April 24, 2020Comments are off for this post.

Product Review: AUKEY Scarab Gaming Mouse

TLDR: This gaming mouse punches significantly above its (light)weight. It's comfortable, responsive, and competitively priced. 

I have reviewed several AUKEY products over the years. They provided each one free of charge and never asked me to change a word about what I've said. My reviews have been mostly positive. In general, AUKEY makes inexpensive electronic accessories, that for the price, have an exceptional build quality and exhibit thoughtful design. They use quality plastics with a high-end look and feel. My experience is that their products easily handle regular use.  

This week, AUKEY sent me a Scarab gaming mouse to try out. It is no exception to the rule. If you want an affordable gaming mouse that precisely does what you ask and most likely will endure lengthy use without complaint, get the Scarab.

For my day to day activities - CAD design using Rhino, some light Photoshop or Illustrator work, and a whole bunch of typing - I prefer to use the Evoluent VM4R vertical mouse. It's a dependable workhorse of a mouse that has the heft and feel of an old Mercedes. It's hardly sporty, but it gets the job done comfortably and predictably. It's a beast.

When I took the Scarab out of the box, my first impression was, "This thing is light."

The Scarab feels like getting behind the wheel of BMW i3 BEV - light, responsive, and like it or not, pretty noticeable. If you like accurate tracking and prefer lightweight mice (the Scarab is just 75 grams), you'd be well served by this device. I'm not giving up my Evoluent for most of my tasks. Still, I see the appeal of something as light as AUKEY's Scarab - especially as a way to minimize fatigue during the rapid and near-constant movement experienced in gaming sessions.

For a non-vertical mouse, I found it ergonomic and comfortable. AUKEY put thought into the design, demonstrated by how it easily conforms to multiple grip styles. I'm used to a heftier mouse -- my Evoluent is nearly 200 grams. I've been using the Scarab for only a short time and found adjusting to its weight difficult. But, it is easily more accurate and responsive than my Evoluent.

I encountered zero tracking issues when using the mouse playing a game or during my more mundane day to day activities. I can't say the same of the Evoluent; I often have to go hunting for my cursor after when it jumps to another screen. It's just something I've gotten used to.

I was not the only person who tested the Scarab. Since everyone is stuck at home, I had some extra testers available, including my six-year-old son.  

AUKEY Scarab Gaming Mouse - scroll wheel

His eyes lit up, and he looked gleeful when I plugged the mouse into the old MacBook Air he's been using for online studies, and it lit up like a Christmas tree. Suffice to say his review was easily five-stars. But he did like the mouses' functionality too, especially the graduated feel of the scroll wheel. It made moving up and down the screen much more manageable for his little fingers and, since his school is now online, that's a tangible benefit. 

I also have a doctor in the house doing telemedicine. So lots of box-ticking and moving around a cluttered EPIC screen. She found the tracking too accurate and had to go into Windows settings to fine-tune how the curser moved around on the screen. She's still reporting some overly twitchy behavior, but that's to be expected until she gets it dialed in.

The ability to set macros on the mouse intrigued her, but she has yet to test that functionality. On a side note, she swears by the KM-G6 that AUKEY donated to me for review. It continues to perform flawlessly after hundreds of hours of use. 

AUKEY Scarab Gaming Mouse and Gaming KM-G6 Keyboard

That is where the Scarab will live for the next several months. Check back in for an updated long-term review.

In the meantime, in so far as I can say, after having used the Scarab for only a few short days, it seems like a good mouse at a reasonable price. I suspect it will be reliable. If you want to brighten up a six-year-old's day, with a mouse, AUKEY's Scarab would be a good one to purchase, especially since kids will be in front of screens more often because of COVID-19.

Purchase on Amazon: That's an affiliate link. If you click on it and buy something Amazon will give me money - not house in the country money, ut maybe extra cup of coffee money.

