Matt Jones and Tom Coates, a presentation from the 2008 Web2.0Expo: “Today we’re going to… examine what we find a pretty fascinating emerging area — where ubiquitous technology is increasingly impacting our lives, which we call ‘personal informatics.’”

“TheDieline.com defines good graphic design and product packaging in consumer products in industries such as food and drink, bath and beauty, alcohol, and more. Well designed packaging establishes consumers’ perception of the brand and the product. We showcase the best work out there from around the world.”

“Here’s video of ‘Casulo,’ the much-hubbubbed-about ‘apartment in a box’ from Marcel Krings & Sebastian Muhlhauser, who won the Abraham & David Roentgen Award with it in November of last year.”

“The latest addition to the 100% portfolio is a lamp in shape of – you guessed it – a lamp. A wonderful idea that causes irritated looks followed by broad grinning. Born out of the fact that light bulbs have become a commodity product, that lead a pretty neglected life, only in our focus when it breaks and when we usually don’t have the correct replacement on hand. We are much more intrigued by the surrounding of the lightbulb, the shape of the shade or the way it is held, or the size… All of that casual usage of the common bulb will now change, and it will be displayed for what it is.”

“Not sure how design could fit into your business? Want to find out how other people do it? Read our in-depth articles on how design is managed, with practical ideas and real-life examples of design being used for business success.”

“For our special 50th issue we asked 50 of the most influential architects, designers and thinkers to tell us what they believe in.”

“Sketching User Experiences is Bill Buxton’s new book arguing that the process of sketching is distinct from prototyping, and an integral part of design. Buxton opens with the canonical example of great design, Apple’s iPod, to show that its “overnight” success actually came after 3+ years of development and updates, and moves on to talk about the lack of design in typical software organizations… About 1/3rd through the book, Buxton cuts to the chase with an 11-point definition of sketching as distinct from prototyping. Most importantly to Buxton, sketches are fast, cheap, and divergent. They develop quickly with only minimal detail to make a point, and are intended to communicate the essential ideas of a maximally-wide variety of design possibilities.” (Thanks Magnetbox!)

” There’s no need to restate the high reverence (or pangs of envy, depending on where your loyalty lies) of Apple. They have innovated, floundered, and in recent years, risen from the ashes to make one hell of a run in computing and electronics devices. Love them or hate them, you can’t deny that they are adored by their fans. Their brand has reached that highly sought-after place in the world of marketing: they can do no wrong.

So how did they get there? Is it dumb luck? Or are they just much smarter than the rest of us? The most common reason given is Apple’s rabid devotion to design. That is, without a doubt, a key component of Apple’s success. But I think there’s more to it than that. Here are ten reasons why I think Apple is so successful today, and what we can learn from them…”

“How Products Are Made explains and details the manufacturing process of a wide variety of products, from daily household items to complicated electronic equipment and heavy machinery. The site provides step by step descriptions of the assembly and the manufacturing process (complemented with illustrations and diagrams) Each product also has related information such as the background, how the item works, who invented the product, raw materials that were used, product applications, by-products that are generated, possible future developments, quality control procedures, etc.”

:A famous designer’s touch to an everyday object often results in unique but expensive products. Here we have put together 50 affordable products ($5-$100) designed by famous names and/or reached a cult status. A design feels always better if you have it at home. This list composed by Ali Vatansever for Designophy will be a design buying guide for you.”

“The odd thing is that no one sets out to design something that’s mediocre. So why does design go wrong so often? Let’s set aside the rational reasons why projects can fail — like budgetary constraints, deadline pressure and lack of talent — to concentrate on the scenarios that should be easily avoidable, but crop up again and again, with predictably dire results.”

“Rosenfeld Media is proud to announce that Todd Zaki Warfel has begun work on a book on developing prototypes. ‘A Practitioner’s Guide to Prototyping’ will help you quickly flesh out your design ideas, test your assumptions, and gather real-time feedback from users. The book will discuss how prototypes are more than just a design tool, demonstrating how they can help you market a product, gain internal buy-in, and test feasibility with your development team.” (Thanks Airbag!)

“If you discount CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (which is officially the Largest Machine in the World; then the biggest MOVING machine build by humans would be the giant bucket wheel excavator ‘Bagger 288′ built by Krupp in Germany in 1978. “

“Bill Stumpf, the designer who revolutionized office seating by creating the first mass produced ergonomic chairs for Herman Miller Inc., including the iconic Aeron, died Wednesday, according to the company.”

Looks like an amazing three volume set: “Industrially manufactured objects of aesthetic value and timeless quality: 1) Definitive models of lasting influence and enduring significance; 2) Objects that are innovative in their use of new materials and unite technological advances with beautiful design; 3) Objects characterized by simplicity, balance and purity of form; 4) Objects that are perfect in their design and have remained unchanged since their creation.” (Thanks Coudal Partners!)