MultiAdaptor’s Connected Notepad Interacts with Think With Google

MultiAdaptor Connected Notebook Think with Google 01

Ever wanted for the things you write down in a paper notepad to show up in an app? MultiAdaptor’s connected notebook achieves this, albeit in a simplistic manner, and the app it interacts with is Google’s marketing service, Think With Google.

MultiAdaptor, a British branding agency based in London, was commissioned by the Mountainview tech giant to make the marketing research publishing tool better known in creative companies. While the initial request was to design an exhibition, MultiAdaptor figured out that developing an interactive product and sending it to potential customers could be far more effective for promoting Think With Google.

Industrial designer Roland Ellis, the one who was in charge with developing this notepad, created a conductive bookbinding glue that brings together the reusable Arduino circuit board found at the back of the work book with the printed pages. MultiAdaptor went as far as to claim that the conductive glue is the first of its kind, so the agency is definitely worth some praises for that. As for the notebook’s pages, they are covered with screen-printed conductive ink that can be activated using even common graphite pencils. This way, the developers not only did way with cables and circuits, but also made sure not only that the Arduino circuit board could be reused with another set of glued printed pages, but that the notebook itself can be used with regular writing tools.

“Our notepad had to be compact and convincing,” explained MultiAdaptor. “Conductive ink allowed us to interface with digital content using a pencil, but we wanted to avoid the expected ‘R&D’ aesthetic of cables and circuitry and create something more simple and human.”

As seen above, the notebook is delivered in a blue box, with a blue graphite pencil and an USB cable that’s used for activating the product. Basically, you need to connect it to a computer with the provided cable, then head over to the Think with Google website and pick two options from a list, using either the provided pencil or just any other one. However, I don’t know whether mechanical pencils are as good. After selecting articles, stats, or case studies, the respective content is shown on a dashboard called ‘My Edit.’ Ripping a page off the notepad will enable users to start over with their content selection.

Needless to say, the notepad can be used independently of the Think With Google app and website, and viceversa.

“The digital experience is also designed to reflect the Google brand – something simple and helpful, but playful and innovative too,” concluded MultiAdaptor.

There has been no word on the final number of connected notepad that will be printed and assembled, but for the time being, 1,000 of them are on their way to creative agencies in the UK and Italy. The following video provides more details on how MultiAdaptor’s connected notepad came to be.

Be social! Follow Walyou on Facebook and Twitter, and read more related stories about wearables powered by energy producing clothes, or the Wuf smart dog collar that lets you talk to your pet from miles away.

[via CreativeReview]

2015 DiD Award (Dongguan Cup) International Industrial Design Competition – Win $15,000

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You can’t ignore the 2015 DiD Award (Dongguan Cup)! Why? It’s simple … you get to show off your talents, get acknowledged by peers, judged by some pretty heavy-duty stalwarts from the industry and at the end of it, take home a booty of cash prize! Call me vain, but that’s the beauty of it all. No Sugar coating the facts! Especially if the stakes are as high as $15,000 – approx 100,000 RMB for the top-slot in the Concept Category and $7,500 approx 50,000 RMB for Product Design Category at the 2015 DiD Award (Dongguan Cup) International Industrial Design Competition.

This decade old competition is an effort by the Dongguan Municipal people’s Government and China Industrial Design Association. For this year’s competition, the theme is “Manufacturing beauty comes from design”.

The competition is open for all, and the organizers will fly in the winners to a special event held at Dongguan. I see the perks already! Name, fame, talent hunt, prize money and travel enriching experience to China.

Get moving people, the registrations and submission period ends on the 20th of September 2015. For more details on categories, timelines and prizes, hit this link.

Deadline: September 20, 2015

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Jony Ive is Now Just a Sir at Apple


Jony Ive has been named Chief Design Officer at Apple, Tim Cook announced in a memo sent to Apple employees. Ive, who currently works as Senior Vice President of Design, is now the third most...

Friday Giveaway: 360° Industrial Design by Arman Emami – 5 Books to be WON

We began Monday morning with a few lessons on Industrial Design and how to survive the whole competition scene and emerge as a winner. We wrap up the week with an incredible interview with the man himself – Arman Emami; and a chance to WIN the book ‘360° Industrial Design.’ Five lucky winners will win the book! Hit the jump for details.

