Downloading - iLounge

IDESIGN THE IDESIGN INTERVIEW
Evan Stein
Director of Marketing
IPAD 2 BUYERS’ GUIDE
Speaking on behalf of iHome’s design team, Evan
Stein walked iLounge through the creation of the
stylish iPod/iPhone systems iP1 and iA63, the
impressive iPad-ready iA100, and the upcoming
AirPlay wireless speaker iW1. Never-before-seen
sketches and prototypes show iP1’s evolution from
concept to the exciting finished product it ultimately
became, as well as the early concept design of iA63.
Practical challenges in manufacturing the iP1
Shown in this early foam prototype, iP1’s signature acrylic
panel was easy to design but hard to mass-produce. It “had to
be precision laser cut and hand polished to give the edges a
mirror-like finish,” notes Stein. The detachable mesh speaker
grilles were a late addition to protect the speakers in hightraffic
offices and retail environments. iP1’s floating tweeters
turned out to be a challenge, too: “Early units were carefully
glued to the acrylic,” but some were arriving damaged after
shipping. “A factory visit determined that while the unit was
being assembled upsidedown,
the chambers
were being stressed,
weakening the bond. A
mechanically fastened
tweeter chamber was
implemented as a
running change, along
with an improved
assembly jig.”
On iP1’s Design
“The design team really wanted to
give the product a flavor normally
seen in showcase-type loudspeakers.
These products convey the language
of sound in a very different way,
celebrating the beauty of the speakers
themselves, making the form support
the essential components instead of
vice versa,” says Stein. “Our acoustical
engineers presented a customdesigned
woofer that was both
durable, beautiful, and had highly
favorable sound characteristics. The
speaker itself became the inspiration
for the rest of the product.”
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