Laid Off pt. 2... takesies backsies!

The update you've all been waiting for. I didn't want to do this preemptively, so I waited until the agreement was made over the phone.

In what must go down as the oddest week in my life (I really wracked my brain to think of a weirder one) I was let go by Nomadic Display, and no less than two (2) days later I was offered my job back with Nomadic Display. Same pay, same position, same 4-day per week schedule. At which point I request 5-days per week, and today they cleverly countered with 4-days per week. Being the cunning businessman and negotiator that I am, I accepted their offer.

From what I could gather from my boss, it turns out that the employee in my department who was cut to part-time and wanted to be laid off instead got her wish (big hooray because she is awesome) and now there was money to hire me back.

I hadn't even taken my desk chair out of my car.

I figure I want them to go around and introduce me to everyone again, give me another employee handbook, basically treat it like I'm the new guy again. Or I'll make 100's of "What are you gonna do, fire me?" style jokes. Either way, next week is gonna be a little weird as well.

And there's another reason- the company wants the severance pay back. I'm no lawyer (although, if someone makes the right offer...) but from what I've gathered from some friends with HR experience since I was in fact laid off, I am entitled to my severance. Those of you who are lawyers, (Jess E., Jess P., Kristen W., and Chris F.- this means you.) I could use your help on this one!

In conclusion- because I have lost my job and got a new job since I have last seen you, the way I see it, you all owe me two drinks! See you at the bars!

Laid Off

As some you may have heard, I was recently let go from my position of Graphics Designer at Nomadic Display. I had been working there just under 10 months, so with the need for financial cutbacks, it was determined that I was the most expendable person in my department of 4 people. Hard to argue with, as there were other people there who can do most of what I did- except InDesign and Illustrator. But god help them if they need another catalog designed anyway.

I'm not taking it personally, as four other people were laid off, and several more cut down to ~20 hours per week, but, to put it bluntly it still sucks.

I'm not, however, going to crash. While any steady income is gone (save for VA unemployment) I recently got some money from the sale of property that my Mom had (who knew?) which will hold me over until I can find some new work. The only question is- now what?

I have been talking about a move west for a few months now, and while it seems like it will happen at some point, it's hard to figure out when. I have a lease that ends on April 1. I'd love to try to get a job out west first, but that seems impossible. These places require in-person interviews, and I just don't know if I have the portfolio strength to get hired. It feels like my best option is to move SOMEWHERE, get a studio space, and do freelance and competition work until I've garnered enough experience and attention to work in a place I really like. I have an idea for something called "insanity labs" kicking around in my head, which I'll explain in an upcoming blog post, but its rather unrealistic and fraught with pesky issues like zoning laws. But as of right now, it's got to be nothing but Industrial Design. I won't settle for anything less unless I KNOW it puts me on the right path to it.

In the meantime I'm back to C# training, should be picking up Objective-C in the near future, and messing with this little thing called arduino. Oh, and I've started lifting and running again so by January I can already outrun the New Year's resolution crowd.

Thanks everyone for your calls and messages, and I'll try to keep you all updated.

Why you will probably be driving an electrc car soon...

One of the new, battery swappable EVs from Better Place

Electric cars have been around a while. You've probably seen a few plugged in on your college campus, you've probably driven a golf cart. Maybe your friend who is too smug to own a Prius has one. But there have long been obstacles in making these cars even close to desirable to own. That's all about to change.

Electric cars are finally fun to drive. Check out the Tesla Roadster, which I'm sure you've heard of if you follow the issue at all. The waiting period to grab one of these is enormous, but the point is, Tesla has brought the power and excitement to the electric car. Don't believe me? Check out the boys at Top Gear review it here.

At the end of the video, Clarkson mentions the biggest concern for the electric car- battery life and charge time. When you kill the battery for an electric car it can take 16 hours to recharge. Not a problem if you're just commuting, but totally eliminating road trips longer than a single charge can get you. Until now.

Shai Agassi, an Israeli entrepreneur has stumbled upon the greatest idea yet. Instead of having car recharging stations, why not have fully charged battery stations, and hot swap the lithium-ion battery out for a fully charged one? Common sense dictates that this action could take even less time than filling up your tank. Check out more about this simple, yet important change in strategy at his company's website.

