Product Analysis 1

1. The product below was a redesigned appliance dating back over 50 years, the designer had taken apart an old FM/AM radio and then modernised the circuitry to make it also work with mp3 players. I think the target market for this is older and out of my bracket, I would imagine it would appeal to some young adults but moving into a more adult market – having seen them in their parents home years before. In terms of ergonomics the mp3 player is easy to use, the dial are big enough to get a grip on them to use them efficiently. It’s also very easy to use the 3mm jack to plug in various different mp3 players. The product itself is quite heavy (on the inside it have a metal tray holding the components all in the correct places) which would limit its portability, however it has to be powered by mains electricity so there is no option to make it portable. The outer casing of the product is vintage in itself as it is from the period of time emulated in the current design trends. However, the “vintage” trend I am focusing on has some modern twists to it and focuses on the feminine side, I think this looks quite masculine with the use of dark stained woods for example. Overall, the shape flows and it’s quite Art Deco in appearance – I will try to design mine to give a flowing like appearance. The product above is a modified suitcase, this has been made from an old plastic case that has had the front surface cut away to give room for the speakers, the other components are the all kept inside. The speaker runs from rechargeable batteries – it has been designed to be portable and use anywhere wirelessly, for this reason it will only run off batteries or rechargeable batteries, there is no option to plug this is to use. In terms of aesthetics , if the colour was slightly lighter it would fit perfectly with the colour schemes for my vintage designs. With the product having a hollow inside and the components not weight too much it is very lightweight. The design has it’s pro’s and con’s when it comes to ergonomics. On the positive side the handle has been injection moulded to create a perfect curve for your hand. On the negatives, the clasp is difficult to get open as your fingers don’t fit quite underneath. One of the features I do like about this design is it captures vintage spirit. It looks interesting and engaging, the blue, black and silver compliment but stand out against each other. Overall, I really like the idea of re-using old materials or broken items to create something new – like the phrases “make do and mend” which was very popular at the time. This is a very modern product which is new to the market, it is designed to appeal to the young adult and teenage market The product itself is fairly heavy, which makes it impractical for portability. This point is also reinforced with the its size. The product is made from mostly plastic which will have most likely been injection moulded. There are some other components which are metal and some use of acrylic plastic. The eyes of the pig are used as the speakers and this works quite well as the focus is then on the face of the item. The ears are slightly raised to allow more sound out of the body of the product. It also has another speaker underneath. Ergonomically the product is fairly easy to use, it’s easy to access the mp3 player from the product when you have finished using it. In terms of aesthetics the product works well, it has a clean, smooth finish, bold colours and the metal edging around the speakers create a difference in appearance – from the matt speakers and pink body to the shiny surrounds – making the product look more expensive. One feature I like about this product is the small details, such as the metal surrounds and the rubber pads on the feet of the device which will stop the device from marking furniture. Overall, this design wont fit with the vintage design as it’s too modern – what I will use is the attention to detail and the use of different materials to give a high quality finish. Product Analysis 1

2. Product Analysis 2 This is product new but it’s based on the designs of 1950’s radios. It will have probably been made of melamine in the 50’s as this was a new product, today I would imagine it’s made from polycarbonate and would have been injection moulded. They have used a light speaker mesh which fits well with the bright yellow plastic shell of the box, this then also contrasts well with the black and silver dials. One of the problems with this product is that again the speaker is just plugged in through a jack and doesn’t really form a complete piece – more like an add on. This obviously makes the product look just like a 50’s radio when there is no mp3 player attached. I like the simple lines and use of limited colours – the rectangular edges which contrast with the circular dials then focus the attention onto the white mesh. The dial in this piece is usable and operates the radio function in it, it’s a shame that the mp3 player still has to be operated through the device rather that using the buttons on the front of this piece. This is another speaker where the ergonomics are good, due to the fact everything is easily accessible. The product is also designed to be portable and runs from batteries. The product is a good size for portability and fits comfortably in your hands if you hold it in both hands. The legs at the bottom of the speaker allow it to stand it up and shows off the clean cut edges of the product. This attention to detail makes this simple product stand out – I will ensure my product has a similar level of attention to detail. This is another new product based on older vintage products. For this product they have used some vintage tweed material to manufacture the outer casing and used vintage colours like beige and browns to create the other features. It’s loosely based on an amp with similar controls and the use of a tortoise shell effect plectrum logo. I like the shape of the product and how they have also used the theme of travel bags, by the use of the materials and the leather handle on the top. One of my favourite features of this product is how the designer has thought about making the circular product stand up properly – they have given it a stand to aid balance. There are features of the product that make it look higher quality – such as the fact a circular shell being encased in separate material and the inner disk from further separate disk. The sunken speaker also gives the product a further high quality product and using wider holed mesh fits with the circular appearance of the product. Ergonomically it is easy to use, however some of the dials are a bit close together and you can accidently change some of the other dials as you change one. This product has again reinforced the need for an attention to detail in the product. I will conduct some research on the intricate details of vintage design so that I can add further detail into my design. This is another product that has been made by reusing an old product that is beyond repair. They have removed the irreparable radio pieces and re-fitted the casing with new mp3 speaker components. The casing is an expensive softwood that has been steam bent, however the same effect could be achieved cheaper with some bendable plywood. They also have retained the old dials, these are no longer functional which is a shame and could have probably been adapted to fit. I like the curved edges and the smooth appearance of the product, I think this product is more unisex than the other wooden product (product two), I think the curves take away the masculine edges. I think the casing could have been developed more to incorporate the mp3 player rather than have it plugged in through the back by a jack. Ergonomically, the product is easy to use as everything on the product is in the open and easily accessible, however I think this complete accessibility has come at the expense of the aesthetics. I like the old fashioned dials and the use of lighter coloured woods contrasting with the darker toned woods. The engraving around the dial also makes the piece really stand out.