An Interview With Ken Tomita: Co-Founder Of Grove
In a sea of smartphone case mediocrity, a search for something that doesn't make your phone look worse is a perilous one that rarely ends in a solution. The end-product results fall into one of two categorys: a case with such a sheer determination for protection that the look and feel of materials isn't taken into consideration whatsoever, or an attempt to remain as inconspicuous as possible, which inevitably backfires due to a subpar design ethic.
That is where Grove comes in.
An Interview With Kieron-Scott: The Guy Who Designed The Bamboo Smartphone
So the AD-Zero has been capturing the viral headlines everywhere: the title of 'smartphone made of bamboo' is something that will always find interest, curiosity and conservationalist inspiration in everyone.
But another side to this story proceeds, one that we're much more interested about, that expands beyond the 'allure' of such an original choice of material in mobile phone construction. One that speaks of the design finesses, the struggles of creating an idealistic balance between form and function, environmental responsibilities that go beyond what is normally found in the technology industry, a warmth to a product that you don't get with the trend of sterility that's formed from the industrial-monolithic design ethic of Apple products.
We talked with Kieron-Scott Woodhouse, Head Designer of the AD-Zero, and design student from The University of Middlesex, about not just the phone's technical insights; but the choices and inspirations taken while designing the phone, and the history of progress that has led to this stage.
Product design geeks will love this.
UK Market To Welcome Android-Equipped Bamboo Smartphone
As far as modern smartphone design goes, you’d be hard-pressed to find a handset that bears not a single aesthetic resemblance to a rival competitors’ device. It’s hard to overstate just how massive Apple’s introduction to the smartphone arena proved to be – just look at the current crop of phones on the market with their ever larger, more defined, sleeker touch-screens. But that’s not to say we can’t admire an entirely unique and simply gorgeous take on smartphone design – one made largely from four-year old, organically-grown bamboo that is.