“FEEL PLANET EARTH” Cifial Design Award, is organized with the aim of promoting design, both as a culture, and as a tool, capable of proposing innovative solutions to man’s approach to his social and natural environment. The object of this contest is to promote the exchange of ideas and spread the values of design, offering new approaches to tasks products and services, visualizing, interpreting technologies, etc. Its theme arises from the day-to-day concerns around the huge transformations that are presently taking place in our society economy culture and environment, and which the present paradigms seem to be unable to deal with.

The goal of this award is to identify and disseminate design contributions to help build a path towards sustainability on issues that we all face, and must urgently discuss. It will be run on a two-phase selection based firstly on an Abstract submission and then a further development for those selected.
The theme for the 2008 Award will be the over-dependence on non- renewable sources of energy in the current pattern of development.

Any design work on this issue, whether a vehicle, a public transport service, a cooking device or a lighting system, a water pump or any other practical or theoretical contribution, as well as a synopsis from an MsC or PhD dissertation, can be proposed. English will be the only accepted language for the competition. Registration - Phase 1 is from 1 November to 31 December 2008. Visit the site to learn more.

Since launching Mobile Broadband last year 3 have led the charge amongst the mobile operators. Mobile Broadband is a service offered by 3 that gives customers access to the internet on their PC or laptop using a USB modem and 3’s HSDPA network. 3 have sold over 500,000 broadband dongles in the UK alone and over 1 million across Europe. Mobile Broadband and dongles are becoming more widely understood but there is still an education job to do to communicate their benefits, and that’s where Don’t Panic comes in.

They wanted to organize a competition that allows artists and creative types as much freedom as possible, while still creating a visual message which related to 3’s mobile dongle (they are offering you £500 after all!). We want you to create a personal, unique piece of work representing freedom, communication, locality or whatever you can draw from 3’s mobile-broadband Dongle. You can take any part of it as your inspiration: it’s name, it’s functionality, it’s color scheme, mobilization, the Internet, whatever.

As well as a £500 cash prize, the winner (as selected from a public-voted shortlist) will also have their work reproduced as part of a limited edition collection of posters available through east London, as well as being used in a flyer poster campaign and included on stickers inside the Don’t Panic packs. The collection will be exhibited in the Truman Brewery in October where the winner can come down and showcase their skills in a live art studio with some of the UK’s leading creative artists.

This is a chance for you to shine, to create something cool, desirable and beautiful and have it seen via various media throughout the world. If you’re interested in submitting a piece of work, please head over to Don’t Panic for the full brief. The competition will open for submissions worldwide on 1 Sept and run until 28 Sept.

The 11th annual Step inside design competition is now open. All submissions must have been printed or published for the first time between October 1, 2007, and October 1, 2008. There are numerous categories, from illustration to student work. Note that all entries have fees for qualification.

Entries must be postmarked no later than October 1, 2008. Winners will be notified by December 1, 2008. Winning entries will be published in the March/April 2009 STEP inside design 100 Annual. Only 100 entries will be selected for inclusion in the Design 100. Visit the site to learn more.

The Dynamic Graphics Re:Design Competition gives readers the chance to have their best redesign work showcased in print. Because entries will be judged according to the quality of the redesign work plus how much improvement it demonstrates, you will need to submit both before and after materials. Entries that lack materials showing the project prior to redesign will not be considered.

Deadline has been extended to 29 August. Visit the site to learn more.

Entries for the 2009 International CES Innovations Design and Engineering Awards will be accepted today through September 24, 2008, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) announced today. This annual competition honors outstanding design and engineering in 34 consumer electronics product categories. The 2009 Best of Innovations honorees will be announced at the New York Press Preview on November 11, 2008 at the Metropolitan Pavilion and showcased at the 2009 International CES, January 8-11, 2009.

“We have instituted new judging criteria this year so that Best of Innovations provides an even higher standard of excellence. Once again, CEA’s Innovations Awards will highlight the most cutting edge technological breakthroughs in the consumer electronics industry,” said Karen Chupka, senior vice president of conferences and events, CEA. “We are continually impressed with the high quality of product submissions we receive for this highly competitive and popular program.”

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Sony Electronics Inc. has launched a nationwide video contest to find the best examples of people using high-definition products to express their passions. Starting August 19 through September 15, individuals can submit their entries online at whatsinyourhdna.com.

The video contest asks PC-owners the question, “What’s in your HDNA?”, and to showcase their answer in a one-minute video relating to music, movies, videos, games and pictures. An example featuring popular vlogger KATERS17 asking the public to submit their video can be found at whatsinyourhdna.com.

HD technology is at the core of Sony’s DNA and the contest seeks to find individuals who personify VAIO style - superior Sony HD technology plus multimedia experience. The perfect centerpiece for the contest, Sony’s VAIO line of notebooks offers superior craftsmanship, integrated HD technology, and an eye for style.

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