http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/ Astro Studios - Blog en-us Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:03:04 -0800 info@astrostudios.com http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/71/ASTROs_Impact_at_CES_2010/ <h1>Astro Astro Everywhere!</h1><img src="/dispatch/_depot/blog_image/590w/427103758699d451ea80c9a1df024ec3.jpg" alt="ces10" />=<p>While roaming the halls of CES this year we were blown away by the plethora of products, gadgets, and identities designed by Astro Studios. From the uber-current <a href="http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/64/Boxee_Box/">Boxee Box,</a> <a href="http://www.astrostudios.com/projects/archive/#18">Ooma Telo,</a> <a href="http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/55/Zune_HD/">Zune HD</a> and <a href="http://www.astrostudios.com/projects/archive/#13">Intel Moorestown,</a> to the brand identity extension of Kodak <a href="http://www.astrostudios.com/projects/archive/#26">Slice</a> and the still kicking <a href="http://www.astrostudios.com/projects/archive/#9">Xbox 360,</a> Astro was in the house!</p><p><a href='http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/71/ASTROs_Impact_at_CES_2010/'>Permalink</a></p> Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:01:00 -0800 http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/71/ASTROs_Impact_at_CES_2010/ News Joe Frazier http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/70/BOXEE_CES_2010/ <h1>Last Gadget Standing</h1><img src="/dispatch/_depot/blog_image/590w/a9a6a2ce7d12f1d836513a7a1f9bf1bb.jpg" alt="boxee ces" />=<p>Wowing the crowds at this year’s CES was the Boxee Box designed by Astro Studios. In classic championship style, Boxee was crowned CNN’s prestigious “Last Gadget Standing” award, in addition to being awarded a finalist slot in C-NET’S “Best of Show.”<br /> <br /> Hats off to Boxee and D-Link!</p><p><a href='http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/70/BOXEE_CES_2010/'>Permalink</a></p> Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:01:00 -0800 http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/70/BOXEE_CES_2010/ Design Joe Frazier http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/69/Astro_free_time/ <h1>&quot;BRUTAL&quot;</h1><img src="/dispatch/_depot/blog_image/590w/f5b88b979e18d1576596aec9e2da88ea.jpg" alt="jeff1" />=<p>No two words in the English language snuggle and spoon each other quite like the words free and time. I believe it is impossible to say "free time" aloud without smiling. Whether or not you have an exciting day-gig, like the many happy folk of Astro Studios, free time is never to be taken lightly, frittered away or wasted. "How was your weekend?" can quickly turn into bravado and probable fish tales, but the following is true, and none of the photos have been doctored.<br /> <br /> Jeff Nebolini, Astro lead graphic designer and cyclocross racer, just wrapped up his 2009 competitive season. The new year couldn't have come sooner for Jeff, who's body is thrashed after 15 intense races around Northern California and the Single Speed Cyclocross World Championships in Portland, OR. It's no wonder that his bones need some patching. <br /> <br /> Cyclocross races are dirty, dangerous, and as Jeff puts it, "BRUTAL." The courses are rife with a myriad of obstacles such as steps, barriers, ravines, steep slopes and deep mud or sand that require carrying the bike while running. The competitions, usually consisting of multiple laps around a short-ish track, are "always flat out sprints that last around 45 minutes to an hour."<br /> <br /> Although "Work Hard, Play Hard", might be cringe-inducing bumper sticker rhetoric, it is appropriate for this hard working, harder riding cyclocrosser.<br /> <br /> Jeff, we salute you.<br /> <br /> Please check back for our future installments of "Free Time" to see what the Astro crew does for kicks and giggles.</p><p><a href='http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/69/Astro_free_time/'>Permalink</a></p> Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:01:00 -0800 http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/69/Astro_free_time/ CultureFree Time Tom Galbraith http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/68/ASTRO_Sponsors_The_Academy_of_Art_University/ <h1>Astro&apos;s Kyle Swen mentors AAU students</h1><img src="/dispatch/_depot/blog_image/590w/7f4ea1413a76c80d08725bde8952a345.jpg" alt="Kyle AAU 1" />=<p>Astro Studios recently mentored a group of students at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco for the Fall 2009 semester. Lending his 20+ years in the design consultancy field, Kyle Swen, VP at Astro, had a lot to offer the students looking for credits in the course entitled Product Design IV taught by Jim Shook.