With estimated robocalls at 167.3 million per day in the US, many Americans simply ignore unknown numbers or “Scam Likely” calls. This doesn’t assuage the anxiety of missing something important or the sense of violation. Two programs—STIR (Secure Telephone Identity Revisited) and SHAKEN (Signature-based Handling of Asserted information using toKENs)—aim to verify callers. Right now, they’re only deploying on T-Mobile but the FCC strongly believes more carriers …
Efforts Underway to Stop Robocalls
Monsoon Umbrella
$12
Emblazoned with the neon sign-inspired Coming Soon logo on the outside, and “monsoon” on the inside, this clear plastic umbrella by the NYC-based brand will keep users dry in style. With a white plastic handle, this 33-inch umbrella is functional and simple—and a way to bring a little of the Lower East Side store with you everywhere.
Link About It
Stories from around the web that we think you should read
Google Translate Employs Decades-Old Language Theory
Google Translate uses complex neural and numeric systems to find equivalencies in speech and text across languages. The tool is seemingly simple—at least for users. But on the backend, developers worked tirelessly to get the application to where it is now. One fascinating breakthrough came when Google employees applied Wittgenstein’s language theory: a posthumously published theory that words hold no supreme meaning and that meaning …
Some Insect Species are Facing Total Extinction
Insects outweigh every species on Earth—humans, cattle and fish included. Despite their minute size, insects—bees, butterflies, moths and more—play a vital role in the planet’s ecosystem. They’re responsible for a sizable chunk of our food chain and some species act as the world’s recyclers, scrubbing the ground floor from vegetal and wooden debris. But, according to a new study, 40% of insect species will be faced …
Women Who Pioneered Automotive Interior Design
A progressive hiring spree (at least, for the 1950s) by GM actively sought out women to design the interiors for all of the brands under their umbrella. The women, who held degrees from some of the country’s top design schools and worked internationally prior to being hired, faced sexism but their work pushed forward design as well as women’s positions in the workplace. The team …
Tracey Emin on Her Deeply Personal Work
Once stricken by poverty, abandonment and other traumas, acclaimed artist Tracey Emin turned to art as a lifeline and an expression of herself. In doing so, she also broadened common conceptions of art—what it is, what it can be, and who can make it. “I feel physically ill if I don’t make work, I don’t create,” she explains of her process, detailing the intrinsic connection …
Mercedes-Benz EQ Fellows: Tara Pham
Monitoring streets in order to help city planners succeed
Presented in partnership with Mercedes-Benz EQ
Buy Guide
The latest additions to our shoppable directory
Handmade Fruit Bowl
$149
Reiko Yamamoto’s handmade fruit bowl (measuring six by 15 inches) is a sturdy and versatile piece that doesn’t sacrifice style. Its shape and feel are pleasantly natural—with clean lines and a sleek silhouette. Because each one is individually handmade, they may differ slightly in shape and finish—custom glazing ranges from high-gloss to matte.
Rainbow Shop T-Shirt
$48
Adorned with a ’70s-inspired rainbow graphic on both the front and back, this sand-colored T-shirt from NOAH celebrates the origins of the brand: their shop address on NYC’s Mulberry St. Made from 100% cotton and printed in the USA, the cheerful design is available in several other colorways.
Neo Tarot
$23
This book and deck of cards by Jerico Mandybur offers a unique, contemporary and thoughtful guide to tarot. With Neo Tarot: A Fresh Approach to Self-Care, Healing and Empowerment, users can put the ancient practice via insights, wisdom and exercises—all of which are crafted to not only heal but also explore. The book and 78-card deck are also gorgeously designed.
Prism Chess Set
$120
With production limited to just 25, this chess set from Poketo is a collectible, design piece—and a functional game, of course. The pieces are geometric, and are made from lucite, as is the board. Though the rules remain the same this edition is a contemporary and stylish update.
