Sunday 8 January 2012

Pricing

As in the brief it says; 'This product should be able to sit within the £400 - £1000 common price range.'
The portable computer I have designed is based upon a simple, basic laptop which sits in the existing market at £349-£389, and with the modifications of my design I feel that it would nicely fit into the market at the price of £439-£479. Taking into account the extra bit on manufacturing needed for the chameleon skin sponge layer and the cost of the material itself (an estimate due to not being able to find price for sheets of material).

Final Idea

The Sponged Bagged Portable Computer.

The sponge is chameleon skin, it is heat effective, so it changes colour when heat is applied with the hands. Meaning the pattern on the outside of the portable computer is never the same, and decided on by the user. The colour change only last for so long, so by the pattern created isn't perminant and can be constantly changed.
The sponge layer also provides protection for the portable computer if it is dropped or knocked by something. Also as the portable computer is already a bag itself, it does not need to put into a bag to be carried around.


Colour Testing

Testing contrasting colours out for my final idea with chameleon skin.

Main Sketch Work - Gel Layed

Gel layed portable computer sketches.

Main Sketch Work - Paint Splats

Paint splat portable computer sketches.

Main Sketch Work - Bagged Portable Computer

Built in portable computer bag sketches.

Main Sketch Work - Laptops

Different styles of laptop that I could use for my 'Portable Computer'. Ranging from the standard flip up, to the sliding and the flip up and twist ones. These are bases for me to start with when developing my initial ideas.

Main Sketch Work - Computers

These are a couple of pages of simple computer shapes.
The first page is of an older style desk top computer and the second page contains newr, more modern desk top computer and basic laptop shape. I used these to familiarise myself with the shapes of computers whilst sketching to get myself started.

Inspirational Thoughts - Zips

Just a quick look at zips seeing as though my design will be a zip up bag look.

Inspirational Thoughts - Laptops Bags

As my final design is based upon a portable computer being built into a bag, I thought it my be of interest to look at a few different laptop bags already out there.

Friday 6 January 2012

Inspirational Thoughts - Chameleon Toys

Chameleon Toys are made using a heat sensitive material, which obviously play with your senses, being something I could work a few ideas around.

Inspirational Thoughts - Colour Wheels

Inspirational Thoughts - Water, Water Droplets & Bubbles


Inspirational Thoughts - Sun, Sea & Sand


Inspirational Thoughts - Paint Splats


Inspirational Thoughts - Wobbly Jelly


Inspirational Thoughts - Wavey Lines & Patterns


Inspirational Thoughts - Water Ripples

Inspirational Thoughts - Soft and Relaxing

Inspirational Thoughts - Patterns & Textures



USB Memory Sticks and Cables

Computers always have a number of USB ports for attaching things like printer etc. to the computer. The USB memory sticks are an easy way of transporting data between devices. Making sure a computer has all the nesseccary plug in ports so it is compatible with most other devices.

Computer Mouse

A computer mouse can be a basic as you want, or as fancy as you want. It has its main features of; a right click button, left click button, middle roller button/scroller (on a newer mouse) and the ball underneath which in most cases now is a laser.

Keyboards

Computer keyboards  can come in many different styles, except the one thing that always stays the same, which is the key layout. All computers use the same key layout for computer, so by they can easily be used by a new customer upgrading from their old model.

Apple Products

Apples range of products extend over desk top computers and laptops, including their touch screen laptop the iPad. Apple have a distinct style and their own branding which make them stand out in the market over other products.


Laptops

As the project is a 'portable computer' my thoughts were that it is closest to a laptop, so by looking at laptop I can get an idea of size and dimensions of a portable computer.

What were the old computers like? Advancing onto, the new modern desk top computers?

To get myself started, I wanted to look at some of the first computers and what they looked. Before working my way forward through time to the new modern desk top computers, and their styling, so by I have an idea of what is already in the market. Giving me a basis to work on when I start sketch initial ideas.