<br /> <br /> The goal of Astro sponsoring this class was to bring real-world expertise and process to the classroom. Kyle tasked the students with a project that required them to design a timepiece for a brand of their choosing. Kyle proposed the timepiece theme due to its natural blend of technology, style, and fashion. Believing that he could push the students even further, Kyle had them design the out-of-box experiences for the products as well. Kyle wanted the students to fully understand the brands and clients they were designing for, and pushed the students to define the demographic groups that the brand was trying to reach. For their finals, the students showed their presentations here at the studio, pitching their ideas to the Astro crew for critical review.<br /> <br /> The class thrived on the invaluable “in the trenches" point-of-view from Kyle, and in return Kyle gleaned fresh zeal from the students. "It's always inspiring to see young enthusiastic talent excited about design. As working designers it re-sparks our creative engines as well”, stated Kyle.<br /> <br /> It was truly a pleasure working with the Academy of Art University and their students. We look forward to expanded mentoring and educational collaboration in the future.</p><p><a href='http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/68/ASTRO_Sponsors_The_Academy_of_Art_University/'>Permalink</a></p> Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:01:00 -0800 http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/68/ASTRO_Sponsors_The_Academy_of_Art_University/ DesignNewsStudio Joe Frazier http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/67/Toms_Soma_Review_7/ <h1>Heaven&apos;s Dog</h1><img src="/dispatch/_depot/blog_image/590w/a862b5b16ae8c86d3f1189658d0efbcc.jpg" alt="HD1" />=<p>Feasting on Northern Chinese Street food prepared in a semi-fancy manner sounds great, right? Well we thought so too, so Chris, ViLO and I made our way over to Heaven's Dog for a nicer-than-usual lunch South of Market (SOMA). Nestled in the bottom of The SOMA Grand, Heaven's Dog is an inviting spot from the moment you walk in: nice host, nice staff, and a gorgeous bar erected out of a 30ft long piece of a Cypress tree that begs to draw you deeper into the main dining room. The space was designed by Lundberg Design, coincidentally the same architecture firm that designed the new luxurious first floor of Astro Studios.<br /> <br /> We were seated instantly without prior reservations. I was wearing my “confuse them every time” Groucho glasses disguise, so I'm sure they didn't recognize me as the famous food critic restaurants all over the SOMA area have come to fear and love. We checked out the menu and ordered. I had an elderflower spritzer, and my buddies drank some Concubine oolong tea. Elderflower is delicious and makes a naturally sweet and light soda. The starters came, and we commenced to grind. The shanghai dumplings (<i>xiaolongbao</i>) were filled with pork, rice vinegar and ginger. These flavor vessels were delicate and scrumptious, the soup-like mixture of the ginger and vinegar softly explode into your gullet. The organic brussels sprouts came sauteed in ginger and were accompanied by thin slices of Chinese lap xuong sausage. I love brussels sprouts; I always have, I always will. The braised pork belly in steamed clam-shell bun is the dish of love. An upscale version of the best pork bun from a Chinese bakery you could ever hope to face. I could eat 15 of these and be good, but that wouldn't be a very balanced meal, now would it?<br /> <br /> Something started to slightly annoy me before the main dishes came, and I quickly pinpointed it: overplayed classic rock. Now I don't have a huge grudge against CCR like most of my friends do, but "Proud Mary" started to clash with the modern-yet-authentic Asian cuisine, and I sadly wondered how many more times would I have to hear that song in my lifetime. Some old Bowie came next; of course it was the over-aired song "Changes," but it's at least that leaned more to my musical taste. Regardless, it was still annoying in that room at that time.