So, all that coupled with more companies produce pure electrics that don't look like remote control vehicles, (See old Honda Insight vs. the New One) means we've really run out of reasons to not go electric. Mr. Agassi sees a wide infrastructure of these battery stations within 10 years, so your next car, believe it or not, may take no gas at all.

How to get an Industrial Design Job: my Whirlwind Tour of SF

As some of you may have heard I ventured to the Coroflot Confab in loverly San Francisco last Wednesday to see what I could see, get myself out there, so to speak. I had an uneventful flight, thanks to some Nyquil, got a free hotel upgrade and had my business cards shipped straight to the hotel. The whole thing was a complete success. Almost. (More on that later.)

I made a cool business connection with a programmer from un upstart known as Farm'sReach, and that was just on the cab ride from the airport. The conference itself was really helpful- the morning session regarding how to improve your web presence and get hired was very eye-opening. Some pointers for those of you who didn't attend: get your self on a wide range of sites, and get them all to link to your main portfolio page. Broad, thin range of sites, one single, in-depth site.

Then the panel discussion, which had IDEO and Google represented, revealed some interesting truths about getting hired in the design industry. Are you ready?

1. Be ready to wait TWO YEARS. Sometimes, even after initial contact, in an industry that considers its hires to be TALENT, not just an employee, the scout might watch you for two years to see how you are progressing as a designer to make you an offer. Although, sometimes its as little as a month.

2. Give a sense of who you are in your potfolio, or how you show your work. Since design is so collaborative, they sincerely care about what kind of person you will be to work with. Skills and programs can be taught. If you're not a decent, interesting, and effective person to work with, you probably will never be. (Time to undertake undertaking.)

3. Applying for jobs you are completely unqualified for is a GOOD THING! Believe it or not, in design, because the job description, usually written six months prior to the actual hire by someone in HR, is so different from the final job that you get hired for, you should go ahead and apply anyway. Its better the scouts know you're out there than have you sit on your hands.

Then after the discussion I got drunk at the reception, and proceeded to lose my new pack of 500 business cards on the streets of San Francisco. Well, I did give like 30 of them out. And I met some very cool design people, and exchanged some info over beers nearby!

Two days after my flight home the hotel calls me. Apparently, some good Samaritan found my business cards on the street and delivered them to the address on the box! They are due in the mail to me tomorrow.

Look for a homepage redesign @ www.MichaelWTaft.com with some help from my friend Jake Cohen.

New Droid Phone, is Everything the iPhone isn't. Like Ugly.

iDon't have a physical keyboard.

iDon't care.

Motorola's upcoming Droid has similar styling to the Motorola MicroTAC of 1989, or that its UI looks eerily familiar. I can't comment on the quality of it as a device, but from seeing it-

This appears to have very little character. A look at this and the keyboard, and it becomes clear that this phone, apparently one of the fastest ever made, will appeal to people who don't care what their phone looks like.

Now don't misunderstand, there is nothing wrong with caring about sheer functionality of a device, its just not enough to take Apple's share of the market. The Droid will most likely compete with the Palm Pre.

The most important point is not that one phone is better than the other, this is just like the Mac vs. PC debate- there are different types of people in the world, ergo there are different kinds of phones. SO STOP ARGUING.

This phone will appeal greatly to a certain sector. Probably everyone that bought a Voyager. Just not the iPhone users who, if you ask them, will tell you they don't miss a physical keyboard one bit. Who am I kidding, iPhone users will tell you about their phone whether you ask them or not.

iPhone Commits Suicide, Cites Constant Murder Threats.

In a surprise move, after getting beat up on the playground, teased for not having a physical keyboard or a decent digital camera, the iPhone took its own life yesterday because, as read in a note uploaded to its blog through its sweet wordpress app, "I cannot go on living like this."

Sources say those close to the cleanly designed handheld device were shocked to find out what had happened, especially with the huge popularity of the phone, and it's apparent resilience against phones that has tried to assassinate the phone before. "But this time was different," said Steve J., a friend and mentor to iPhone "people had really worn down his self esteem. I mean, have you seen what they write on those message boards?"

