Like most other New York City businesses that have been handed down through generations, The Gramercy Typewriter Company has been keeping tradition alive year after year despite the continual threats of technology. Founded in 1932 by current owner Paul Schweitzer’s father, the shop is currently being transitioned over to Paul’s own son Jason after 84 impressive years in business – nearly half of which were after the introduction of the word processor. Even in the age of the iPhone, there are no signs of business slowing down; New York alone has a huge clientele of writers who forego the latest typewriter app in favor of the real thing. Here, Paul and…
Rarely do we ever hear “mobility scooters” and ” Harley-Davidson motorcycles” in the same sentence, but now that we have, we can’t help but wonder how or what a mash-up of the two might look like. In any case, it would probably be very close to the recently-redesigned Afiscooter SE mobility scooter from Studio Lama. According to Studio Lama’s Ofer Dahan, this was Afiscooter’s first mobility scooter model originally made over forty years ago. It had already gone through several face-lifts since then, but this time, the client asked us for a grounds-up redesign. “Our brief included adding rear shock-absorbers, an adjustable handlebar with handguards, front and rear LED lights,…
Time for another round of apps that cover the spectrum of your beloved mobile device, be it iPhone, Android or Windows! The Weekly App Smack is the best of new or updated design and productivity apps (and maybe a couple of fun ones, too) for the busy design or engineering professional and this week we have a list sure to make you more efficient. Do you have an app suggestion that has made your life easier or changed up your workflow? Let us know in the comments below or send it into tips@www.solidsmack.com. Hit it! Doo – Get Things Done “Doo helps you get things done by encouraging small, achievable reminders.…
From Nintendo’s Virtual Boy in the distant past to the Oculus Rift now, VR has been sputtering into our future. This year however, is truly the year for VR (if there ever was one) with even more companies getting in on the advancements being made in replacing or augmenting our reality.
This week’s Spotify-powered SolidSmack Radio Playlist knocks you in the pop sockets with head-boppin’ groove tuneage to help propel you through the work week in style. Whether you find yourself inking markers until they’re dry, grinding material through a bandsaw or working that 3D geometry all day, consider these tracks as a tool for your process. This week we’ll start things off with the all-new “Alien” from Wild Nothing and work our way through some Rolling Stones, Blood Orange, Sin Cos Tan, Of Montreal and others before wrapping up with “She Just Likes to Flight” from Four Tet. Have suggestions? As always, let us know what you listen to, what…
Have you ever surrounded yourself in wood building blocks, then jumped out and scared the cleaning lady? No? It’s good fun. The only thing that would make it better is these. This is the Blockitecture Garden City building set. They smell of pine wood and are the brainchild of James Paulius, an artist who believes that building design products should integrate the individual with his existing environment, and thus help him enhance creativity, like when you cocoon yourself inside them and frighten people.