Disappearing Packages: When the Product is the Package, and the Package is the Product

Every year, 140 billion pounds of packaging are disposed of in the United States alone. The world is running out of space for land fills and we’ve already got enough particulate matter in the atmosphere, just in case some people think burning the whole lot is the solution.

Design student Aaron Mickelson is well aware of the impact that all this packaging has on the environment. His alternative? Disappearing packaging.

Disappearing PackageNot the type of disappearing that involves magic, but ingenuity. Instead of using non-biodegradable materials to package various household products, Aaron’s packaging calls for the product itself to be integrated into the packaging, so the latter gets used up in the process as well.

Instead of ending up with an empty bottle, you’ll end up with… well, nothing. Some example designs include detergent pods which punch out of a perforated sheet that forms the package, soap packaging made out of soap, and garbage bags that are packed in, well… a garbage bag.

Disappearing Package5 300x250
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Disappearing Package 300x250

Doing something like this might be easier said than done, but it’s worth a shot, at the very least.

[via TAXI via Bit Rebels]

Ketchup Squeezing French Fry Containers Will Surely Revolutionize Fast Food

Besides the menu options, the uninspired design of the ketchup packet has to be one of the worst parts of the fast food experience. So designers Hwandong Lee, Myung Gyu Kim, Nari Lee, and Taeno Yoon tasked themselves with coming up with a better solution, and now that the world is aware of the Ketchup Presser, we can never go back. More »

Windows 8 now available to try at Best Buy

DNP Windows 8 now available to try at Best Buy

Microsoft’s already opened up the floodgates with Windows 8 pre-orders, and it looks as if those still on the fence now have a sandbox to goof off in. Pictured above is a trio of Windows 8 notebooks from a Best Buy located in St. Cloud, Minnesota, and we actually called around to confirm with several other stores that a similar setup had been erected in their locales. Nah, we can’t make October 26th get here any faster, but at least you know where to head if you’re looking for a sample.

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Windows 8 now available to try at Best Buy originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 17:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows 8 packaging and pricing revealed: standard OEM $99, Pro Pack $139, pre-order from today

Windows 8 packaging and pricing revealed by Newegg, Windows

We’re almost there. Just a few more days until the big reveal. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t still a few final Windows 8 secrets to be disclosed. Two of those are the price and the packaging, which online retailer Newegg has just let slip. There are four packages listed: Windows 8 Professional Upgrade ($69), Windows 8 Pro Pack ($69, product key card only), Windows 8 OEM ($99) and Windows 8 Professional ($139), with the latter two being available in both 32- and 64-bit versions (for the same price). If you go into the product page, however, we can see that the original price for the upgrade and product key card only versions is listed as “$199” suggesting that this might either be a launch offer, or subject to change. Don’t forget though, there’s still the chance to upgrade for an even lower price, for those who qualify. You can officially reserve your copy of Pro from today for $69.99 at all the main retailers, but if you can hold back on that impulse purchase for just a little longer, you’ll be able to upgrade to Pro online for $39 (until January 31st). Follow the source for details.

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Windows 8 packaging and pricing revealed: standard OEM $99, Pro Pack $139, pre-order from today originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 09:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink ZDNet  |  sourceWindows Team Blog, Newegg  | Email this | Comments

Pre-Peeled, Re-Wrapped Bananas Are the Most Wasteful Sign of the Apocalypse Yet [WTFriday]

In what has to be the worst case of wasteful packaging in the history of modern conveniece, a grocery store in Austria is actually selling pre-peeled bananas that have then been re-packaged in cellophane-covered foam trays. More »

Packaging hints at ASUS Padfone 2 having 4.7-inch 720p display, 13MP camera, quad-core S4 Pro

Packaging hints at ASUS Padfone 2 having 47inch 720p display, 13MP camera, quadcore S4 Pro

We can’t guarantee what this box contains, but if the list of specs is accurate then it’s definitely too good to gift-wrap. The photo above was posted to a Chinese forum thread entitled “Padfone 2 specs revealed” by a user called cj1024, and indeed the A68 model number at the top of the list does sound appropriate, considering the original Padfone was the A66. If we assume it’s legit, for the sake of argument, then maybe we can expect ASUS’s next modular phone to come with the same quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor and 13-megapixel camera resolution that are already strutting around in the LG Optimus G, alongside an uncommonly bright, 4.7-inch 1280 x 720 Super IPS+ display, LTE and 2GB of RAM. You can digest the rest for yourself, or just wait until October 16th.

Update: Keen-eyed doubter Firuz has spotted a problem: the display icon says “SuperAMOLED” even though the specs state “Super IPS.” Dodgy ‘chop or actual packaging error? You decide.

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Packaging hints at ASUS Padfone 2 having 4.7-inch 720p display, 13MP camera, quad-core S4 Pro originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Sep 2012 06:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Condom Wrapper Can Be Opened One-handed

How many intimate moments have been ruined by fighting to open up a condom wrapper? Far too many. However, those days may be over thanks to this unique new design. Designer Ben Pawle has created a new type of wrapper that lets you get the condom out of the package using just one hand.
condom wrapper
This design features a perforated seam that easily opens when you slide your thumb along the face of the packet. The condom then falls neatly into your hand. It couldn’t be easier. Your moment of passion won’t be disrupted, and you can get on with your business.

The design comes from the result of a study at the Glasgow School of Art, where they were looking into ways to make life easier for disabled people. Though this design can help us all.

[via Dvice]


Wii U titles listed on Amazon let us see Nintendo’s all-new packaging design

Wii U titles listed on Amazon let us see Nintendo's allnew packaging design

Although it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Nintendo would be redesigning its software packaging to accommodate the new “U,” it’s still nice to get an early peek at what we can expect from the Japanese gaming giant come “this holiday” season. As you can tell by the Avengers: Battle for Earth title above, the design only sees slight changes near the top, where it’s clearly left the white and gray accents for a more colorful blue and yellow coating — not to mention the expected addition of the Wii U branding around the center. There are other games out in the Amazon wild besides the Marvel one here, including Just Dance 4 and Assassin’s Creed 3. You can check those out at any of the source links below.

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Wii U titles listed on Amazon let us see Nintendo’s all-new packaging design originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Aug 2012 17:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aussie regulator raps TV makers for touting ‘WiFi ready’ products

Aussie regulator raps TV makers for touting 'WiFi ready' products

Sony, LG, Panasonic, Samsung and Sharp will no longer be marketing their TVs and Blu-Ray players as “WiFi ready” in Australia unless they’re actually ready to connect to a WiFi network. Many products labeled as such often require the additional purchase of a $100-$120 AUD ($80-$100) dongle, and the ACCC, the country’s US FTC doppelgänger, has ordered the makers to stop the practice. It all started when a customer complained to the watchdog after feeling burned when his “WiFi ready” TV… wasn’t. The fact that similar terms were being used on products that actually have built-in adapters was another strike against the practice, according to the regulator from down under. However, if you happen to reside somewhere else in the world, it’s caveat emptor, as usual.

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Aussie regulator raps TV makers for touting ‘WiFi ready’ products originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 08:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink TechEye  |  sourceSydney Morning Herald  | Email this | Comments

The E.T. Anniversary Edition Blu-ray Packaging Is Completely Ridiculous and Awesome [Video]

It’s been 30 years since the world’s most loveable extra-terrestrial made its debut on the silver screen, and to celebrate the anniversary the film is being released on Blu-ray with what has to be some of the most over-the-top and brilliant re-packaging ever. More »