True, in just scanning one recent article in which he is mentioned, some libelous charletains have claimed "iPhone is totally gay." and "Whatever, the newest Nokia phones have like a bizillion gigapixel- camera or whatever. This phone sux at everything." People apparently unaware that there could be a phone that is good for some people and not good for others. Although, this doesn't seem likely to be the complete impetus for his death, as his supporters on there boards were usually just as numerous and stupid. "You f8ckers are fucing stpid. Stop hating and read a danmed history book!" wrote one concerned citizen.

More likely, pressure from the upcoming release of the Motorola Droid phone caused a great deal of new pressure, as the latest attempted iPhone killer presented himself publicly. "The Droid ad runs like a smear campaign. I mean, come on, all this guy wants to do is listen to the Ting Tings while snowboarding. Leave the little hipster shit alone!" said this guy I know.

With his ego bruised and new pressures to constantly be the best thing out there, iPhone ended it all yesterday by running a remote wipe on his own Mobile Me account. Which, let's be honest is a truly bitchin' feature.

He is survived by the iPod touch, which is just as good.

The 3D Printer YOU can (nearly) afford!

Welcome to the future. The year is 2030, give or take a year. It's Christmas Eve, and you forgot to buy young Timmy that remote control monster truck with the lightning bolts on the sides that he has been talking about for a month. 20 years ago, this would have been a problem. 20 years ago, you would have waited in line at wal-mart for this toy, and found none left. But its 2030, so you download a mesh, replace the low "rubber" cartridge in your rapid prototyping machine (RPM), and you print him one.

This Christmas story may seem a bit far-fetched, but moved a bit closer when a company called Desktop Factory released their first ever RPM for under $5000 new. That still seems a bit hefty for the average household, but when one considers the nearest competition is about the price of a small car, one realizes this is a HUGE leap in the right direction.

The device has a pretty small envelope, as it can only print objects as large as 5"x5"x5", and the smallest wall thickness is about .06" which is not great as industry standards go, but what is important is that there is a company out there that sees the potential for this product to sit on your desk at home.

"Hey Bill, I'm bringing my new girlfriend to your party. You'll need to print another chair."

This is a big deal to the design community as well. Designers may eventually no longer work with clay and foam prototypes, save for very rough ones, much in the same way graphic designers don't use as much of the pen and ink as they used to. The ability to make a clean working proto as early as your second attempt, that can be adjusted with the click of the mouse is not 20 years away. Some companies already do this. Soon, your clients will expect it.

Then your products will often be released as meshes, printable files that any old hillbilly with an RPM and the proper raw materials will be able to reproduce identical versions of your idea in his garage next to his moonshine still. All of a sudden, you will have a marketplace like iTunes selling meshes, and people trading them illegally on the web.

But this is impossible, you say. You can really only effectively print in plastic, right?

Not so. The circuit boards in your computer are metal printed on plastic wafer boards, and scientists have developed an amazing product called liquid wood. Being able to print in fabric and foam surely isn't far behind.

Think of the possibilities for product customization! Think of the jobs lost at manufacturing plants! Think how different are world will be! Think how being a CAD operator will be as much of a skill as being a toaster operator is now! Think how old you'll feel!

Now tell others what you think, and leave a comment.

Take Notice- The world trough a viewfinder.

How many times have you seen this: you're at a monument or other tourist destination and there are several families there, all of which have someone- not to promote stereotypes but this usually is the Dad wearing a yellow shirt and socks that are way too high- who is watching the whole thing through a camcorder viewfinder. In trying to capture forever those precious memories he has, with a device, excluded himself from them.

Or this: you're at a wedding and the bride is beginning to walk down the aisle. The couple have hired a professional photographer to capture - with some expert skill hopefully - this defining moment in their lives. Yet everyone in the botanical garden, even Aunt Gertrude who wouldn't know a horizon line if it bit her in the ass, and claims the soft focus was on purpose, is reaching over their heads to grab a snapshot.

The digital camera has become so simple and easy that we may be limiting our life experiences simply by trying to record them. Taking ourselves out of the moment so it is ours forever. It is really worth it? I have mostly always been a live in the moment kind of person, but I submit that things are getting out of hand.

Is it possible to conceive of a camera that doesn't cut the user out? What would a camera like that look like? Yes we all have camera timers, but those only work for posed shots. And what of making the photo process more collaborative? Photo sharing sites have started to make this easier, but the sheer quantity of photos everyone takes is just too many for the free sites to work on. Can we get to the point where people around the world start saying, "Let's just leave the camera at home, someone else there will be taking pictures."

