“From dawn to dusk, humans rely on tools to get us through the day. And from the beginning of civilization, we’ve used them to build and shape our world. In order to celebrate these devices, and so we might reflect upon the ways that we are the tools we use, Forbes.com decided to compile a list of the 20 most important tools of all time. These are the tools that have most impacted human civilization and helped move the course of history.”

“So this is what I’m talking about when I say ‘Great Design.’ It’s that ineffable quality that certain incredibly successful products have that makes people fall in love with them despite their flaws. It’s extremely hard to pull off. I sure as heck can’t do it. But, if you bear with me, I think I have some theories as to what’s happening.”

“Every design profession needs its iconic success story. Architects have the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. Product designers have the Apple iPod. And now, at last, graphic designers have an icon to call their very own: a little pill bottle, about 4 inches tall.”

“Nokia 6682 - my first Nokia phone. There are some UI quirks I’d like to see addressed, but overall I’m really thrilled with the phone. Great build quality, nice materials, nice weight, nice physical balance, nice look, and nice mix of phone-first PDA-second features…”

A conversation with Julie Lasky: “I.D. was founded in 1954 as Industrial Design. It was a smart, attractive magazine that celebrated post-World War II industrial production with an emphasis on the larger cultural forces shaping–and shaped by–design. Over the years, the name was abbreviated to match professional shorthand, and in the late 1980s the initials came to represent something else entirely: International Design.” (Thanks InfoDesign!)

“When Volkswagen released the new Beetle in 1998, I went to the local VW dealership with someone thinking about buying one. The salesman made a big deal about a feature I’d heard a lot about already: the bud vase mounted in the middle of the dashboard. That, I thought at the time, has got to be the stupidest feature I’ve ever seen in a product. Who has time to keep fresh-cut flowers in their car? Do you really want your car smelling like dead daisies? Boy, was I wrong.”

“By the time an object, or an apartment, or a company hits the half-century mark, it’s usually been through a redesign or two. Yet the standard-issue amber-cast pharmacy pill bottle has remained virtually unchanged since it was pressed into service after the second World War. (A child-safety cap was added in the seventies.) An overhaul is finally coming, courtesy of Deborah Adler, a 29-year-old graphic designer whose ClearRx prescription-packaging system debuts at Target pharmacies May 1.” (Thanks Coudal Partners!)

“By Bob Lutz, GM Vice Chairman: After years of reading and reacting to the automotive press, I finally get to put the shoe on the other foot. In the age of the Internet, anybody can be a ‘journalist…’ The FastLane blog is where you can come to read the latest, greatest musings of GM leaders on topics relevant to the company, the industry and the global economy, and — most of all — to our customers and other car enthusiasts.”

“Ask any iPod user what they like the most about their device, and most will probably mention the scrollwheel. Hereís the story behind the company that makes it (hint: itís not Apple).”

“Metaphase Design Group is among the firms that are melding research and good looks into products, helping clients find new revenue streams.”

“If thereís one design clichÈ that has come to really irritate me, itís this one: answering the question ‘Whatís your favorite design?’ with an answer like ‘The simple paper clip.’ Or the rubber band. Or the stop sign. Or the Post-It Note. Or any other humble, unauthored object from everyday life. To me, this is like answering the question ìWhatís your favorite song?î with ìYou know, is there any song as beautiful as the laughter of a child?î Itís corny. Itís lazy. Itís a cop-out… The white t-shirt and 121 other objects are on currently on view at New Yorkís Museum of Modern Art, in an exhibition that will either be the last word on the subject or start a new orgy of paper clip fetishization. ìHumble Masterpieces,î on view through September 27th, was organized by the first-rate curator (and unrepentant Post-It Note fan) Paola Antonelli, and includes the Bic Pen, the whisk broom, the tennis ball, and bubble wrap.”

“some tenets of simplicity have emerged: 1. Heed cultural patterns. The iPod, for instance, succeeded not just because of its sleek form, but because, in conjunction with iTunes, it solved so many of the problems of buying and storing music. 2. Be transparent. People like to have a mental model of how things work. 3. Edit. Simplicity hinges as much on cutting nonessential features as on adding helpful ones, the Newton MessagePad and the Palm Pilot being prime examples. 4. Prototype. Push beyond proof-of-technology demos and build prototypes that people can interact with.”

“IDFuel is the daily weblog for Industrial Designers looking to keep current on the latest materials, processes, products, technologies, design contests, and inspiration.”

“In 1998, design engineers at TiVo, the Silicon Valley company that helped introduce the digital video recorder to the world, set out to produce a distinctive remote control. The result was a textbook blend of complexity and ease of use.”

“…Beauty is skin deep, and so is our evolutionary response. Nothing wrong with that. It’s a layer of decision making we need… If you make something everyone loves, that’s a mark of mediocre design, not great design … I don’t want to control my DVD, I want to watch a movie…”