Unpleasant Design as Behavior Manipulation

The Unpleasant Design blog, run by Gordan Savicic and Selena Savic, hosts examples of how design can manipulate people and their behavior in public places, by making things they might want to do, well, unpleasant. It's a workable substitute for active enforcement (or fixing the core causes of some of these behaviors), and yields some interesting designs. Seen here are anti-skateboarding metal strips, anti-posting textured pole covers, and anti-bum-napping armrests on benches. There's plenty more on their blog, if you feel like slumming among the less desirable human behaviors!
[via Core77]

Pinch-to-zoom has been one(finger)-upped...

Since the advent of all-touch smartphones and tablets, pinch-to-zoom has been a hallmark of intuitive gestural interaction. And while it's intuitive, it's unfortunately not very convenient - it's awkward at best, and almost impossible to accomplish one-handed. The team at Google Maps must have realized this, and designed a one-finger zoom: double-tap anywhere on the map, and drag your finger up or down to zoom in or out. Those blue circles and arrows shown in this illustration aren't actually onscreen - as with all gestural interfaces, real estate is at a premium and visual clutter is a no-no, which leads some to call this feature a "secret." But Google appropriately assumes that users will be quick learners - especially when the benefits are so compelling!
[via Gizmodo]

Curtain Ring + Hook = "Branch"

If there's one company that specializes in "clever and useful," it's probably Quirky - and their Branch concept fits the bill. They're a successful mating between shower curtain rings and clothing hooks that make you wonder why they haven't already existed for decades. Now why didn't I think of that...?
[via Gizmodo]

Ketchup Presser - Faster fast food...

Having done a little fast-food-related design myself as a student, this concept caught my eye: the Ketchup Presser provides a clean (well, "clean") place to put your ketchup, as well as a clever way of getting it out of the pack. After tearing the pack open, you pull it through the slot to the side of the dipping area - and the ketchup is efficiently squeezed out, right in place. The concept is probably doomed by the margins of the fast food biz, where cost increases must be justified by demonstrable ROI - but still, not bad!
[via Gizmodo]

iPad Bathroom Stand: Time to come clean...

Admit it: you use your mobile device in the bathroom. It's supposed to be taboo, and it existed for books even before smartphones and tablets. But you do it, I do it, we all do it - so let's all just admit it and start accessorizing. CTA's iPad/TP stand is a bold start; happy bathrooming, everyone.
[via Gizmodo]

Design Placebo: Seatbelt Knife

The Gerber Daily Carry Hook Knife is designed to save lives, but it goes about it in a sneaky way. It's marketed as a device that "can be used to quickly cut yourself out of a piece of clothing, seatbelt or other safety strap, should you ever get stuck in a tight spot." And, okay, that's true - but the real effect is to make carriers feel comfortable wearing seatbelts in the first place, without worrying about being trapped later. So it really saves lives by convincing more people to fasten their seatbelts - not by cutting anyone out of them!
[via Core77]

Kong's Mutable Squeaking Dog Toys

I have great respect for Kong's dog toys, for consistently being among the few toys able to survive my pit bull's enthusiastic "love." So it's not surprising that they've found another way to inspire devotion from humans and canines alike: mutable squeaking toys.  A small sliding switch disengages the squeaker, so you can silence the toy without taking it away from your pooch. It's a small feature that could go a long way toward keeping the household peace!
[via Gizmodo]