Keeping up with the Jones

I kept putting off for so long but I finally broke down a bought an iPhone. It was only a matter of time.....before I got one.

Only a matter of time.......

Saw thsi on Coroflot a few weeks back and wanted to forward it to everyone out there.

Over the years my mom has kept her various typewriters she has had at work. I'm glad I kept them casue they'll come in handy pretty soon.

Well hello there....

Well it's been ahwile since I last wrote something. I've been hella busy since my last post.

Lets see I got engaged, moved, and became a lead designer at GM. My world has been turned upside for the better. If some of you have read in the past my life was in total chaos and turn upside down. Couldn't land any work and the atomsphere here in the Detorit was completley grim. And look what happens a year later a complete 180.

Thanks to all who have supported me in the past your thoughts and positive energy has difently led me through the rough patches.

Thanx!!

Finally

Last year I saw the trailer to 'It Might Get Loud' but for some reason I just got around to seeing it this weekend. It was totally worth the wait. Three generations of guitar players discussing playing and what inspires them. If you are a big music fan of any genre of music I would highly suggest renting this one and turning up the volume too. Towards the end there is a great jam session which will blow your mind.

Pixelated

Gotta love After Effects..

How to Make it in America

If you have been reading my past few blogs you're aware that I have been working out of town and staying in a hotels. One of the great perks in staying in them is free HBO and house cleaning. So as I drive down Sunday nights I'm able to catch this new show on HBO called 'How to Make it in America'. Great show and awesoem soundtrack. Check it out if you can. The best part is that after every episode they list the soungs played on that episode. iTunes here I come....

howtomakeitinamerica

Bubble Car

One of my favorite designers, Ross Lovegrove recently presented his concept of the bubble car in London. The concept is based around free movement and utilizing it's stationary position as a street lamp. Maybe not the best eye pleasing design but the concept does make sense.

Enjoy.

Upgrade Time

I'm selling my DELL Precision T3500 I bought back in Dec. of 09. I bought it for $1200 directly from Dell and now practically giving it away. I'm moving and need to get a laptop. The computer is still under the manufactures warranty and in great condition. Below are the specs for the machine. This Dell has an upgraded graphics card (NVIDIA Quadro FX 580) for CAD work, specifically used for Auto Desk. I will also throw in a copy of Sketch Book Pro from Auto Desk which is already loaded on the machine and will come with the original CD as well. I still have the original box it was delivered in and will repack for shipment/ delivery.

I am willing to negotiate on this.

Great computer at a great price!!

- Dual Core Processor W3503 2.40GHz,4M,L2, 4.8GT/s,Dell Precision T3500
- 4GB, DDR3 non-ECC SDRAM Memory1066MHz, 2X2GB Dell Precision T3500
- Dell, USB, Quiet KYBD, No Hot Keys, PWS, Black
- 512MB PCIe x16 NVIDIA Quadro FX 580 Dual Monitor DVI + 2DP Dell Precision TX500
- 250GB SATA 3.0Gb/s with NCQ and 8MB DataBurst Cache, Dell Precision TX500
- C1 All SATA Hard Drives Non- RAID for 1or 2 Hard Drive, Dell Precision T3500
- Windows 7 Pro 64bit Downgrade to XP Pro 64bit, SP2, Media, Fixed Precision,English
- Windows 7 Downgrade RLOB
- Dell USB 2 Button Optical Mouse,Precision T3500
- Mini-Tower Chassis Configuration, Dell Precision T340
- 16X DVD+/-RW Data Only Dell Precision TX500
- Cyberlink Power DVD 8.3,with Media, Dell Relationship LOB
- Roxio Creator Dell Edition 10.3, Media, Dell RLOB
- Power Cord,125V,2M,C13,Dell Precision
- Integrated Intel chipset SATA 3.0Gb/s controller,Dell Precision T3500 and T5500
- Basic Support: Next Business Day Parts and Labor Onsite Response 2 Year Extended
- Basic Support: Next Business Day Parts and Labor Onsite Response Initial Year
- Dell Hardware Limited Warranty Plus Onsite Service Extended Year(s)
- Dell Hardware Limited Warranty Plus Onsite Service Initial Year

DELL

Sad Goodbye

Less than two month ago I accepted a position with Navistar in Fort Wayne, In. But in recent weeks I have accepted a new position as a Senior Creative Designer at GM. This new role focuses on obtaining my career objectives as a interactive designer. I will miss my new friends back in Fort Wayne and hope for all the best with them.

Good Luck guys you will truly be missed.

So in traditional DesignWaffle fashion i'm going from this


to this.

Top Dogg

As I was getting ready for work this morning I read this article in USA Today. I would love the opportunity to re-design the hot dog. This article has Industrial Design all over it. This would be a great subject matter for an ID studio class.

HOT DOG

Only a matter of time...

g-speak overview 1828121108 from john underkoffler on Vimeo.

Something New

Since I've started this blog over a year ago I've posted a lot of ideas, concepts, and products that have finally come through to reality. I want to start a new format called 'Only a Matter of Time'. This blog or posting will showcase what I see as the future now. As technology grows at such a violent rate ideas and concepts are popping up everywhere and I want this new forum to showcase that.

Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum- American Classics

I writing from my hotel room in Fort Wayne, Indiana on the eve of my first day back to work.

A few weeks back I interviewed with Navistar down here and on the way back from the interview I stopped off at the Auburn Cord Duesenburg Museum. Over the years I heard great things about it and had to jump at the opportunity to see it while I was down here. And let me tell you it was totally worth it. I'm not going to go into specifics but for a car guy or design guy, or girl it is defiantly a place to check out if you're in or around the area or want to plan a day tip.

It's an impeccable collection of Auburn's, Cord's, and Duesenburg's. These pieces of art were in concord condition. Some of these have been at Pebble Beach and Meadow Brook. Most of the Duesenburgs had leather wrapped leaf spring, I mean come on leather wrapped! Amazing. In the back they had a private collection of a 1964 Ferrari 340, 65 289 Shelby Cobra, and my personal favorite a 1965 Jaguar E Type all originals and in mint condition.

I didn't bring my camera so I took a few off line to give you an idea of what to expect. It is amazing to see the quality these coach builders put into these automobiles. In my personal opinion it blows the European cars form the era completely out of the water. Try and make it someday you won't be dissapointed.

Heavy Metal

It's about time

I've referenced many chronograph watches while I was design many of my cluster at Ford. During that time I became fascianbated in collectign these timepieces. Below are a list of my favs and soem that I do onw. See if you can name them? Enjoy!

Bought this Tisot after I started at Ford in '04

Recieved this Stark watch for Christmas this year

Only a matter of time...

New Audi DNA

I'm a big Audi fan and I follow the brand very closely. I've own one now for about 7 years now. Over the past few years I have not been impressed on what they have been doing with the front ends, especially with the grills.

I saw the new A1 and took an immediate liking to it. I had no idea why at first but after taking a closer look I saw that they finally took a better approach with the grill itself.

With the A1(the one in red) the designers put a chamfer to the outer top corners to make a more dramatic and distinctive trapezoidal shape instead of rounding the corners off. I feel this shows a more progressive look for the brand. The question now is will this follow through to other model release.....?

What do you guys think?

Oh Oh....

When we were developing Ford's SHMI cluster, and this goes back to when I was working at Ford I was always asking to the question. Has NHTSA seen or approved any of this? What I'm talking about is the new in-car technology MyFord Touch and MyLincoln Touch from Ford Motor Company. These new technology's were to be Ford's big step into the world of SHMI components for in the car.

The issue today is that Roy LaHood, U.S. Transportation Secretary is concerned that all these new in-car technology's are too much for drivers. Well it looks like he is a little concerned. Click on the links to see what he has to say about this.

Detroit News
Autoblog

Scale Models

As I stated in my previous post I'm a big fan of people who are talented with their hands and the attention to detail they give. I came across this FLICKER account from my Audi Club that consists of some amazing scale model photography. Enjoy!

SCALE MODELS

Hand Lay Process

I am always in awe of craftsmanship especially when it comes to shoes. I came across this video on another blog and thought it would be great to re-post. Enjoy.

1YEAR - 5MONTHS - 27DAYS - 12HOURS - 15MINUTES

Well I'll be going from working on these



to working on this

That's right I'm back on the work force. I've accepted an offer at Navistar to become one off their new designer at their design studio in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I'm excited about the move and anticipating what I';ll be working on over there. I'll keep everyone updated on what's happening in Fort Wayne.

Finally..

Well the time has finally come that I can show some work. When I was at Ford I worked on Ford's new SHMI components. These new products were to be Ford's big jump into the electronic age. With the introduction of SYNC a few years back MyFordTouch is a piece of driver connect technology like SYNC, only much more advanced. In fact, you can think of MyFord as SYNC 2.0. Or, you could, if not for the fact that there already is a SYNC 2.0. Regardless, in-car technology can do myriad of things these days, and Ford thinks it's found a way to group and display all of a vehicle's functionality in a logical, intuitive and useful way. Sadly, Ford is internally calling this "simplexity," as in making the complex simple.

Below are a few blogs talking about the latest technology and I'll post some pics of my work on this as well.

Great job FORD!!

AUTOBLOG
LEFTLANE NEWS
AUTOMOBILE
PC WORLD
HUFFINGTON POST
TWITTER

The Decade That Was

The other night I closed out 2009 and the decade on a good note, with my friends surrounding me and a few drinks in my belly. This past decade has brought tragedy, growth, disappointment and excitement into my life all of which has helped me become who I am today.

Over this past decade I have lived through our generations version of Pearl Harbor. I watched on TV that morning a new reality in our lives. I don't think I will ever be able to go back to the way it was. I walked across a stage to accept my college degree, a feat that at one time in my life I don't think I was sever going to be able to do. But after a few years of hard work and perseverance I fulfilled that dream. I joined corporate America becoming a designer at Ford Motor Company. I saw the hardships of belonging to a corporate giant seeing many friends come and go and being the victim of corporate re-structuring as well and I saw a black man become our 44ht president.

I've appreciated how precess life really is and what are the more important things in life too, like friends and family. They are the ones that will always be your constant in these decades to come no matter what comes across your plate.

So here's to 2010 and beyond. May you bring it on.......