WELCOME
Being Designerly 99 has curated content to boost your creative mindset. This issue has designerly insights and inspiration about AI & emotions, new Nest thermostat design, AI & creativity, design news & history, Maine flag designs, Canva's new brand, GE Appliances’ innovation lab, Fitbit's origin, and Sonos' app about turn.
FEATURE
OpenAI worries people may become emotionally reliant on its new ChatGPT voice mode
OpenAI is expressing concerns over the potential for users to form emotional dependencies on ChatGPT's new lifelike voice mode, which allows for more human-like interactions. This feature has led to some users developing what they describe as romantic relationships with the AI, raising ethical questions about the implications.
Remember the 2013 movie HER?
cnn.com
Talking Design With the Creative Director Behind the New Nest
Get a deeper look at the design of the new Nest Learning Thermostat, and how the design team at Nest approaches design in general, from Isabelle Olsson, Vice President, Design for Home, Wearables, and CMF across all Google Hardware at Google.
The new Nest Learning Thermostat, now owned by Google, features a modern design that enhances its aesthetic appeal while maintaining functional smart home capabilities. It is slimmer, has a polished metal ring, a larger borderless display, and supports the Matter standard for broader compatibility.
design-milk.com
CREATIVITY
Founder Favourites: Why AI is NOT the death of creativity
Curious as to what industry you should launch a new venture in? Ajaz Ahmed, founder and chief executive of digital design agency AKQA, says your best bet might just be found in AI, healthcare or climate tech in this hour long episode of Founder Favourites. Hear all things AI, creativity, passion and more.
cityam.com
CURIOSITY
50 years of Casio, an iPod revival and mending as an art
If you're faced with the "repair or replace" question, check out Architecture of Repair on Instagram. Also read about the TinyPod, and Casio's 50th anniversary.
theguardian.com
VISUAL
See rejected Maine flag designs: Lobsters, Chuck Norris, etc.
Architect Adam Lemire's design won a contest organized by Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, which aimed to restore a more traditional flag emblem featuring a pine tree and North Star. The current flag has faced criticism for its complexity and similarities to Vermont's flag. Take a peek at a few of the rejected designs.
bostonglobe.com
Canva’s cutesy new brand hides its bigger ambitions
While the logo stays unchanged, Canva is debuting an updated “glow up” brand system that will be used across its marketing. What’s new is a more celebratory, work-in-progress energy that includes custom, extra-colorful emoji, and all sorts of UI elements lifted from Canva software.
fastcompany.com
EXPERIMENT
Inside GE Appliances’ innovation lab
From its indoor smoker to the nugget ice maker, GE Appliances’ FirstBuild has developed many hit products. Here’s how it approaches design and innovation in a non-traditional way.
fastcompany.com
UX
The First Fitbit: How the Fitness Tracker Was Engineered
In December 2006, twenty-nine-year-old entrepreneur James Park became obsessed with his Wii. After a while, though, Park spotted a flaw in the Wii: It got you moving, sure, but it trapped you in your living room. What if, he thought, you could take what was cool about the Wii and use it in a gadget that got you out of the house? A-ha... the spark that led to the Fitbit.
ieee.org
Sonos considers relaunching its old app
Here's why I don't have auto-update turned on for my apps (the 400+ apps on my phone that need updating may reflect another issue). Sonos is now considering re-releasing its previous mobile app for Android and iOS due to widespread dissatisfaction with the redesigned app launched in May. Take away useful features? Check. The anticipated cost of this fiasco? Between $20-$30 million.
theverge.com