<br /> <br /> The main dishes came, Chris received Timmy’s Beef, which was flavored with ginger, scallion, jalapeno and served atop egg noodles. Chris liked the dish, but thought the jalapeños could be hotter and he gave a little shrug. Vincent ordered the pan-fried crispy noodles with scallop, ling cod, shrimp, squid and baby shiitakes. Vincent can't deny this dish is pretty bitchin', and believes it almost ties Tu Lan's #20. Good for you Heaven's Dog, that isn't easy. My chicken noodle soup came: free-range chicken, fried shallots, and wide rice noodles. Wow, what a vacant bowl of soup. My guess is that it was fat-free and sodium light because it tasted like it. Good for my heart, not so much for my taste buds.<br /> <br /> Overall the food is superb at Heaven's Dog, but I believe during lunch the smaller dishes slay the larger ones. Go check it out, and maybe if you’re lucky "Old Time Rock and Roll" by Bob Seger won’t be your munching soundtrack.<br /> <br /> Recap: Cool-looking and feeling bar, good oolong tea, great pork belly bun, bad soundtrack.</p><p><a href='http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/67/Toms_Soma_Review_7/'>Permalink</a></p> Wed, 30 Dec 2009 00:12:00 -0800 http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/67/Toms_Soma_Review_7/ Our Neighborhood Tom Galbraith http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/66/Astro_Holiday_Party_2K9/ <h1>Astro Rings in the Holidays in Style</h1><img src="/dispatch/_depot/blog_image/590w/c5fedbac69b406d6a4abfbeec9563282.jpg" alt="Holiday1" />=<p>A BIG THANKS to all of our families and friends for making this year's Astro Holiday Party such a huge success! A pinch of decadence, a dash of kitsch, and some rad DJing by Woo and Devo made for an unforgettable evening. Thanks again for helping us put the Arty back in Party!<br /> <br /> —Best Wishes for a Happy New Year!, The Astro Crew.</p><p><a href='http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/66/Astro_Holiday_Party_2K9/'>Permalink</a></p> Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:12:00 -0800 http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/66/Astro_Holiday_Party_2K9/ Studio Tom Galbraith http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/65/Uncommon/ <h1>Astro&apos;s Norio Fujikawa</h1><img src="/dispatch/_depot/blog_image/590w/1a0eff0ea361cf2bad43072aea97171c.jpg" alt="3up" />=<p>Uncommon selected our very own Norio Fujikawa to be a featured artist for their just launched graphic customization company. Check out Norio's work and artist-bio at Uncommon. While you’re at it buy a couple phone cases embossed with Norio's designs. <br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.getuncommon.com/artist/223/" target="_blank">http://www.getuncommon.com/artist/223/</a></p><p><a href='http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/65/Uncommon/'>Permalink</a></p> Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:12:00 -0800 http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/65/Uncommon/ Design Tom Galbraith http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/64/Boxee_Box/ <h1>Sophisticated Irreverance, the perfect fit for the Boxee brand.</h1><img src="/dispatch/_depot/blog_image/590w/de06ef44ea88479fa558bc223e5f3abf.jpg" alt="Boxee_Box_Front_cables_B_web" />=<p>Boxee's readiness to make your living room even harder to leave is close to full fruition. Boxee – in partnership with D-link – has revealed its first hardware device called the Boxee Box. The Boxee Box designed by Astro Studios is sleek and packed with awesome. <br /> <br /> “We wanted to create a unique icon for Boxee; something bold that can still be respected as a piece of high-end electronics. We didn’t want to design another Pizza Box that would get lost in the stacks of your media center. We saw this box as the apex with nothing ever sitting on top of it”, says Astro Lead Designer Michel Alvarez.<br /> <br /> The bleeding form of this jet-black cube comes complete with HDMI, an SD card slot, Wi-Fi, USB and ethernet ports easily enabling all your internet and hard drive content to display in HD on your TV. The Boxee Box is poised to hit the stores in the 2nd half of 2010, so fluff up the pillow on your La-Z Boy and get to clicking.</p><p><a href='http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/64/Boxee_Box/'>Permalink</a></p> Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:12:00 -0800 http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/64/Boxee_Box/ Design Joe Frazier http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/63/Know_Your_Scottish_Holidays/ <h1>St. Andrew’s Day</h1><img src="/dispatch/_depot/blog_image/590w/acf5c4bb13baf06cef2483d917609ded.jpg" alt="ian 1" />=<p>Sure you know about Christmas – and maybe even Boxing Day – but are you familiar with St. Andrews Day? With all the popular holidays zooming past this time of year, it's tough to remember those slightly obscure but just as important ones. St. Andrew, the Patron Saint of Scotland, is celebrated every November 30th, and Ian, our VP of Biz Dev, is all over it!