Google Cardboard: VR for dummies

Today, I finally purchased Google’s Cardboard VR-Viewer. Once the kit (cardboard + lenses) is assembled, a regular smartphone is inserted. By use of specialized apps and the phone’s built-in gyroscope, this offers a cheap way to discover and play with Virtual Reality. Think 3D-video, games, and ‘experiences’. Since its introduction in 2014 Google has shipped over 5 Million Carboard VR-Viewers.

It’s not so much about the device itself, but the new possibilities offered by creating an easy-access platform. For both designers and creatives tools are available to create 360º-videos (Jump app), panoramic images (Cardboard Camera) or games (Unity-software).

Some predict the next viewer will work without a cellphone or computer, using a built-in screen, processor and camera.

Inspiration: Print, Fonk, Net, MT & CommArts

A summary of my unchanged strategy: spending a Zen-moment in The Hague Central Library, browsing curiously through a selection of magazines. Clipping and sharing the following facts:

Print – Fall 2015 – The Text Issue
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Google font Literata replaces Droid Serif (see also: Fonts and Nonsense)
Cultural blogger Nadja Sayej

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Dam tot Dam Business Run – FSH

2015 | Fonds Slachtofferhulp

For many companies the Dam tot Dam Business Run is an excellent opportunity to achieve a sporting performance with staff or clients. To show this effort, we developed this event-specific logo for our client, the Dutch Victim Support Fund.

Death by inspiration

Killer design ideas and resources from a collection of magazines;

MacFan 120
Advertisement from Raumfeld (competitor of Sonos)
The revelation of the Nuremberg International Toy Fair: My Bionic Bird
Handy websites for creatives: makerbook – deathtothestockphoto – goodui – picjumbo – pexels – unsplash – coolors – audionetwork – instabackgrounds
Movies: The Babadook – Seven Psychopaths – The Hateful Eight

Fonk 162
Case: Biggest building wrap in the Netherlands for Shell HQ in The Hague Brandbase
Yepp website by Fabrique

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Inspiration: A Baker’s Dozen

1. It was hard to miss the crowdfunding campaign of startup GRID. Over 8000 backers paid $96 after seeing the slogan: ‘AI websites that design themselves’.

2. ‘Kurversbrug’ is a revival of Amsterdam’s bridge letters. The original alphabet was probably designed by Anton Kurvers around 1930. Ramiro Espinoza from Re-Type redefined the original model and the result is amazing.

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Infographic Smart Thermostats

The smart thermostat market is poised for significant growth. Recently, Google paid $ 3.2 billion for Nest Labs, a company that is known for interactive smart thermostats and smoke detectors. On the European market Tado is a strong contender. In the Netherlands, energy suppliers offer a range of smart products and services, including Eneco (Toon) and Essent (Icy). Boiler manufacturers offer smart solutions as well (Remeha, Nefit/Bosch and Vaillant).

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Can a font help ‘cure’ dyslexia?

Blog | 2013

A week ago it was announced that the Dutch typeface ‘Dyslexie’ has been nominated for the International Index Award. Noteworthy, one might think. Yet it is doubtful whether this font is really useful. The typeface doesn’t seem to have much research backing it. There is also discussion about it’s aesthetic qualities and pricing.

Competition
Last year, another font ‘OpenDyslexic’ made news-headlines. This font is not only free (open-source), but can also be viewed by using a special web-browser (Open Web). By now, OpenDyslexic has received much positive attention. However, it is questionable whether the quality of this font is any better than the Dutch ‘Dyslexia’.

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NYC 2012

A small overview of our annual family visit to New York, with special attention for Halloween and superstorm Sandy.

Exhibition: PASSING BY

Amstel 41 cordially invites you to attend the opening of the exhibition PASSING BY with works of Louis de Loos, Rini Antonissen en Niels Biersteker.

The opening will take place at the Amstel 41 (Amsterdam) on Friday the 29th of June from 18:00-23:00. The exhibition can also be visited on Saturday the 30th and Sunday the 1st of July from 13:00-18:00.

Pinterest for designers

Since February 2012 I’m an avid user of Pinterest and owner of 41 boards, 1137 pins and 123 likes. But why? To explain myself, a few examples.

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1. Collector’s mania: flexible logo’s

The images above show the latest pins of my Pinterest board ‘Polymorphic Identity Systems’. This is the place were I collect examples of ‘flexible’ logo’s and visual identities (total of 280 pins, 81 followers). Update (2013.09.13): 443 pins, 301 followers.
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