My good friend, Luke Williams, finally launched his weblog—yes, I used the full word. Even though it has only been live for a short time, he already has a solid amount of fresh content. I know Luke is determined to keep this one active—as opposed to his first attempt, which ended up being comment-spammed by myself impersonating some of the more interesting people from MICA. Check it out and let him know what you think.

One thing I have always hated about OS X is the Apple Mail icon. It is way over the top, displaying a stamp with a photo in it and the stamped mark saying “Hello from Cupertino.” Johan Prag decided to take things into his own hands with a series called Redesigning OS X on his blog, &seen. It’s simple, identifiable, and beautiful. I, for one, am glad to have it in my dock.

via swissmiss »

I’m not sure why it took me this long to write a Free Gems post about an AIR app, but it’s time. Focus Booster is a fantastic little utility for improving your time management. It uses the Pomodoro technique, which is based on the following five steps:

1. Choose a task to be accomplished
2. Set the timer to 25 minutes
3. Work on the task until the timer rings
4. Take a short break
5. Repeat, taking a longer break every four rounds

The app keeps this technique simple with a single-click to start and a stop button if need a timeout. You can even set your own work/break length. The UI is beautiful and a pleasure to have on the desktop.

I think time management and personal workflow are essential for any profession. I’ve been trying to start a routine lately, beginning jotting down a list of to-dos for the day. And since I work from home, I take a walk around the block to get into the working-mood. On the walk, I make sure my car is where I left it, especially after my recent impound experience. It’s also nice to get some fresh morning air.

I bring this up because life in front of the computer takes a toll on your body and surrounds you with an endless array of distractions. The more complex the workload, the more stressful it can be to focus. What techniques or apps do you use to stay on top of things?

This certainly isn’t new, considering it’s been hiding in my queue for a number of months, but it’s worth mentioning regardless. The Socket-Deer, by Nendo, is an alternative socket plate, equipped with antlers that cradle your cell phone while charging. It’s a simply brilliant idea, but I can’t find a store that sells it. It might just be one of those great-concept-never-produced sort of products. If anyone comes across one in the wild, be sure to let me know.

via Inspire me, now! »

I’ve been dying for a decent looking Gmail ever since I signed up. For the past year, I’ve made do with the “Shiny” theme, but it just doesn’t make the cut anymore. Lately, Helveti-anything has been a big hit (see Helvetwitter, Helvetical, and the original Helvetireader). Perhaps that’s telling Google something—people care about design. As much as Google is tied to rainbow colors, I think they’re due for a “Pro” series of web apps that consider design a bit more.

via swissmiss »

I realize that there’s no shortage of creative USB key drives out there, but I really wish I could own this USB pipe. Unfortunately, it’s an editorial photograph by Kevin Van Aelst for The New York Times and not a gadget from Gizmodo. I’m sure there’s an obscure eBay tech store selling it for $1.99.

via Szymon Błaszczyk »

I definitely don’t need another clock, nor do I need anything, besides my thermostat, telling me what the temperature in my apartment is … but WoodStation makes me rethink those claims. This beauty is a clock, an indoor weather station, and a block of wood. It even has an unnecessary proximity sensor that turns off the LED lights when too close. And at $99, it’s a bit of a stretch, but it will certainly add some variety to your aluminum-filled room.

via Uncrate »

Over on Wired.com, there’s an interesting post on the elephant in the room—Craigslist’s sad, sad website design. We all think about it when looking for apartments or spending a night on casual encounters, but nothing is done. Apparently, Craigslist stated they have no interest in improving the design of the site, so Wired gathered a few designers together to give it a shot. Honestly, you could simply change the blue/purple link text to anything and it would make a world of difference—that goes for you too, YouTube (say that three times fast).

via Bobby Solomon »

Art & Copy is a new documentary that just debuted this past weekend in select cities. I’m definitely looking forward to it making the rounds in Baltimore. It takes a deep look into the ad world in a no-holds-barred sort of way. Check out the trailer above—these guys are ruthless!

I need this. I need this. I need this. This is The Paperclip Lamp by Teague. It’s simply beautiful—the only downside being I’d feel wrong putting anything on my desk with it.

via Design Milk »