San Francisco, CA -- LUNAR announces its role in the development of the new SanDisk ImageMate Reader, a complete and elegant redesign of SanDisk's bestselling reader for the transfer of digital media. Incorporating the simplicity, speed and signature features of the reader into a sleek new package, the new SanDisk ImageMate represents an advancement in environmentally and economically conscious design.

With SanDisk seeking to update its product suite to fit in with the constantly evolving landscape of computer design, LUNAR's challenge was to craft a classic, timeless aesthetic for the ImageMate Reader. The result is an iconic product personality that elegantly presents a highly technical digital device capable of accommodating 21 different card formats.

A slim, sculptural object, the new ImageMate rests on a modular base which supports the product on a single point, lifting it asymmetrically from the desk surface like a museum pedestal presenting a precious object. Reminiscent of a minimalist mid-century furniture piece, the form harmonizes a complex series of electronic elements into a simple and timeless sculpture. The high-gloss black card reader housing is magnetically fixed to a stable tripod stand for a simple “quick disconnect” offering flexible mobility. When not engaged, the stand remains on the desktop as an elegantly simple statement, which is designed as a common modular element across the entire ImageMate line of card readers. This modular system supports two possible reader models and reduces the need for additional components.

LUNAR also incorporated environment and economy-driven design innovations, with reduced or eliminated plastic parts, paints and fabrication processes. The result is a product which is not only beautiful to the eye, but is both environment-friendly and less expensive to produce and ship. The new design incorporates fewer LED lights, allowing the new ImageMate to use less electricity than its predecessors, and the durable materials will allow the product to be kept for years without the need for replacement. In fact, the total part count was cut in half, in part due to the clever use of exterior faces for LED light transmission offering a magical glow from within despite fewer parts. Additionally, the ability to separate the plastic enclose from the tripod facilitates recyclability.

"The quest for more sustainable design solutions is a natural extension of the quest for more beautiful design," said John Edson, president of LUNAR. "LUNAR's redesign of the ImageMate reader showcases the best and most innovative results of both these endeavors: a product which is timeless in aesthetic, durable in design, and conscientious in its impact on the environment.

About LUNAR
LUNAR creates winning consumer, technology and medical products that make a difference to its clients’ stakeholders, brands and markets. With a portfolio of highly successful products that have generated tens of billions of dollars in sales, LUNAR has consistently held a spot among the top 5 award-winning product design firms for the last 10 years, according to Business Week magazine. Founded in 1984, LUNAR provides full-service product development with offices in California, Hong Kong, and Europe. LUNAR’s current and past clients include Apple Computer, Cisco Systems, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft Corporation, Motorola, Philips, Oral-B, Palm, Pepsi, and Sony.

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