<br /> <br /> Ian doesn't usually need much nudging to get into a skirt – oh sorry I mean a kilt – but we’ll give him a pass this time. It’s a tradition just like haggis, whiskey, and Cullen skink right?<br /> <br /> Check out Ian (above) decked out in his Scot-tastic best for SF’s biggest St Andrew’s Day celebration held at the British Consulate. Our in-house paparazzi caught him red-kilted, sporting his traditional dress Chisolm kilt (his grandmother’s family plaid of course) and some crazy Scottish kicks called Ghillie Brogues. And lets not forget that ever-important wooly mammoth of a sealskin change purse, known fondly as a sporran, hanging just under his midsection. Who knew kilts didn’t have pockets?<br /> <br /> So next time you have a new product pitch or need some caber toss lessons, call Astro and we'll put you in touch with the man, the myth, the Scottish legend, Ian Myles – who comes from a long line of Atholls.</p><p><a href='http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/63/Know_Your_Scottish_Holidays/'>Permalink</a></p> Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:12:00 -0800 http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/63/Know_Your_Scottish_Holidays/ Studio Tom Galbraith http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/62/ANOTHER_DAY_AT_ASTRO_STUDIOS/ <h1>frame by frame, sketch by sketch</h1>=<p>Peep behind the scenes and get a quick taste of what it's like to work, play, and live the life at Astro.</p><p><a href='http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/62/ANOTHER_DAY_AT_ASTRO_STUDIOS/'>Permalink</a></p> Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:11:00 -0800 http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/62/ANOTHER_DAY_AT_ASTRO_STUDIOS/ Studio Devo http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/61/BOOMCAST/ <h1>Blending Time and Space ASTROstyle!</h1><img src="/dispatch/_depot/blog_image/590w/00d59d5fe1ca6d2a377c03202d7f5081.jpg" alt="boomcast" />=<p>ASTRO recently created a series of west-coast flavored, digital experiments called BoomCast. Feeling it was time to reinvigorate the classic BoomBox form factor, ASTRO set their sights at the street level users of the future. <br /> <br /> The BoomCast forms are flexible and designed by intertwining demographic stereotypes with modern materials and technologies. But beyond tangible product, ASTRO thinks all the players should be connected on demand, to broadcast directly to and through each other and beyond. ASTRO’s BoomCast concepts rely on digital, wireless connectivity and broadband cloud crunching.<br /> <br /> If the original BoomBox was about sharing beats on the streets, then the BoomCast is all about broadcasting anywhere, anytime, with no boundaries respected. So spin-up San Francisco, San Diego, Portland, Oaktown, Seattle and the LBC directly. <br /> Or mix, match, and bend time and space all together for a masterful thunderstorm. Beyond broadcasting is BOOMcasting!</p><p><a href='http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/61/BOOMCAST/'>Permalink</a></p> Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:11:00 -0800 http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/61/BOOMCAST/ Design Joe Frazier http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/60/Astro_Applied/ <h1>Our latest book...</h1><img src="/dispatch/_depot/blog_image/590w/1715c627c79b91125c3d9cc67ea9d251.jpg" alt="applied" />=<p>Astro is pleased to introduce Applied, our latest edition in the Astro Book series.<br /> Applied documents the tangible value and vision our clients receive through our branding, product and graphic design services. Check out the book in its PDF format by following this <a href="http://www.astrostudios.com/clients/ASTRO/ASTRO.APPLIED.zip" target="_blank">link.</a></p><p><a href='http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/60/Astro_Applied/'>Permalink</a></p> Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:10:00 -0700 http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/60/Astro_Applied/ DownloadsNews Joe Frazier http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/59/The_New_Ooma_Telo/ <h1>Ooma Papa Oo Mow Mow</h1><img src="/dispatch/_depot/blog_image/590w/3c1af1e0fcc423f49acfcfb2af269303.jpg" alt="ooma" />=<p>A brand-spanking new Astro Studios designed product will hit the shelves this month, and this time we have designed something to save some of your hard-earned scratch. The Ooma Telo is showing up all over tech zines and gadget blogs, and the buzz is that Ooma has it dialed. Pun most definitely intended.