Contest Closes: May 10, 2015 – midnight PST

Contest Question:

  • Why do honeybees do not build quadratic honeycombs?

Leave your answer in the comments below.

HINT:

  • Because bees like hexagon more than square.
  • Because bees see the world ultraviolet, they are not able to recognize square shapes.
  • Because bees would need ca. 10 % more wax for quadratic shaped honeycombs.
  • Because the bee queen commanded it.

WIN:

YD – How will you introduce yourself to a new person?

Arman - A lateral thinker and curious designer with a continually eventful and turned life from Berlin.

YD - Who is a better person … Arman the design studio head or Arman the student?

Arman – Both are good. ;-)
Actually there are no large differences. For sure I became calmer in the course of the years, but I belong to people who are still a little childish even when they are pensioners. The children are more authentic and dare to experiment. I try to maintain it.

YD - What excites you the most … a new innovation or retro-redesigns?

Arman – Retro-redesigns is no option for me. We all are not born to repeat the past, but rather to create something new. Of course we have to consider and respect the history of design, but we should look to the future and not to the foretime.
In my opinion, retro-redesign is reactionary and demonstrates a lack of imagination and creativity.

YD - What has been your biggest challenge so far?

Arman – The biggest challenge is not to design or come up with ideas. It is always a big challenge to convince and encourage and conservative decision-makers to invest in innovative concepts.

YD - Tell me more about your book … what inspired you to write it?

Arman – Industrial design is a multi disciplinary matter. You have to think and work like an engineer, an inventor, an artist, a marketing expert and at the least you have to be the aesthete. There are a lot of books about industrial design. There are enough texts out there using unnecessary jargon, philosophical theories or otherwise setting aims that are not concrete. I have been missing a clear and well-laid out description of all relevant aspects from different fields to create an overall picture. I have summarized my experiences in practical and daily work as an industrial designer

YD - What has been your biggest learning experience so far?

Arman – Learning from nature is the best. And it is not limited to bionics and solutions found in nature. We can also learn about colors, form, haptics and much more from nature. But the biggest learning experience is life itself. You can do everything right, but If you don’t have enough life experiences, your designs get lacks of charisma and soul.

YD - What is your daily routine like? A day in the life of Arman Emami?

Arman – I have to confess that I’m not an early bird. Therefore the day begins a bit later with a coffee latte. The rest is different, appointments, meetings, designing, preparation of presentations… everyday occurrence. But the nights are mostly long. So to say, I am a night owl and I get my new ideas mostly in the night.

YD - How do you expect to make a change in the world of design?

Arman – Every designer changes the world of design to a greater or lesser extent. We live in a rapidly changing world that is becoming more complex with every passing second. Natural resources are getting scarcer and the increasingly intense competition on the world market is forcing designers at large to rethink the design process. Decoration for decoration‘s sake has become a thing of the past. Fanciful objects like the pretty paper-weight have had their day. Prettiness is no longer enough! Designers working on sustainable products now have to consider the bigger picture and in short: have to optimize design as a multi-disciplinary work. We are here to make our contribution for a better life and a more beautiful world.

YD - What will your advice be to young designers who wish to participate in the Red Dot?

Arman – Thinking out of the box is a must. First of all, it is important to free ourselves from outdated and narrow thinking. Development needs change; it is the basis for all progress. But likewise it is necessary to recognize that not every cliché is necessarily a bad thing. Design is an evolution, so today’s achievements are the result of a long-term process. Of course you can develop a wheel further, but to be honest, no one needs an angular shaped wheel. Do not try to be different at all costs! A change should always be for the better. And don’t ignore the problems in everyday life. Every problem is an approach for a new solution and a new design concept. And of course you can find more tips in my book 360° Industrial Design.

YD - What is the most challenging part of participating in the Red Dot Awards?

Arman – In a competition is any part the most challenging part of participating. You need a good idea, an aesthetic implementation and a clear presentation.

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(Friday Giveaway: 360° Industrial Design by Arman Emami – 5 Books to be WON was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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