Context: This paper towel dispenser was found in a bathroom.

Shortcoming: The warning sign describes the problem. Seems like the dispenser cannot withstand the normal use of the user.

Opportunity: Further study needs to be done to see if other dispensers of the same model have broken like this. Is there a way that people use paper towel dispensers after washing their hands that causes the dispenser to break? Is the dispenser just old?

very cool gallery of the histories of 20 company logos
http://www.instantshift.com/2009/01/29/20-corporate-brand-logo-evolution/
(via Daring Fireball)

graphic designer michael bierut shares how he has used 85 notebooks over the past 26 years to do his design work.  also very cool and inspiring.
http://designobserver.com/archives/entry.html?id=38831
(via 43 Folders)

http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/in_brief_tropicana_hits_comman.php
-look, my mobile photos have paid off!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/23/business/media/23adcol.html

http://bit.ly/1XJu

(via Ars Technica)

http://niemann.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/02/i-lego-ny/

http://quotesondesign.com/

(via swissmiss)

Comic relief for your last day of IAP.

You may have heard me talking about Gmail here and there during 2.97  I said one of the disadvantages (the few ones, or maybe the only one in my view :) is that you cant access mail offline.  Well, it looks like Google is starting to allow that feature.  Throughout the next week, Gmail users will have an option to install Gears on your computer which will allow access to your email when you dont have connection.  This feature, as with many Google things, is *experiemental* so no guarentees.  (Hey, you're not paying anything for it)

How does it exactly work?  Does that mean your total amount of Gmail size, ~1000s of MB is on your computer?  I don't know.  But it's something definitely to look into.

And if you have thought about using Gmail, whether in general or with your MIT mail, and need some convincing, feel free to drop by any time and I can give you a spiel.  It's been almost 4 years since I incorporated MIT mail to Gmail and I would never go back!  It's made productivity much easier.

http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/new-in-labs-offline-gmail.html

You might have wondered why there was a gutted laptop filled with office supplies in the Office Space chindogu.  It was for a project, "Laptop for Life, for Futurecraft, a Media Lab course I took in Fall 2007, which looks at critical and emerging themes of product design.

Entry explanation for project
One page summary

Hopefully after 2.97, you can view this with your enlightened minds :)