"Totally agreed. I backed Lofree and can't wait to tap tap tap on that instead of the efficient yet soul-less Apple wireless keyboard on which I'm typing this comment"

"When poorly done, retro design is an uninspired reboot of once good ideas that too often becomes a jumbled mess of poorly executed reiteration. We see it all the time not only in automotive design (PT Cruiser, I'm looking at you), but also in film and TV (new MacGyver and Lethal Weapon TV shows, A-Team movie, etc). Retro plays on our romanticism of the past. The older we get, the softer our memories become and the more we yearn to reconnect with a time that we think was more innocent and less jaded. Of course, we tend to gloss over the reality of older things, such as how dangerous, heavy, awkward, and unreliable these things used to be back when they were new. The same goes for past relationships. Why did I ever break up with so and so... and then you remember how insane / messy / opinionated / ignorant / selfish that person used to be and how crazy they made your life. I don't mind touches of retro design, as it tends to 'warm' up modern technology by infusing the tactility and craftsmanship of the old and analog onto the data driven, automated, CAD defined design processes of today. I would pause, however, at over romanticising things past. I'd LOVE an old e-type but in reality, driving one day to day would be uncomfortable and not nearly as safe as a modern day car w/ computer modelled high strength steel unibody chassis and active suspension and dynamic drive systems. A great example of retro done right is the Singer 911. Looks the part of a classic 911, but has the power, handling, and brakes of a modern Porsche. Superb attention to detail without restricting themselves to maintaining the 'purity' of a traditional restoration. And yeah, Braun has a whole catalog of classic Dieter Rams designs I'd love to see revamped and reissued. No razors yet, but the classic Braun watches have been reissued and gently updated. Certainly a modern classic."

"So wouldn't it be good if IKEA and other furniture manufacturers and their designers made the anchoring system an integral and required step to successfully complete a furniture assembly? Sure, clever consumers will probably find ways to work around it, but if their modifications / circumventions to bypass the built in safety system result in their own harm, then at least the manufacturer can't be faulted for doing their due diligence. And BTW, as a new father, I've now anchored all my tallish or tip-able furniture. Wires and cables are either out of reach or secured. Foam bumpers are on sharp corners, and plug covers are on outlets. Cabinet doors and drawers have childproof latches. Heavy doors have foam wedges to prevent finger jamming. Despite all that, I'm sure my kid will discover ways to injure himself! I just hope I've covered the bases on anything that could cause serious injury!"

"I live in China and have ready access to many brands of fake everything. They fake cars here, so headphones are no big deal. I've seen very convincing fake Sennheisers, Bose, V-Moda, Monster, Beats, etc. Haven't yet seen a fake B&O but expect to soon. The thing is, some of the fakes actually sound pretty good. I recently acquired a new fake Beats Studio Wireless. It's the all matte black version. Build quality is really good. No problems with the Bluetooth. Stayed connected to my MacBook even from another room. As for sound quality, I don't have measuring equipment, but subjective listening tells me they're damn close to the real thing. I've listened to all the newer models of Beats (Solo2, Studio, Mixr, Pro) and even a side x side comparison doesn't reveal a substantial difference in sound quality. The fakes have good clarity, attack, and are very responsive showing no discernible distortion even when cranked up loud. The bass frequencies are more pronounced, as per the Beats sound profile, but not at the expense of clear mid or high frequencies. If I hadn't purchased these from the fakes vendor myself, I could easily have been fooled into thinking they were the real deal. The only major difference: I bought mine for 480 RMB, which is roughly $77 USD. That includes a nice semi-hard case and all the same charging and audio cables as in the real package. At that price, the vendor still makes a profit and so does the factory. This assumes the vendor buys factory direct. There may be a wholesale distributor in the middle as well. Add in transportation fees also, and you can guesstimate the actual material and labor costs total about $35-$40 USD. For a Bluetooth headphone with decent drivers and materials (the ear pads are quite comfortable, all the plastics feel and look good, and the hinges are real metal). Assuming genuine Beats are manufactured in better factories, cost still won't exceed $50. With a $380 MSRP, that's a VERY healthy margin. I don't know how much Beats sells them for at wholesale, but it's gotta be pretty pricey (perhaps upwards of $120), as they also have tons of marketing costs to cover. I'm not getting into whether Beats are good / bad / worth the money, etc. I just wanted to share my insights to other readers."

"I can see more interesting applications for laser kerf bending in metal for non-structural parts, such as computer  or amplifier housings, where the kerf patterns can save money on tooling and at the same time act as ventilation. If you've got to have holes to vent heat or circulate air, the holes may as well be additionally useful."