Concrete Watches Look Heavier Than They Are

Concrete is an interesting material, but I’ve never thought about using it to make watches. Paris-based designer Dzmitry Samal has launched a series of watches, with frames made out of the durable material.

concrete watch dzmitry samal

All of the watches in this series are made partly out of concrete, using a patented technology. Each timepiece is made by hand in Switzerland, in limited editions of 100 to 150 pieces. He decided to use concrete since most cities use this material extensively, and reflects a similar urban sensibility in his dials.

concrete watch dzmitry samal close up

The watches sell directly from his online shop for €980 to €1,240 (~$1,202 to $1,520 USD). That’s not too expensive as designer watches go – I expected these to cost a lot more, due to the uniqueness of the design and the limited edition run.

concrete watch dzmitry samal details

[via MOCO LoCo]


Street Fighter II Minifig Concept KO’d by LEGO

Flickr member Julian Fong aka levork makes custom minifigures that look like they were released by LEGO itself. Over the last one and a half years, Fong has been working on a set of Street Fighter II minifigs. He’s now done, but at the same time he wasn’t able to fully realize his project.

street fighter ii lego minifigure by julian fong

With 16 actual prototypes in hand (he has big hands), Fong submitted a project proposal for an official set to LEGO by way of Cuusoo. Sadly, LEGO swiftly turned down the proposal. In their message to Fong, the company stated that the project “refers to a brand or licensed property that contains content or themes that do not fit the LEGO Group’s standards for appropriate content.” LEGO went on to say that it “will not accept a project submission based on this brand or licensed property”, and that “LEGO is a toy company, so we’re careful to only produce products we deem appropriate for children.”

street fighter ii lego minifigure by julian fong 2 150x150
street fighter ii lego minifigure by julian fong 3 150x150
street fighter ii lego minifigure by julian fong 4 150x150
street fighter ii lego minifigure by julian fong 5 150x150
street fighter ii lego minifigure by julian fong 150x150

Fong stated on Flickr that he respects LEGO’s decision. It is after all their prerogative; their brick house, their rules. But I do agree with Fong that LEGO broke its own rule when it released official Lord of the Rings figurines because the source material is also filled with violence. I’d even argue that the Star Wars and DC LEGO toys also fall under the same trap. Not that I want those toys to be canceled, just that I also believe there’s been a lack of consistency in enforcing the rule. I wonder if BrickArms can release the set instead?

[via Julian Fong via Kotaku]


A Cute Lamp That’s Also a Bulletin Board [Video]

Well isn’t this is just about the most perfect little desk lamp around. Called the Luminaire Post, it’s two things rolled into one: a light source and a bulletin board. So each time you flip it on, you get a glimpse of the items on your to-do list. More »

7,000 Sticky Notes Make up This Super Mario Stop-Motion Animation

Sticky notes are a useful office tool. I can’t get enough of them, and after years of use I don’t know how many I’ve used. However, I can’t say that I’ve ever seen this many sticky notes used in a single animation.

post it life super mario sticky notes animation

Post It Life was put together by animation master FinalCutKing using no less than 7,000 Post-It notes. The notes are the perfect size to represent pixels of your favorite video game character, giving life to Mario as he jumps, runs, and makes his way through real life office desks and hallways. Pac-Man and Tetris stop by for a little fun too.

A word to the wise: always keep your sticky notes entertained!

[via designboom]


Kicker Studio’s 3rd annual Device Design Day (D3) – Aug. 3, SF


Please join us at Kicker Studio’s 3rd annual Device Design Day (D3) conference on August 3, 2012 at the San Francisco Art Institute.

D3 2012 offers a full day of lively discussions in different shapes and sizes around the topic of natural user interface. Talks will be held in the morning and early afternoon, with a lunch break featuring the second annual Robot Petting Zoo. For the last session of the day, attendees will choose from smaller discussions and workshops focused on specific topics such as multi-model interactions and branding cross-platform experiences. The conference will be followed by a reception celebrating Kicker Studio’s 4th anniversary.

Tickets cost $399 and participants can register at http://devicedesignday.com.  The discount code for Ubergizmo readers is: UBERGIZMO

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By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Device Design Day, SF, Aug 5, GigaOM Mobilize: define the mobile first world,

Fancy 3D Wallpaper Is Basically Thousands of Shelves for Dust [Design]

Some might see this 3D wallpaper as a clever way to transcend the 2D norms of wall coverings. But the more cynical among us, particularly those who suffer from allergies, probably only see these designs as thousands of little ledges for dust and allergens to collect. More »

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The Infinitely Arrangeable Wall Shelf [Daily Desired]

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This Magnesium Firestarter Will Impress Fellow Outdoorsmen—And Maybe Save Your Ass [Desired]

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