The telephone has come a long way from the awkward contraption that Grahambell had invented to the sleek sophisticated device. From a fixed landline to the cellular technology, we have seen a plethora of designs and I am sure that the basket's not yet full. Gawky retro styles have given way to waif thin forms, and designer Norihiko Inoue feels that in the future, the technology will be thus, the internal components will be incorporated to the surface or shell of the phone. There will be no innards, like the SIM card or battery to stuff inside the shell, the casing itself will house all these. His perception gives us the Vertu Void, which is a network of criss-cross strips forming a hollow design. I'm sure this means really delicate phones that barely weigh anything. Being a Vertu design, surely it will come pricey, and fragility goes with the territory.

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Going by the current trends in traffic conditions, I can safely assume that it's only going to get worse in the future. Even the pedestrian traffic is on the increase, as people are getting wearier of traveling in private transport given the rising fuel costs. The near future foresees or rather demands radical changes in the transport sector that will not only offer environmentally friendly vehicles but also offer convenient commute. The Publi Bus is a concept by Niels Grubak Iversen that is meant for rural areas. It is a driverless concept and the speeds never exceed a walkers pace. Due to its low speeds commuters will be able to alight or climb in at any time they wish, without the bus stopping. I am assuming that a premeditated bus-route will be fed into the vehicles controls and dedicated lanes will be provided. I like that spaciousness of the bus that will be able to fit in quite a lot of people.

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Asus wanted a design change for their Gaming PC and gave a freehand to designers to come up with their take for a youthful design that will prompt all gamers to go-Wow! Designer Eddie Goh's design took inspiration from the power-belly of a car; the engine placement under the hood. This high performance PC features an OLED interface to display the PC status. It even supports a water cooler tank, fashioned just like how you find the coolant valve under a car-hood. The water that circulates around the PC helps keep it cool. The design sports a see-through window on the front and side ventilations help to keep the PC cool.

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Fashioned as a tube, the Dell XPS Baton PC concept has to be the most ingenious design that I have seen for laptop in a very long time. It's all about a tube and portable designing. Featuring two rolled up flexible colored OLED films; the screens pull out to form a display and a keyboard (bottom screen) at a convenient angle. An electric charge hardens the materials to make them rigid and easy to use. Designed by Tai Chiem, the Dell XPS Baton PC concept will find favors with the harried executives who need to lug their laptops all around the place. The LED touchscreen of the Baton displays live feeds.

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Childhood memories often influence us when we grow up and dominate our choices as well. For instance I always am partial to Panasonic products because that's the first company whose TV we had. Likewise designer João Carneiro was influenced by Renault as his choice of redesigning because he used the 4L as a family car in his childhood days. Of course the aesthetical values of the original would tempt any designer to base his vision, but that aside, I particularly enjoy this Hawaii version because the impending winter months make me gloomy and the sand and the surf excite me!

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Bose, the epitome in music sound systems has always been my preferred choice. Naturally when I came across this concept, it tweaked my ears and twittered my heart! Designed by Chad Kendall, this iteration sees a design whose research is based on the musical preferences of the 18 to 24 year old youth. It features a removable face that can be customized as per your whim (yes, the youth are the whimsical sort!). it also features a built-in remote and a revamped blue display, which I assume to be an LED one. Currently working as a product designer for STAPLES, Chad’s work does qualify a round of applause from us Bose fans.

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Like stalactites looming, the textile threads used in the Sttt table poses a unique blend of wood and mesh. Mixing soft textures with a hard structure, designer Stefanie van Keijsteren believes he has created an area where words and phrases on the table flow. It reflects how he has experienced stuttering. An emotional representation of his spoken language barrier; the table reflects the flow of the conversation being broken by the odd stutter. Previously thought to be a hindrance in one’s personality, stuttering is no longer considered a flaw or handicap. Confidence and mind conditioning is all it takes to get over the problem. Source

A constant endeavor is to bring to you designs that are quirky and have a sense of humor. Sometimes they are so self-explanatory that you don’t need words to describe them. The Martyr Lamp is one such creation and it has been designed by UK design studio . It has been made from stainless steel and looks like the bloke will just drown you in darkness, in a jiffy.

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The iPad would be a prime example of how market trends influence the way we perceive things and transform them to suit the tastes. When initially unveiled in 2006, the structure resembled the iPod, which was the flavor of the season back then. Now the iPhone rules the roost, hence the transformation. Ready for completion by next year, the residence boasts of some state-of-the-art facilities. Some of the amenities include iArt, which allows the homeowner to digitally download artworks from a server and update their collection periodically. You can even rotate your rooms to catch a better view of the skyline.

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Microsoft's Surface is one of the coolest computers that I have seen lately. I recollect watch a demo where, the pictures from the camera placed on the Surface automatically transferred to a phone placed on the other end of the table. Apparently Microsoft has been carrying out a survey for a new multi-touch computing device called Oahu. The specs to be included feature a fixed location with a size comfortable enough to allow four persons to use it at the same time. It will resemble a casual table with a screen built into it. It may include an onscreen keyboard and will support multiple touch inputs. This one too will be able to automatically get info from and send info to your portable devices when you put them on the screen.

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Crochet Tentacles and the Sea sponge design make Snork truly unique. The lounger features tentacles made from crochet and a comfy space in the middle of the design to park your butt. The hollow tentacles offer an easy grasp to hold your remote or even a chilled beer can. The lazy informal attitude can be a great stress reliever in the up-tight lives that we live. Lie on it, catch a great movie on the telly, and swig a couple of ales; Life's set!

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Boredom generally takes makes you either take up a hobby or get down to some creative expositions. Thankfully designer Mac Funamizu thought about doing some creative work and dished out this cool concept for a phone. This seamless beauty features a wide QWERTY keyboard with a transparent touchscreen. There seems to be Braille like surface incorporated as well, however I am not so certain. The fluid design is sheer creative genius.

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The Rattus Norvegicus Rex has to be the quirkiest design for a chandelier that I have seen in a long time. Fondly called The Brown Rat King, it features porcelain rats hung upside down with red glass berries in their mouth. The ring of acorns, leaves, and glass complete the look. I don't know what inspired the creators, but maybe Alice in Wonderland or the three blind mice played a vital role in their lives!

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If you have the pleasure of a lawn or a garden on your property, you will surely appreciate the CipCip. Besides dotting the landscape like pretty ornament, the CipCip also provides a safe haven for birds. Sweet smelling plants and this colored enameled ceramic birdhouse hanging on a rope will surely attract some exotic birds. The only ones that I get to see these days is crows and pigeons, it will be a welcome change to spot some robins for a change.

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Submitted as an entry for the Opus Design Awards, the Duoo by Luis Pires won accolades and prizes too. It is basically a plastic shell that opens up into two pieces and inside it is leitmotif sunglasses and headphones. The sunglasses are joined on a central foldable axis and are connected to the shell through an elastic stripe. It's a handy contraption to carry around, although its not mentioned, but if something like this has Bluetooth capabilities, it would make a handy companion to gadgets and gizmos.

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