design

MONTREAL--For the first time in maybe 20 years, I got a new cassette tape.

It's a bitchin' mix of 1970s funk tunes and it sounds delicious on my car stereo, which fortunately is old enough to be able to play it. But the best thing about this tape is that it came out of a vending machine.

Distroboto is a nonprofit network of machines in Montreal that have been retrofitted to sell works by independent artists. They spit out music, literature, and accessories, all for $2 a pop. … Read more

Late last year when I had my first encounter with a Tekton Design speaker, the M-Lore ($650 a pair), I was so bowled over by the sound I could hardly wait to try another Tekton. The time has come today with the all-new Enzo, a 40-inch-tall tower sporting three tweeters and two 8-inch woofers.

Multiple tweeters are rare on audiophile speakers, but Tekton's Eric Alexander developed a unique patent-pending approach that changes the way multiple tweeters are used. Unfortunately, he was mum about the details of his technology, but the Enzo's sound tells me all I need to … Read more

As Apple waits for the city of Cupertino, Calif., to give the final thumbs-up for the design of its new spaceshiplike headquarters, the company has been tinkering with the details.

Cupertino published the software giant's project update for the headquarters on the city Web site on Wednesday. Included in the documents are the project description, site and landscaping plans, floor plans, renderings, and a bicycle plan.

While a ton of information was submitted, it appears that the basic essentials haven't changed too much. The building still looks like a circular spaceship; in fact, many of the renderings in … Read more

Taxidermy and technology aren't two words you usually associate with one another, but Swiss artists Taiyo Onorato and Nico Krebs managed to make the two subjects collide in an unconventional series of works featuring cameras made out of the hallowed remains of books, armadillos, and turtles. Yes, you read that correctly.

Fortunately, no animals were harmed in the making of the series, as Onorato and Krebs sourced the creatures from flea markets and other uncommon outlets. … Read more

The toaster has an iconic design. For simply being a rectangular box with rounded corners, the kitchen appliance is still instantly recognizable for what it is. However, regardless of the ubiquitous nature of the toaster -- or perhaps because of it -- it is clear that the stainless-steel commonality of the past is in danger of fading away.

The Kalorik 2-Slice Glass Panel Long Slot Toaster ($99.95) gives kitchen countertops everywhere a clear view into the future of toasting. Featuring a clear glass side that allows for full viewing of the toasting action, the toaster offers insight into what'… Read more

With a wave of your hand, bright lasers cascade across 12,000 translucent spheres that hang above a reflecting pool, creating a flickering, sinuous symphony of light. The ethereal experience isn't a dream, but rather Fluidic, a hybrid light show and sculpture that responds to viewers' movements.

Created by Berlin-based design studio Whitevoid Designs for Hyundai's Advanced Design Center, "Fluidic -- Sculpture in Motion" is just one of many interesting art exhibits on show during Italy's Milan Design Week, which runs through this weekend.… Read more

Today, it's easier than ever to download a song or convert a song you already have to a ringtone for use on your phone. The App Store is filled with tools that promise to do this on autopilot and myRingtoneCreator is one such option; but the overly intrusive ads are very distracting.

In fact, the first thing you'll probably notice about myRingtoneCreator is just how many ads appear when you open the app. Two separate pop-up ads appear that need to be closed before you can access the main menu, and then there are two large, animated banners … Read more

Adobe Photoshop CS6 only strengthens the benchmark software's existing position as the unrivaled production suite and an indispensable tool for old and new generation creative minds: graphic designers, web developers, video editors, you name it.

Let's start with the interface: dark is good. Photoshop CS6 brings a darker, more focused default work environment, with menus and toolbars painted in dark grays and blacks. Of course, if you're itching for a brighter look, CS6 gives users lighter-colored interfaces, reminiscent of previous versions. Tools are more streamlined thanks to Adobe's continuing move towards collapsible menus, while leaving the … Read more

There's something beautiful and futuristic about bright neon lights against a natural background.

In a stunning series of images called "Neon Luminance," San Francisco multimedia group From the Lenz used long-exposure photography to capture glow sticks traveling down a waterfall. The resulting pictures look straight out of a science fiction movie featuring a strange new world unlike our own. … Read more