WELCOME
AI gadgets are being panned by reviewers and more! Being Designerly 91 may not seem like the cheeriest issue ever, with articles about Gen AI hype, or the digital design downturn, but that's balanced with Oreo's attempt to own the hamburger menu, going from furious to curious, an attempt to create a phone version of Humane AI, an interesting Gen AI design framework, and a visualization of the evolution of top tech logos.
FEATURE
Generative AI is still a solution in search of a problem
While generative AI tools have potential, they are currently not widely integrated into daily life and lack clear applicability. The industry is experiencing a hype driven by significant investments, but the current capabilities of AI tools may not live up to the expectations set by this hype.
axios.com
Humane AI Hands-On: My Life So Far With a Wearable AI Pin
Reviews are in. Humane AI gets a "not yet" score. The Humane AI Pin wants to be a self-sufficient phone replacement, a shiny voice-controlled communicator that also throws out laser displays you can control with your hands, like a magically projected dashboard. It's amazing in concept, but so frustrating in execution. Humane's Pin could be the future of wearables beyond our watches, but right now it doesn't have enough consistency or connectivity.
cnet.com
A morning with the Rabbit R1: a fun, funky, unfinished AI gadget
According to the reviewer, the Rabbit R1 seems like it’s trying to be less like a smartphone killer and more like the beginnings of a useful companion. The Rabbit folks have a lot of big promises to eventually live up to and not a lot of time to do so...
theverge.com
CREATIVITY
Oreo craves change, turns internet’s ‘hamburger menu’ into ‘The Oreo Menu’
Oreo, yes the sandwich cookie company, is trying to take over the humble hamburger menu. Through their Oreo cookie glasses, they claim that the three stacked bars really resemble Oreos. And they're trying to convert people by turning Oreo Menus into promo codes for cookie offers. Do they think people will fall for that? Hang on while I go grab a code and a bag...
thedrum.com
CURIOSITY
How to use curiosity to de-escalate tense moments
When stress levels are high, and both leaders and teams are on edge, reactionary responses are all too common. Reacting with genuine curiosity rather than defensiveness or anger helps you do five important things in the heat of the moment and go from furious to curious.
fastcompany.com
EXPERIMENT
The future of AI gadgets is just phones
After seeing the Humane AI Pin reviews, this author did what any logical person would do: grab the closest phone and try to turn it into her own AI wearable. Hear her out: Phones already come with powerful processors, decent heat dissipation, and sophisticated wireless connectivity. An AI gadget that operates independently from your phone has to figure all of that out.
theverge.com
UX
Why it seems like the sky is falling for digital design, and how to come out of the storm stronger
Digital design is going through some changes because of economic environment. Designers can adjust by focusing more on understanding business, learning new skills, being creative, professional, and offering unique value.
jantakacs.com
The GenAI Compass: a UX framework to design generative AI experiences
Long read: The Generative AI Design Compass framework, which aims to anchor generative AI design within human-centric design practices, highlighting six key aspects for creating GenAI apps, emphasizing the importance of innovation, ethics, and user empowerment.
uxdesign.cc
VISUAL
How Tech Logos Have Evolved Over Time
This visualization shows the evolution of prominent tech companies’ logos over time. How many are you familiar with?
visualcapitalist.com