AUKEY GM-F3 RGB - Specifications

Model: GM-F3

Number of Buttons: 6

Switch for Left & Right Buttons: HUANO 65±15gf

Lifespan of Left & Right Buttons: 20 million clicks

Interface: USB 2.0

Input: DC 5V 80mA

Sensor: SPCP6651B optical sensor

Software Adjustable DPI: 200-400-600-800-1000-1200-1600-2000-2400-3200-4800-7200 DPI

Max Resolution: 7200 DPI

Max Speed: 66 IPS

Max Acceleration: 22.5G

Polling Rates: 125 / 250 / 500 / 1000Hz

System Requirements: Windows XP / Vista / 7 / 8 / 10, Mac OS

Casing Material: ABS

Cable Material: Braided nylon

Cable Length: 1.5m / 4.9’

Dimensions: 120 x 73 x 40mm / 4.72” x 2.87” x 1.57″

Weight (cable excluded): 75g / 2.65oz

March 4, 2020Comments are off for this post.

Design Interview: STILNEST

Reprint of a September, 2014 interview conducted by Isabel Städler, then Head of Curation at Stilnest.

Stilnest (German for "style nest") is an online jewelry company based in Berlin. Stilnest was founded in 2013 by Julian Leitloff, Florian Krebs, Raoul Schäkermann, Mike Schäkermann, Michael Aigner and Tim Bibow.

Stilnest is known for working with social media stars and celebrities. The company currently ships to 65 countries worldwide and uses 3D printing technology to help produce its jewelry.

Stilnest commissioned me to create an exclusive jewelry collection and this interview was done in conjunction with the release of the "Soundscapes" Collection

Where and how were you educated?

I received my BA in English and Philosophy at Tulane University. I was close to minoring in fine arts - my concentration was in glass blowing and sculpture - but ran out of time! I never lost my love for art and sculpture. Through law school and my career as a practicing attorney, I made time to study and hone my craft. I worked and apprenticed with some fantastic artists, including glass blower Larry Livolsi , designer/sculptor Dorothy Hafner, and painter/sculptor Denis Folz. My education is ongoing and crosses disciplines.

Where did you work?

My career was in law. I was a litigator in New York before I took on a supervisory role at a boutique legal services company in Columbus, Ohio. However, as satisfying as a good day's work could be, it was never my passion. The practice of law has creative aspects and creative people; it just didn't stoke my fire. I appreciate the experience and education. It helps a lot on the business side of things. It's good not to be intimidated by fine print!

Why do you design jewelry?

A piece of jewelry is a wearable sculpture. Take the soundscape collection I made for Stilnest. If you scale it up, it would be just as fascinating to look at. 

When I go to a museum or a gallery, I have to consciously hold myself back from reaching out and touching the things I see. I like jewelry because it's made to be touched and worn close to your skin. My goal for every piece is for people to unconsciously have to touch it. This is why I design jewelry.

How did you get the idea to work with 3D printing and what do you like about it? What inspires you?

I got the idea to work with 3D printing by just being aware of the technology via tech blogs. I noticed the technology a few years ago and started to educate myself on it bit by bit. Back then, there was a story once every other month. Now there are stories every day!

The idea of 3D printing is exciting by itself, no? Pressing a button and making something appear out of just the amount of material you need. Amazing! Who wouldn't want to get involved in something like that? 

I also enjoy working within the confines of technology. It is frustrating at times, but that's what I like about it - the push and pull of what I want to do and what the technology will let me do. However, since the technology of 3D printing is continually improving, I find that I can do more and more. That is inspiring in its own way.  

Favorite designer/architect/music/philosophy/etc.?

I have a spectrum of likes. 

I admire Steve Jobs - for his business acumen, his visual aesthetic, his eye for detail. 

I admire Andy Warhol and think he is as much a philosopher as he is an artist and businessman.  

I enjoy Roy Lichtenstein's work. His work is to art what CliffsNotes are to literature. That is meant as a compliment. There are a lot of things to see and read and anything that can help you find your way is good in my book. 

I really do like IKEA. I don't care if people think it's cheap college furniture. I could walk around IKEA every day and not get bored.  

I like what Miguel Angel Galluzzi has done with Ducati design and look forward to seeing how his work develops at Piaggio, especially as it concerns Moto Guzzi. 

My music choices have evolved but I will always listen to Radiohead and Björk. I am currently enjoying Sakanaction, Eliphant, Asaf Avidan, and Starcadian.

I don't have a favorite architect, but I'll quote John Landis, who himself was paraphrasing John Huston, that "Politicians, old buildings and prostitutes become respectable with age." 

 Any other interesting information about you?