Or am I wrong? Is all this amateur photography a good thing? What do you think?

--Take notice is a feature on IDoLOG regarding changes in trends relating to consumer products-

How to read a company by the last few letters of their name.

Root for the LLC, the LC or the Co-op - if you want to find a product or service company that is looking out for the consumer. A company that might not be as likely to be worried about what you think probably ends in I-N-C.

There is a lot of pressure on a successful company to "go public" or "incorporate" so that people may invest in the company, and become a shareholder. Basically because this company is making money, and greedy people want in on it.

Up until this point a product company only has an obligation to its customers- the folks who decide whether or not to spend their hard earned money with the company. And when the time comes where the company has to make a decision between the quality of their customer's experience and making more money, they CAN still choose the customer.

If a comapny incorporates, they now have an obligation to their shareholders- and a legal one at that- to choose the option that makes the most money. If a corporation makes a move that can be seen as making decisions not in the best financial interest of the owners, that company can be sued for damages.

Many corporations do manage to keep quality customer consideration in their minds, but it is a tendancy that a Co-op will handle this better.

Companies tag this "INC." surname to imply financial stability, but what they're really saying is that they're here to make money. Maybe I'm some sort of consumer idealist, but I happen to believe that there are still companies out therethat exist to provide a quality good or service to their customer first, and continue to make money because their customers reward them with increased sales.

Found on Coroflot! - Zig Bench by Catherine Worsham

An awesome idea for outdoor seating brought to you by Virginia Tech graduate Catherine Worsham. Zig is a bench as well as a bike rack, while maintaining a vibrant exciting appearance. For more of Catherine's work, click here.

If you find something neat on coroflot don't hesitate to put the link in the comments!

Thanks!

- Found on Coroflot! tries to bring to light good design ideas by scouring designer portfolios -
- Coroflot.com is the premiere web site for finding Industrial Design jobs and Industrial Design portfolios -

It's almost too easy.

Easier. Faster. More efficient. Done while you sleep.

Buzz words from a culture driven by speed. As designers, we are frequently asked to make things fall into this territory- But at what cost?

The other day I was having a debate with fellow designer Jacob Cohen about this very subject- more specifically the automatic gear shift versus the standard (manual) gear shift. His point was, now that there is a machine handling your gear changes, you are less connected with the act of driving, making the act of driving more dangerous. The manual car driver is far less likely to text, eat, or at least space out while driving. Jake suggested that we revert back to the way things were, before a computer separated our intent from what the machine does.

I argued that ideas like anti-lock brakes, power steering, and traction control were recent advents that are beneficial, because they turn human intuition into intended action. Without anti-lock brakes, jamming the brake pedal would cause your car to go out of control.

But Jake's point is so valid and intriguing. In a world where people have to join gyms to remain healthy, there is a bus stop on nearly every block on 16th st in Washington DC. Many people think Jake is crazy because if something is within two miles, he'll usually walk there. But maybe you're crazy to waste the gas, put the wear and tear on your car, and then drive to a facility where you pay to run in place for an hour. Does anyone else see the discord?

And of course, there is also the sentiment that succeeding at a difficult task is usually more rewarding than a simple one.

Trying to look at making the world more difficult seems hard and counter-intuitive as a designer. Easier has always seemed like better. My suggestion for a solution- when we design something- anything - with the intent of making an act simpler - we need to ask what we are losing in speeding up and dumbing down this task.

Are we losing control and familiarity? The ability to learn something? A little healthy exercise? The satisfaction of a job well done?

The loss of these virtues need to be weighed against how easy the task is being made before making the change. We don't need to revert to the way things were in every respect, but we do need to examine future moves.

What can designers actively do to help abate the sentiment that easier is better?

Look out for Loft

Stunning curves, classic style. Is that Eames? No, the joints aren't quite right for Eames.. Aalto? No, its far too geometric for Aalto. Why do I feel like I've seen this chair before?

And why do I want one so bad?

