“Getting things done” isn’t just matter of taking care of business, but it’s a mindset. Meet Things by Cultured Code, an application that is so simple and well designed that it is genuinely beneficial to any designer’s / creative’s / professionals workflow. Available for Mac OSX for $49, iPad ($20), and iPhone ($10).
Apple 27″ LED Cinema Display
It’s been a long time coming, but Apple has finally released the larger version of their updated monitor—the 27″ LED Cinema Display. Boasting a 16:9 aspect ratio with a gigantic 2560-by-1440 resolution, the new cinema display is the perfect addition for those of us who prefer to use laptops for portability but want a desktop experience at home. Also added from the previous generation is an iSight webcam and 49 watt speaker. According to Apple’s press release the display will be priced at $999, lower than it’s 30 inch predecessor by a substantial margin, and you’ll be able to pick yours up in September.
Cumulous & Foam Typeface
Cumulous & Foam is the new unruly typeface from Iceland-by-way-of-Atlanta designer, Stéfan Kjartansson. The lovechild of utter chaos and simple perfection is this set of amazingly beautiful letters. Available July 12th. Price TBD.
Dive Slates
We were taken by surprise this morning when Cameron Moll recommended using a diving slate for capturing ideas while in the shower. We’ve all had those lightbulb moments while standing under the fall of water, but remembering them by the time you dry off is a challenge. No more! Dive slates are used by scuba divers to take notes underwater, so the drip-drop from your shower won’t keep you from documenting ‘the next big thing.’
Amazon has a variety of diving slates in a range of sizes and prices ranging from about $7 to $20.
Photo by Cameron Moll
TravelTeq Messenger Bag
There are a very few products of discerning taste that truly are worthy of the term “a modern masterpiece.”
The series of TravelTeq bags are one of them. Crafted in the Netherlands with tanned Italian leather the bags feature intricate detailings but enough prowess for a laptop, shades, and plenty of accesories. Starting $450.
Eames Century Modern by House Industries
The designers at House Industries have just released a new typeface perfectly suited for that mid-century modern look. Modeled on the design philosophies of Charles and Ray Eames, Eames Century Modern has a lot of quirky character without crossing the line in to silliness. The typeface comes with the standard assortment of ligatures, plus extras such as extra large display-style numbers, framing characters, alternate serifs, directional graphics, and more. $275 puts you in the driver’s seat of this fun looking and characterful typeface.
Panasonic GF-1
Feel limited by your compact digital cameras, but also intimidated by larger, professional DSLRs? Look no further than the Panasonic GF-1. A hybrid of sorts, the GF-1 uses the Micro Four-Thirds lens system, which allows the camera to retain a small, compact body, while also utilizing professional grade, interchangeable lenses—in lay man terms, it’s small but you can still use great lenses like the pros. In addition to shooting amazing 12 megapixel photos, it even shoots 720p HD video. You can pick up the Panasonic GF1 with an accompanying 20mm lens for $900, and while we’d love to rave further about the quality, we think this review says it better than we ever could.
LaCie iamakey Thumb-Drive
Thumb drives are ubiquitous these days—if you work with a computer daily, odds are you have one, or two, or three. Odds are, you’ve probably lost a few over your career. LaCie is here to change that by putting our thumb-drives on something we can’t live without—our keychains. When you think about it, that’s really what a thumb-drive is after all, your digital key. The LaCie iamakey is available in sizes from 4GB to 32GB, which range in price from $21 to $103 at Amazon, we’re sure this is a thumb-drive that you’ll only lose between the couch cushions for an evening. We recommend the 8GB model at $28 as the best value.
Livesurface — High Quality Blank Stocks
Since you can’t photograph what doesn’t exist yet, sometimes you need a realistic way to present your work before it’s ever been produced. Faced with this situation yesterday, we found Live Surface, a set of downloadable .psd files that allow you to show your work as if it was already produced. Priced at $29 an image, and available in environments or photo shoot settings, we feel it’s a small price to pay for a more professional design presentation.
Dot Grid Journal
There’s grids, there’s ruled, there’s completely blank. Moleskine’s have done it all for us, but what we can’t find on the shelf was something in the middle of it all. Behance’s Dot Grid Journal ($16.50) is a compelling mid-point between the freedom of a blank page and the “Mommy, help I can’t draw a straight line!” rigidness of grid-paper that makes you just draw squares. While we’re aware it’s all been done before, we’re happy to see it wrapped up in a package even prettier than a Moleskine.