<br /> <br /> The Ooma Telo is a cutting-edge device that frees you from telephone landlines and their costly monthly fees, all the while delivering exceptional call quality. With the Telo you receive free U.S. calls and super cheap International calls, and all you need is a regular telephone and/or a high-speed internet connection. Even better, with the Astro designed Telo Handset you can and add up to four wireless handsets in different locations throughout your house. <br /> <br /> In a departure from the white minimalist cube design of the original Ooma Hub & Scout, the new Telo sports a sleek black sophisticated look with all the features of the original (and then some), including a capacitive soft touch front face and the aforementioned handset. So in the long tradition of unanswerable questions such as: "Who is hotter, Ginger or Mary Ann?" or "Which Oreo cookie is better, Original or Double-Stuff?" we just don't have an answer for “Which Ooma product is sexier?” We find the Hub, Scout and Telo each irresistibly handsome, but, in all fairness... we designed them all.<br /> <br /> Ooma is available at more than 4800 leading retailers and online destinations. Check out Ooma’s <a href="http://www.ooma.com" target="_blank">website</a> for more information and details: http://www.ooma.com<br /> <br /> The hub and handset for Telo have a retail price of $250.00. Get your hands on one and start saving...</p><p><a href='http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/59/The_New_Ooma_Telo/'>Permalink</a></p> Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:10:00 -0700 http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/59/The_New_Ooma_Telo/ Design Tom Galbraith http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/58/ASTRO_IS_LOOKING_FOR_FRESH_NEW_TALENT/ <h1>Check out the “Careers” page on our website for all the latest job postings.</h1><img src="/dispatch/_depot/blog_image/590w/dc1c04009ab132fdf0280e1e6964e907.jpg" alt="Hiring" />=<p>Astro is hiring! To see available openings click <a href="http://www.astrostudios.com/careers/">here</a>.</p><p><a href='http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/58/ASTRO_IS_LOOKING_FOR_FRESH_NEW_TALENT/'>Permalink</a></p> Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:10:00 -0700 http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/58/ASTRO_IS_LOOKING_FOR_FRESH_NEW_TALENT/ Jobs John Moreira http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/57/Weekly_Doodles_3/ <h1>Doodles...</h1><img src="/dispatch/_depot/blog_image/590w/baf34d009a8935318bb7657e9430bb15.jpg" alt="0" />=<p>Alright, it's been a while... (dang it, I shouldn't have called this entry weekly doodles) sorry! I am going to get the hang of this, I promise. To make it up to all of you out there who are Astro fans, or not, we want you to show us up with your doodles. That's right, send us your doodles, and we will judge them on a monthly basis. We will only show your doodle in the posting of the winner and/or runner’s up in our Doodle Blog. Your doodle will not be used for any other purpose. The winner will be announced and added into our blog entries. The reward: Astro swag; t-shirts, stickers and more.<br /> <br /> Jesse Madsen<br /> industrial designer</p><p><a href='http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/57/Weekly_Doodles_3/'>Permalink</a></p> Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:10:00 -0700 http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/57/Weekly_Doodles_3/ Studio Jesse Madsen http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/56/Toms_Soma_Review_6/ <h1>Mochica Peruvian Restaurant</h1><img src="/dispatch/_depot/blog_image/590w/e4b7984267d2806e7eb6cf50c86a0b06.jpg" alt="Mochia outside" />=<p>Last Wednesday was a very nice day in San Francsico, the sky was blue and the slight breeze offered a tailwind down Harrison Street as we made the short walk to a Peruvian restaurant called Mochica. Mochica is the closest restaurant to our studio, unless you consider the Chevron a restaurant, which on occasion I've had to. Don't get me wrong, I'll eat a Chevron Tornado Taquito if backed up against the wall... but please, don't back me up against a wall. The only other businesses of note on the stretch of Harrison between 6th and 7th are The Endup and Pirates Press, the former being a hard partying disco and the latter being a Punk and Metal printing press specializing in manufacturing vinyl LPs.