常常需要在多視窗間切換嗎？總是用手不斷去拉視窗邊緣調整大小真的很麻煩，推薦你用用看這個 BetterSnapTool，只要移動視窗去撞 Mac 桌面的四周，視窗會自動伸縮成最適大小，讓多視窗間不會交疊在一起。最酷的是能針對視窗給予熱鍵，例如按下 Control 你就能單指滑動調整視窗大小，因此 BetterSnapTool 也被我定義成「強化手勢操作體驗」的第三方應用。
雖然 OS X Yosemite 加強了 Spotlight 的搜尋功能，但是 Alfred 仍然是我認為最棒的輔助軟體，甚至是熱鍵工具、搜尋利器、計算機、畫面大字報，種種強大應用功能讓 Alfred 面對強化版的 Spotlight 仍舊屹立不搖。如果你不常用 Spotlight 內建搜尋，你可以試試 Alfred，如果你會用 Spotlight，不妨也玩玩看 Alfred 所帶來 Spotlight 沒有的大字報功能吧！
有沒有一個行事曆平台能完美整合 iCloud、Google、Facebook 等行事曆功能，甚至支援 Mac 內建的提醒事項、第三方筆記軟體 Evernote？Sunrise 就能做到，在一個畫面完美整合所有該提醒的時間，並用 Google Maps 當做主要地圖，種種超越 Mac 內建行事曆應用程式的設計方式，除了 Mac 版，同樣有 iPhone 版、網路版，因此你可以在任何平台上編輯你的行程。
第三方雲端服務絕對是現代電腦應用非常重要的一環，在我們的新書《Apple 會怎麼做？100 個讓蘋果店員也想學的 Mac OS X 工作方法》中也特別介紹這些雲端服務。雲端代表的不僅有儲存，還有更厲害的自動化、即時同步，就像你的私人秘書般，也可以把雲端當成自成一格的獨立系統。因此多裝兩朵雲在 Mac 上吧，把資料放在雲端也能讓你在任何地方快速取用、分享，節省本機儲存空間，這麼多好處，不裝嗎？
以前在 PC 上刪除應用程式，最擔心就是有殘存的檔案沒有刪乾淨，會佔據儲存空間，又沒辦法輕易找出來，在 Mac 上你如果用 AppCleaner，就能高枕無憂了！直接從應用程式清單中挑選要刪除的程式，按下 Search，所有潛藏在 Mac 中與此應用程式相關的檔案都將現身，你所要做的就只是 Delete。
QuickTime Player 是 Mac 內建的功能，但鮮少人會去使用這個來播影片，因為它支援的播放格式其實有限，所以我看影片幾乎都用 MPlayerX，但這邊要介紹的是 QuickTime Player 隱藏的超級神技：QuickTime Player 配合一條充電線就能輕易投影 iPhone、iPad 畫面到 Mac 上，穩定又迅速。因此你不用再裝 Reflactor、X-Mirage 等鏡像輸出軟體了，內建免費直接用。
To me, a product should not attract attention through overloaded design. Instead, it’s about the thought – the idea – coupled with intelligent design, which helps bring the product into existence. The product’s final design should be about elaborating things more deeply and understanding the world around us better. In short, it’s about designing a better future.
An example of this is the product development of “Schwarzes Gold:”
“Schwarzes Gold” does not begin with its material nor end with its form. The lamp wants to bring light into the darkness by making people think. Its story is about responsibility, conviction, and sustainable design.
Today lamps with energy-saving light bulbs are titled as “eco-friendly.” For granted, saving energy is a fundamental principle for sustainable design, but it is only a fraction of the whole. In a time characterized by vanishing natural resources, climate change, and toxic waste, the eco-friendliness of a lamp depends on more than just its light bulb. The materials used, the production process, the packaging, and its disposal must be considered.
As a designer of the future, it is my responsibility to pay attention to all of these aspects. This is why “Schwarzes Gold” transforms words into action and calls for shifting to whole-system thinking within the industry, economy, and consumers.
Material & Production:
During the material selection for “Schwarzes Gold,” much consideration was given to the materials’ simplicity and their compatibility with nature. The black lampshade is made out of 100% natural materials. The binding agent consisting of flour and water is mixed with FSC-certified charcoal.
Next, the liquid substance is poured into the form and baked for a few hours at low temperature, which keeps the ecological footprint of “Schwarzes Gold” low. During the baking process, the copper form is baked into the black charcoal mix, which creates a solid bond between the two elements. After the baking process, the now firm and non-staining material is removed from its mold by hand. The pressed copper sheet serves as a reflector for the energy-efficient LED-bulb and gives the light an inviting warm reflection.
Even though the burning of coal emits climate-warming and polluting greenhouse gases, to this day, this fossil fuel is still currently Germany’s number one energy source. Given this problematic issue, the used charcoal is not burned, but its application was deliberately not foregone . The lamp’s thought-provoking deep black coal material wants to remind customers that they also carry a responsibility.
When looking at “Schwarzes Gold,” consumers are reminded to also think about where their electricity is actually coming from, since this is another vital part of a lamp. When “Schwarzes Gold” reaches the end of its life span, the charcoal material can easily be dissolved in water. Thus, the 100% biodegradable organic material is given back to nature and the rest can be recycled separately.
Form:
The modern yet timeless design of “Schwarzes Gold” reflects my philosophy of sustainable design. For timeless design obtains long-term consumer acceptance, which minimizes future market assimilations as well as associated development and resource expenditures.
Even “Schwarzes Gold’s” final form promotes sustainable practices in industry and society. Its black coal lampshade and the vaulted bell-shaped lamp complement one another; and together they symbolize the challenges of our time to create a sustainable society.
“Schwarzes Gold” rings in an era of rethinking and change.