Madlib + OHNO: Big Whips
The third single released from a compilation created by Gangster Doodles (aka Marlon Sassy), Madlib and OHNO’s “Big Whips” is a perfectly produced, head-nodding tune with a David James-directed music video. Both the track and visuals will hit a nostalgic nerve for many. Each song on the album Gangster Music Vol. 1 has an original illustration by Sassy, and the entire record is made up of tracks …
Jessie Ware: Adore You
Mellow and a little haunting, Jessie Ware‘s new song “Adore You” (co-written and produced by Metronomy’s Joseph Mount) is a sublime return to the London-based singer/songwriter’s electronic roots. The house-pop track is airy and delicate, and Ware’s vocals are perfectly pared back to match. Part ballad, part disco tune, this is a one-off release at the moment, with no LP announced from Ware since her …
Listen Up
Rowdy rap, haunting electro-pop and more new tunes this week
Design-Driven Charging Stations by Leon’s Electric Trout
Offering a little charm, character and warmth to a functional tech product
As our phones get slimmer, sleeker and more stylish, there are a few brands working on docking stations that keep up. Like many companies, Leon’s Electric Trout was born out of a simple, everyday dissatisfaction. David Stychno (who is design director at a software company during traditional work hours) explains, “My girlfriend and I were always fighting over charging cables at night. It was a mess. One of us was …
Link About It: This Week’s Picks
Endangered insects, ending robocalls, women who pioneered auto design and more
Lolo Zouaï: Lose Myself
On her new hip-hop-inflected tune “Lose Myself,” Lolo Zouaï details how she got to where she is—referencing her first car, stories of adolescence and the music that inspired her. But the singer also explores a deep fear of losing the people and things that made her who she is. “I don’t want to lose myself to this,” she sings. On the self-produced track, Zouaï showcases her talent and her …
Czarface + Ghostface Killah: Mongolian Beef
Back in 2013, Wu-Tang Clan’s Inspectah Deck joined forces with 7L and Esoteric to form Czarface, a supergroup of undeniable ferociousness. Czarface has just dropped “Mongolian Beef,” from their forthcoming album Czarface Meets Ghostface—the trio’s collaboration with Wu-Tang’s Ghostface Killah. With those details out of the way, listeners are left with a rowdy track that puts everyone’s talents to rapid-fire use. Paired with Shawn Johnson’s collage-like video, it’s …
Interview: Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher, the Photographers Behind ‘African Twilight’
Two of the most accomplished photographers of African tribes capture the continent's disappearing ceremonies
Vault by Vans + Modernica’s Capsule Collection Represents SoCal Craftsmanship
Three custom fiberglass shell chairs honor footwear classics born again
Mercedes-Benz EQ Fellows: Humphrey Wrey
Quick Bus founder and managing director takes on transportation developments in Africa
Presented in partnership with Mercedes-Benz EQ
Across a continent where flying can be prohibitively expensive, Humphrey Wrey imagined a service that would formalize, rate and compare long-distance bus travel. Quick Bus was born—and an industry was modernized. Through a smartphone (or basic one), users can book transit in advance and offer feedback on carriers and experiences. Wrey’s impact reaches from comfort to safety. Prior to Quick Bus, Wrey worked in several African …
The Devel Sixteen Debuts at the Canadian International Auto Show
We speak with the company's president about creating the world's fastest supercar
“It was not intended to be a business, just a passion”
Previewing Laguna Art Museum’s 2019 California Cool Auction
Proceeds from the sales of over 100 works will benefit furthering the institution
At the Laguna Art Museum‘s 2019 benefit auction, California Cool, works from over 100 Californian artists are available for purchase, and every sale results in raises funds for many of the museum’s ongoing initiatives—the collection and preservation of California art, their calendar of exhibitions and art education included. With an online auction and a live auction commencing tomorrow (16 February), works from Brittney Diamond, Tom Lamb, Lindsey …