Have you ever needed a user manual to sit on a good chair? Probably not. When we see a good chair, we almost always know exactly what to do, how to use it and what not to do with it. And yet, chairs are made by the thousands, and several challenge these base assumptions to become classics in their own right. The chair is one of the most universally recognized archetypes known to us. In light of recent events in the mobile realm, I believe that the stage is set to probe notions of archetypes in the mobile space. … »

With a mobile phone, you can watch movies/videos/TV programs online anywhere at almost any time. That ubiquity has brought tremendous convenience to our lives, but on the other hand, the value of them has been diminishing. We don’t very much/at all care about where we can get a clip or if we miss a drama episode. What if, however, we have a movie that can be watched only when certain conditions are met? … »

How would you like to tap your wrist to engage the clock embedded in the OLED wall? Rub your fingers together to request a text message with your bank account’s balance? Or rub your ear to have the speaker phone in the center of the table adjust the volume?

The Hasso Plattner Institute out of Potsdam, Germany recently published a paper on Disappearing Mobile Devices. The paper does not attempt to act as a proof of concept but instead outlines the possibilities of interactions with mobile devices as technology becomes smaller and embedded into the very fabric of our lives, whether it be our buildings, our clothing, or ourselves. … »

When I first played Star Fox 64 I was extremely excited to see the polygons move smoothly over the screen. It made me feel as if I were really flying over the combat zone. With the 3D technology (Google Earth, games, etc.) of today things look even more beautiful. Unfortunately we still have to experience this on our 2D screens… I can’t stop imagining what it would look like with future technology. And here is what I hope to see. … »

We all know how great a touch screen is… But have you ever thought that it’s a nightmare for the blind? You never know what you’re touching because everything is flat. All the information and status is on the screen, so a user has to take the device up from a pocket, touch the necessary buttons and see with his eyes. In the future information is told in 3D. … »

Handheld projectors are the next big thing in mobile devices. They make it possible to project a screen on almost any surfuce, anywhere. This technology opens up a whole new world of interactive possibilities. A group of researchers came up with the idea to explore multi user interaction for these handheld projectors. … »

In 2007 Barbara Ballard launched her book ‘Designing the Mobile User Experience’ in which she tried to explain to us what the design challenge for mobile devices is. It’s a good book to read, but for the lazy designers among us… there is an easier solution. A couple of students decided to translate the first chapters in a storyboard and made an interesting videoclip. … »

We should feel ashamed of ourselves. According to a recent research people get angry and frustrated by the complexity of modern mobile phones. We, experience designers, are stupid… We’ve got the greatest job in the world, full of endless posibilities to make people’s lives better, easier and happier. And we still manage to only make things worse. … »

At petitinvention Mac Funamizu is working on his vision for the future. He created a mobile augmented reality screen. Through this screen you can see everything around you, covered in a layer of digital information. Funamizu envisions all sorts of applications, ranging from practical to funny. … »

Until now Google Maps was the tool to use as a digital map on your iPhone (and iPod Touch). But it’s sexier brother Google Earth is taking over the show, because Google just announced it’s availability. … »