10 Famous Product Designs That Changed the World
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While some might argue that good design is visible – it should be noticed, mentioned, and discussed – it is often the case that the most successful projects are so ingrained in our visual lexicon that we stop realizing that they are – well-designed. Here's a look at some of the most famous product designs that you should know.
Coca Cola bottles
The curved glass Coca-Cola bottle, now considered one of the most popular and familiar shapes in the world, was invented in 1915 to create a distinctive bottle that could be recognized when felt in the dark or when lying smashed on the ground.
Anglepoise lamp
Thanks to the development of a new type of spring, the Anglepoise lamp, developed by engineer George Carwardine, first appeared in 1932. It became popular because it could be moved and held in any direction.
Folded straw
Many inventions aim to solve problems, like the straw. People have been using straws for drinking for hundreds of years. This now standard drinking instrument was patented on this day in 1937 by inventor Joseph Friedman. He used a pre-existing invention, known colloquially as a soda straw, and made it available to people who could not sit at a high bar and tilt their heads at the exact angle needed to drink from a straight straw.
Ballpoint pen
In 1938, when László József Biro faced the problem of pens leaking or drying out, he invented the ballpoint pen. With thicker ink and a small ball bearing to control the flow, the ballpoint pen became one of the most innovative and best-selling products in history. Think of a bottle of rolls. The big ball is in a cylinder, secured at the end with a socket that allows it to spin freely. This mechanism allowed the ball to move ink from a reservoir inside the pen to the surface as it rotated in the socket.
VW Beetles
Since 1945, Volkswagen has sold 40 million of these unique cars. It is recognized as the most-produced car in history, and it sure does look good!
The AT&T 500 telephone
The AT&T 500 telephone, designed by American industrial designer Henry Dreyfuss, is one of the most iconic and recognizable products of the 20th century. This phone and its design process were the forerunners of many design principles today. Rotary telephones with round dials and fingerprint holes first appeared in the early 20th century. But many of these were wall-mounted or required two separate devices to talk and listen. When the calling process became automated, developers had to find a way to offer an intuitive interface as callers chose more complex number sequences, essentially 'switching' themselves. While previous models met these needs, the 500 improved the design by adding several features that changed how phones were used forever. AT&T's first rotary telephone, released in 1927, also known as the "French telephone," had a built-in speaker and microphone but was cumbersome to use. By contrast, Dreyfus's first model, the 302 of 1936, was made of metal and had an awkwardly shaped handset. Then, in 1949, the 500 model was introduced. Using the new plastic technology, the handset was smooth, rounded, well-proportioned, and significantly improved on the previous awkward versions. It was the first telephone with rotating letters under the numbers – a boon for business as telephone numbers could now be advertised and remembered as mnemonic phrases.
Little Trees air freshener
When you think of an air freshener, Little Trees is probably what first pops into your mind. Julius Samans developed these pine-shaped fragrance ornaments in 1952. After fleeing Nazi Germany, Samans studied mountain perfumes in Canada and had the idea to use his research to bring fresh scents to the masses. The design of the refresher is so recognizable that its manufacturer, Car-Freshner Corporation, has filed at least six lawsuits in the last 15 years to prevent counterfeiting.
Mascara wand
Revlon invented the modern mascara wand in 1958. Before that, mascara was applied with small brushes. Today, the mascara wand makes it easy to use, lift and separate the strands for the best look.
Paper clip
For years, we have taken a simple paper clip for granted. As a child, we used them to hang Christmas decorations. As a teenager, we used them to shoot rubber bands at friends. But in the 1990s, we straightened them to squeeze a software diskette out of a damaged hard drive. The paper clip is an almost perfect design – elegant, functional, and made of steel, a sustainable and recyclable material. But the paper clip has come a long way from the ideal shape we know today. In the beginning, the paper clip was a pin that pierced the papers to hold them together. The sharp pins could sting the workers who used them and were difficult to use. Thus began a gradual improvement. The straight pin evolved into the so-called T-pin, a device with a horizontal wire at the end that made it easier to push the pin through the papers without unnecessarily pinching the fingers. However, this design still left holes in the papers. In the late 1990s, inventors in the USA and Europe started developing new paper clip versions. In 1898, the Pennsylvania inventor Matthew Scully thought he had improved the paper clip design by creating two loops in the wire. However, there was still a problem: a piece of wire was extending from the eyelets, which caught and tore the paper. Many other inventors introduced various buckles, staples, and metal-stamped designs to create a cheap, safe, secure, reusable paper clip. Finally, in 1899, a US citizen from Connecticut, William Middlebrook, developed a precious paper clip and a machine to produce it to create the paper clip we know today. The iconic double-loop design had enough springs to hold several sheets of paper together without breaking or fraying fingers or paper. On an average day, we see dozens of products based on a particular visual idea, a combination of form and function that is so compatible that these objects begin to define the same category in which they exist. These all are great examples of design that stand the test of time.
iPhone
We have carried the iPhone in our pockets since 2007. Its design has evolved and improved over time while retaining the distinctive sense of purity, minimalism, and brilliance Apple gives to all its products.