"Loft" is a lounge chair dubbed an "instant classic" by the judges at I.D. Magazine's 2009 Design Review and winner of the Best in Category in the area of Furniture Design. Yes, 2009. That means it was designed sometime in 2008. Look to see this chair everywhere despite the STEEP price tag- because last years winner in this category- Yves Behar's "Leaf" light became an icon nearly immediately.

So who is the designer behind "Loft"? Is it Behar? Grcic? Try Shelly. Shelly Shelly (no typo) to be more precise, who is a student, no less, at the Art Center College of Design. Let it be noted that there was a whole category for student work, which this chair managed to transcend. Thank you, Shelly, we'll be keeping an eye on you- you've grabbed the attention of the design community- let's see what you do with it.

Humming a new tune

It wasn't too long ago that even the most conservative saw that global warming was probably real, and everyone was paying over $4 per gallon of gas. Many felt that it was time for a change in the auto industry- those of us interested in auto design had taken a peek overseas at Smart and Citroen and VW and seen low emission vehicles getting over 50 miles per gallon already, and new that this was the way America would have to go. SUVs dropped off Consumer reports top 10 sales list (save for number 10) and the world braced for America's foresight and green-minded autos.

Then none came.

The first round consisted of bigger, more luxurious SUVs. Then some hybrid SUVs. A hybrid SUV? So for an extra 10k your dangerous, self important, space-wasting vehicle can get you an additional 5mpg, getting you in line with the worst of the sedans? Then there were some poorly marketed hybrids. Quick, name an American made hybrid car. Does anything come to mind?

So the "Big three" floundered recently, and are now facing serious financial challenges. And right now, through force, we are going to see the face of the American vehicle change.

Chrysler is now, basically owned by Fiat. Imagine what you think a Fiat automobile looks like. Chances are, you imagined a small, red hatchback. Fiat doesn't make big cars.

Ford announced that they are practically going to start over- concentrating on greener autos- and pay more attention to what people want.

GM made one of the biggest moves, selling Hummer, a type of vehicle that has no business existing anyhow.

What can we learn from this? Consumers still have the power to push the market in the direction they want. Finally the American car industry is realizing that they need to pay closer attention, and have a little foresight. Because next time, there might not be a bailout.

Kindle 2's price cut to $299. Who will care?

Yesterday Amazon announced that everyone's favorite eBook reader is having its price slashed again- from $359 to $299. This appears to be the result of the company that assembles the Kindle - Prime View - acquiring the company responsible for that eye-saving screen technology- E-ink. This appears to be just the first step in one of many as the technology gets more sophisticated and cheaper to produce. And amazon has chosen to pass the savings on to you. Gotta love it.

Now you might expect this to mean that you'll see eReaders in the hands of everyone- saving the newspaper industry single-handedly. Not so fast. I don't think the market is ripe for such a device.

The problem you have is no group to adopt the item quickly. Your usual early adopters- teens and young adults- let's face it- don't read. And your big readers- the baby boomers and older - are going to be slow to adopt new technology, or actively resistant to it.

You just describe the Kindle to your mom, and she will inevitably say the same few things. I like holding a book in my hands. I like having them all on my shelf to look at. I like seeing by the thinkness of the book how far done I am. All related to the comfort the person associates with reading and their physical connection to a book. And these are valid points. Reading is a VERY intimate act, and people want to be comfortable while they do it.

How about the feeling This is my favorite book ever- and I love it. Imagine, dear reader, your favorite book is just a digital file, a candle in the wind waiting to be snuffed out when your external hard drive crashes. A fearful thought for many. Until the kindle adresses the personality of the product, so it is one that the user loves as his/her favorite book, they will not be able to penetrate that market.

Now in regard to tweens and teens- there is slim to no interest here. Reading is a long and involved task, and getting this generation to slow down and take notice is no easy task. The way into the hearts and minds of these ones is through textbooks, an area Amazon has already made some progress into. College students spend several hundred dollars every semester to buy books- big, heavy books that cause almost as much back pain as they do financial pain. And the key- students have little or no attachment to their Macroeconomics textbook, nor do they want to read it cover to cover.

Perhaps the intent of Amazon is not to replace the book, but to supplement it. But if they want to make young people adopt their product, the only way in I see is through academia. So the price cut should make little to no difference- I know of no one waiting on buying a Kindle beacause its just too expensive.

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Mike