<br /> <br /> Although Mochica's facade is fairly nondescript other than the Inca-esque hammered steel sign, it is beautiful in comparison to the closed down Staples and auto-body shops that make up its surrounding environs. Once inside not much changes. Mochica is fairly small with roughly 15 tables and, as I sip my Inca Cola (an anti-freeze looking soda that tastes similar to a cream soda, only less sweet, and has a crazy bubblegum finish), I note that the room is clean and tidy and that the reddish walls are lightly decorated with what I would assume are Incan and/or Peruvian prints. This might be a good time to point out that, and as my previous All Star Doughnuts review should demonstrate, I don't go to restaurants for ambiance... I go for the food... and the food at Mochica is delicious.<br /> <br /> Since I've never been to Peru nor can I remember eating Peruvian cuisine before, I can't comment on the authenticity of the flavors as they relate to Peru's edible culture. The word 'fusion' gets tossed around on the menu in a few places and we noticed hints of Japanese, Mediterranean, Creole, Caribbean, and Mexican flavors. The tastes are fresh, tangy, and, for this virgin Peruvian food eater, new and exciting. Now to get down to the food nitty-gritty... Instead of bread or chips, there was a snack of crispy garbanzo beans (mixed with feta, tomato, and red onion) that must of been fried in peanut oil because they were peanutty delicious. The next few dishes showed up at random as we decided to order tapas style. The first was a large "tamal" filled with pork that was topped with salsa criolla, a creole style sauce with flavors from the Caribbean and Louisiana. The tamal also came with a side of anticucho sauce, a vinegary sauce of cumin, aji pepper, and garlic usually used for dipping skewered meats in Peru. The next, and possibly my favorite dish, was the "Peruvian corn and beet salad" tossed with feta cheese and a mild aji amarillo vinaigrette. I love beets. The Peruvian corn kernels are a meaty lot (see photo above), they have a dense consistency and are more like a mild delicious legume than a corn kernel. The "yucca frita", aka fried yucca root, we ordered were served with huancaina sauce, a sauce made with queso anejo, aji amarillo peppers, and boiled egg. The Yucca was pretty much a solid french fry like dish with a yummy cheesy sauce. We also ordered the "pulpito ala parilla", a grilled baby octopus dish with a thick smokey adobo chile flavor that was served with two dipping sauces, one on the smokey/spicy side and another that was green and creamy along with a side of pureed potatoes. The deep flavors on this dish really stood out. The signature dish of the meal was the "Mochica cebiche," which is essentially citrus pickeled Halibut served three ways. Even by Sunkist standards, all three halibut cebiches were seriously citrus forward, the first being just lime and cilantro, the next aji amarillo pepper, and the last flavored with spicy red pepper, delish.<br /> <br /> So, if you have some cash in your pocket and are jonesing for some small flavorful plates that aren't that small, head down to <a href="http://www.mochicasf.com/" target="_blank">Mochica</a>, it's worth it.</p><p><a href='http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/56/Toms_Soma_Review_6/'>Permalink</a></p> Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:09:00 -0700 http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/56/Toms_Soma_Review_6/ Our Neighborhood Tom Galbraith http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/55/Zune_HD/ <h1>Astro teams up with Microsoft on the new Zune HD</h1><img src="/dispatch/_depot/blog_image/590w/81a5130ea3b7beee93e2ba9c94c13d9b.jpg" alt="PLATINUM_1_6_web" />=<p>The latest collaboration between Microsoft and Astro Studios is the brand spanking new Zune HD. The Zune HD is a portable media player that Microsoft has tricked out with genre expanding features such as access to HD radio, wireless web browser, touchscreen display, and an HD video output. <br /> <br /> Though the inner workings are Microsoft, the product design is all Astro. The rugged and rich shell employs high quality materials layered together with exposed machine screws. Much like a high end watch, the player offers an industrial feel while looking sleek, angular, and elegant.