I recently acquired the only car I ever wanted. A 1991 Monte Carlo Yellow SAAB 900 convertible. It lives up to the mental pedestal I had it placed on for the past 20 years. 

How does your designing process look like?

It usually starts with me setting out a goal. "I want to make x." And then proceeding to figure out how to. Sometimes I have a clear procedure in mind and know how I'm going to achieve my goal. Many times I hit a wall and start over again several times. I always find a way through, around, or under any block. I'll go out and walk the dog and, without thinking about the problem, come home and an answer presents itself. Or at the very least, I'll have been inspired to do something else, which inevitably leads to a solution somewhere down the line.

I occasionally sketch an idea on paper, but most of the time will start directly on the computer - whether it's for 3D printing or something else. Since I was 4, I was using a computer - starting with the Commodore 64 - and feel comfortable using one as my blank page. But I am a big fan of post-it notes! I have them stuck everywhere on my desk, in my car, on the walls, and on the computer. I sketch pictures on them, I suss out design problems on them while I'm on the computer, I write down ideas for designs and stories on them. I think it's the immediacy of them that I like.  

I am in the Rembrant school of thought when it comes to deciding whether or not the goal has been met - in my mind, it's done "when he had achieved his purpose."  

Vista With Bridge (1996)

Say something about your design presented at Stilnest. What ́s the idea, you have had in mind?

I have developed several jewelry designs derived from spoken word sound waves. My Stilnest design is a further distillation of that process. The end product here is a "landscape of sound" or, more simply, a soundscape. I was inspired by the late 90's landscapes of Lichtenstein - "Vista with Bridge," which is a great example. He, in turn, was inspired by the classic landscape paintings of ancient China and Japan. I wanted something between the two - Lichtenstein's works have stark separations, and the Chinese landscapes a more ethereal quality. I wanted both. I wanted to see the sound wave blended into a scene, the profile of the mountains and valleys, derived from the waveform. 


Recognized by HUFFPOST as the "coolest engagement ring available on Stilnest."

March 1, 2020Comments are off for this post.

How To Stop Touching Your Face

When is the last time you touched your face? You probably didn't even realize when you did. How do you break a habit that you didn't know was terrible and that you didn't even know you had? You're not alone. We all touch our faces — a lot.

As you go about your day, you touch countless things — doorknobs, elevator buttons, credit card reader screens. Microbes, including the new coronavirus, can linger on those surfaces for days. Every time you place your finger on something, various microscopic organisms hitch a ride. When you touch your face, they hop off your fingertips and into your nose, mouth, and eyes - the express route into your body.

The coronavirus outbreak has raised awareness of just how often we reach for our faces. According to Dr. Vanessa Raabe, assistant professor in the department of medicine at NYU Langone Health, "It's a very difficult habit to break because we all do it, and oftentimes we're not even aware we're doing it."

What should you do?

Don't touch your face, touch this Copper hringpoki stone

Keep your hands busy.

Dr. Raabe offered this suggestion: "Be cognizant of triggers." Not to get all Zen, but take the time to be in the moment and pay attention to yourself and take note of compulsive behavior. Maybe you stroke your chin when you're trying to find the right word? Or, like many people, you rub your nose when you get a bit sleepy? Knowing where the trap is —that's the first step in evading it.

According to doctors, occupying your hands can reduce instances of touching your face. Fidget stones and stress balls are an excellent way to keep your hands busy and away from your face.  

If you don't have a stress ball to squeeze, or a hrigpoki stone to rub, why not keep a special coin handy? Iceland's 10 krónur coin inspired the hringpoki fidget coin. As a bonus, using a souvenir coin to occupy your hands might bring back memories of your trip. Hey, even a mental vacation is a vacation. 

don't touch your face, touch a hringpoki kronur, shown here next to an Icelandic 10 kronur coin

Coins made with copper are also naturally antimicrobial and anti-fungal. Research shows that copper has an inherent ability to kill a wide range of harmful microbes, and it can help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses. If an animal coronavirus makes a "host jump" over to humans, the result can be cases of severe infection with high mortality. "Researchers found that a closely-related human coronavirus - 229E - can remain infectious on common surface materials for several days, but is rapidly destroyed on copper."

The old rhyme, "See a penny, pick it up, all the day you'll have good luck," might be great medical advice, too. And remember, don't touch your face!

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