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Galleries // 2012 Spark:Product // Altec Lansing inAir 5000

Altec Lansing inAir 5000

Winner - Silver

Competition: Spark:Product
Designer: Altec Lansing and Essential Teams
Design Type: Consumer Electronics
Website: http://essential-design.com

The Altec Lansing InAir 5000 is a wireless Apple® AirPlay-compatible speaker that allows users to stream audio wirelessly from their iOS devices over a Wi-Fi connection. The speaker can be used independently or linked throughout the home for a seamless wireless listening experience. The product serves as the perfect addition to rich displays consumers already interact with on a daily basis through their mobile devices and computers. The InAir 5000 is a collaborative effort between Altec Lansing and our design firm. It is designed to deliver an extraordinary audio experience based on the unique non-parallel walls of the enclosure that provide a purity of sound through the entire tonal range. The form drives audio function and aesthetics, a combination that resulted in unique design language DNA that formed the basis for a new design language trajectory for Altec Lansing. Three core design attributes were evolved that capture the essence of Altec Lansing’s DNA: • Audio Heritage: Expressing the heritage and performance attributes of the brand; ”It’s What Makes Us Real” • Design Sophistication: It’s about creating a sense of coolness and desirability. Ensuring everything, from the way the Altec identity is applied to the way an interface reacts, to the way surface feel to the touch; “ How it feel and how it fits” • Self Expression: Designing products that are deliberate and detailed to be responsive to their situations of use and the unique personalities of the people they connect with; ” Its about You” This foundation became part of a broader initiative to create new products that deliver a new softer and more minimalistic form language that fits modern lifestyles, integrates seamlessly in modern home environments and captures the unique audio heritage critical that is at the heart of Altec Lansing’s legacy. The InAir 5000 and the resulting design language helped Altec Lansing convey a more contemporary and cohesive halo to position and develop consistency among product lines, while communicating an authentic product and brand story to retailers and consumers alike. From the form to the color materials finishes strategy, to the way the on product identity is conveyed through more sophisticated brand identity application, all consumer touch points connote a new style, durability and value.