<br /> <br /> In his review of the Zune HD, Joshua Topolsky from Engadget remarked, “The first thing you'll notice is just how incredibly sexy the Zune HD is... It's one of the more mature offerings Microsoft has made to the gadget world -- and we're taken with it.” <br /> <br /> David Pogue of the New York Times agrees, writing in the September 17th issue: "Its handsome, beveled metal case weighs next to nothing, yet still feels expensive and solid in the hand... it's every bit as joyful, polished and satisfying as its rival.” Gee, we haven’t the foggiest as to whom David is referring to as Zune’s rival, but we resoundingly agree that the new Zune HD is both joyful and polished.</p><p><a href='http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/55/Zune_HD/'>Permalink</a></p> Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:09:00 -0700 http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/55/Zune_HD/ Design Tom Galbraith http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/54/blast_off/ <h1>Astro Featured in this Month’s ID Magazine</h1><img src="/dispatch/_depot/blog_image/590w/1858c695da01fa9f4b8dbc489b08c267.jpg" alt="ID sept.oct" />=<p>When you roll up to your local news stand today, grab this month’s issue of ID Magazine. Why, you ask? Well, as if you didn’t know this already, but it’s a pretty sweet magazine with great insight into the design world, always has a slew of riveting articles on all kinds of cool designy people, mounds and mounds of super-sick imagery on a bunch of sweet new stuff and oh yeah... Astro is featured big time.<br /> <br /> That’s right people, Astro got a cover-share for the ASTRO A40’s plus a doublewide 8-page spread in this month’s issue of ID. The issue is built around the concept of “PLAY”, a natural for ASTRO’s work hard play hard culture. The spotlight was on Astro’s spin-off company, Astro Gaming and it’s impact on pro video gamers. Also included were some glam shots a few recent client products designed by ASTRO, including HP’s Firebird Gaming PC and Microsoft’s new Zune HD and Xbox 360. Not only is the read great but the layouts and studio shots are epic as well...except for the pic of our fearless leader Brett...he was hoping for more Photoshop.<br /> <br /> For tasty quotes, go pick it up a copy...or <a href="http://www.id-mag.com" target="_blank">click here</a> and wait for the posting.</p><p><a href='http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/54/blast_off/'>Permalink</a></p> Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:08:00 -0700 http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/54/blast_off/ News John Moreira http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/53/Urban_Art_Graces_Astros_New_Gaming_Headsets/ <h1>Astro Captures Some Spotlight on Wired.Com</h1><img src="/dispatch/_depot/blog_image/590w/0b0292bd5ddd710af2e5df653e8b86e0.jpg" alt="wired_games" />=<p>“... Astro has teamed with urban clothiers Upper Playground to create new speaker tags for its A40 Audio System. The interchangeable tags will feature Upper Playground’s signature Walrus logo as well as art from Sam Flores and Munk One...”<br /> <br /> Check out the whole article <a href="http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2009/08/astro-headphones/" target="_blank">here</a>... <br /> <br /> And make sure to get your tags and headset at <a href="http://www.astrogaming.com/" target="_blank">astrogaming.com</a></p><p><a href='http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/53/Urban_Art_Graces_Astros_New_Gaming_Headsets/'>Permalink</a></p> Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:08:00 -0700 http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/53/Urban_Art_Graces_Astros_New_Gaming_Headsets/ CultureNews John Moreira http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/52/1972_Yamaha_650/ <h1>A long way from Minnesota…</h1><img src="/dispatch/_depot/blog_image/590w/1c11b7694aca7856ce66c032a779c2f0.jpg" alt="yamaha_3610" />=<p>Kyle Swen (Astro’s VP & Partner in Crime) grew up riding his Dad’s 1972 Yamaha 650. So after he shipped it out here, the studio demanded he bring it in for closer inspection. Kyle agreed and after a little “Swen-gineering” he completed the 32-mile “inaugural” California commuter ride to the office. When asked about the ride, he rubbed a few body parts and commented that the ride was “a little rough, but worth it.” Like Kyle, the 650 is a classic. Both a long way from Minnesota, but still running as smooth as ever.</p><p><a href='http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/52/1972_Yamaha_650/'>Permalink</a></p> Fri, 21 Aug 2009 00:08:00 -0700 http://www.astrostudios.com/blog/52/1972_Yamaha_650/ CultureStudio Brett Lovelady