Despite their name, the Brit Insurance Designs of the Year is the annual competition to find the best designed products around the world. For me, it's an excellent opportunity to see the coolest and most innovative projects under one roof... But why should I be blogging about it?
Last years edition featured Amazon’s Kindle and I joked about having the iPad shortlisted in the 2011 edition. Well, six of the exclusive panelists decided that the Apple tablet shouldn't miss the appointment. But what stroke me most in my visit last weekend to the exhibition at the Design Museum in London was the prominence of mobile applications.
Nominated in the “interactive” category - one of the seven areas the award covers along with architecture, fashion, furniture, graphics, product and transport - it was easy to spot iOS apps running on iPads and two on N8 Nokias. Don't get me wrong, the projects the other projects nominated in the category are pretty awesome, but I'm bringing you the apps that made the cut for the prestigious award.
The Elements: A Visual Exploration by Touch Press (nominated by Patrick Burgoyne) is still one of the coolest interactive coffee table type app available on the App Store. Praised by Jobs himself in a keynote last year, I love it for making interesting something I found quite abstract in my chemistry lessons in school. Using examples of everyday objects of the elements on the table with rotating photographies is a great way to get kids and adults engaged.
Angry Birds by Rovio Mobile (nominated by Matt Jones) was demoed on an iPad although it's available under almost any platform under the sun. The curators highlighted its expansion as a global phenomenon that covers live events - such as the Angry Birds Day flash mob - and merchandising featuring its characters. Sadly, the video game didn't win the top award, but “in terms if global attention commanded by a design, it can’t be beaten in 2010”.
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