mess. Together, they tell you quickly about the scope or the problem--they're also being updated in real-time with information about the ash cloud...

Kartell's CEO Claudio Luti on the Design Giant's 2010 Collection

How do you keep a 60-year-old furniture firm on the cutting edge of design?

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Last week, Kartell, the 60-year-old Italian furniture giant, presented its 2010 pieces at the Milan Furniture Fair, in a massive black and white booth, each set against an inky backdrop to highlight its unique form.

The booth was a hive of activity, swarming with press, buyers, and retailers. Presiding over it all was Claudio Luti, Kartell's 63-year-old president and CEO. Luti, the son-in-law of Kartell founder Giulio...

Bolivia Slips Coke Back Into "Coca-Colla"

Any self-respecting Coke addict knows that the sugary soft drink once contained trace amounts of cocaine. Now Bolivia is putting coca leaves in a suspiciously similar-sounding fizzy drink: Coca-Colla. That's not a typo, the drink is named after the Colla people of Bolivia's highlands. A batch of half-liter 12,000 bottles was recently sold for $1.50 a pop in La Paz, Santa Cruz, and Cochabamba, according to the UK Guardian.

In the past, Bolivia has tried to banish the coca leaf--a mild...

Almost Genius: The Cardboard Box That Fits Anything Perfectly

An invention that might eliminate almost all of the wasted space in a cardboard box.

How brilliant is this? Designer Patrick Sung's Universal Packaging System is meant to precisely fit anything that needs shipping. The individual cardboard sheets are scored with a triangle pattern that can either be fitted to an oddly shaped object, or formed into a custom fitted cardboard box:

Potentially massive savings would result from all the extra shipping space saved--cutting down on how much space...

The Young App-rentices

Meet four minor App developers with major ideas. All age 16 or younger, they're part of a generation raised with multi-touch and social media, and they're cranking out profitable ideas for new devices and platforms as fast as manufacturers let them.

Since FastCompany.com last spoke with 16-year-old T.J. Pluhacek, who'd developed an app for the iPad, his app sales, have "gone up 300%," he says. His local Portland-area news stations did news reports on him and his NoteLook, too. What also...

XAuth Explained: Solving a Real Social Net Problem You May Never Know You Had

XAuth, the supposed competitor to Facebook Connect that made headlines yesterday, turns out to be less a competitor and more powerful than anyone realized. We spoke to one of its key creators, Seth Sternberg, who's also Meebo's CEO to find out more.

XAuth was designed to solve a problem that Meebo itself was having. Meebo, which provides a sort of backbone that Web sites can add to their existing structure in order to rapidly add in social networking functionality, needed to know which...

Introducing Guest Blogger Jamey Boiter: The Brand Innovator

We were first introduced to Jamey Boiter the same way we meet many of our favorite designers: As the subject of one of our Designers Accord case studies. His company, BOLTgroup had engineered a smart campaign to help introduce AirDye, a revolutionary synthetic textile made from recycled PET bottles and dyed without water. But Jamey and his team--who were early adopters of the Designers Accord--had done more than convey the message of this sustainable product to a new audience. They had...

TOMS Shoes Teaches Consumer Empathy With a Day Spent Barefoot

Need your customers to know your brand better?  Expose yourself. That's what the shoe company TOMS did with their One Day Without Shoes campaign earlier this month. The impact was amazing. A quarter of a million people participated in over 1600 events worldwide, posting their photos, videos and stories. The end result is brand building the right way--through consumer empathy.

The model set by TOMS Shoes is admirable. Its brand reflects the
compelling truths of the company with its One
for...