Unlocked! Neuros's open logo for non-DRMed media and devices
Johan from Neuros sez,
Neuros are the manufacturers of the kick-ass OSD set-top box that lets you record to and play back from hard-drives, USB sticks, and memory cards. Link
In response to the branded, proprietary DRM schemes like Microsoft's "plays for sure" and Apple's "FairPlay," Neuros has created an "Unlocked" Media trademark to promote the concept of open standard DRM-Free files that can be stored and played anywhere.We hope that other organizations (community and for profit) will adopt this mark for products that generate such files (or stores that sell such files), and create a grass roots movement in support of unlocked files and put consumers back in control of their media.
See also:
Neuros OSD: a set-top box that treats you like an owner
Open PVR from Neuros: cash money to owners who hack it
Neuros open PVR gets YouTube support, courtesy of hackers
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While I am completely anti-DRM, and agree with the idea of branding DRM-free media, I don't think that "unlocked" is the right brand.
"Unlocked" suggests that at some point the media was "locked" and has now been freed, that "locked" is the default or natural state of media.
The logo does look pretty snappy, though.
I love the concept, but I don't much care for the logo. I'm merely an amateur designer, but that font with the funny L strikes me as very 1990, and though I like how they incorporated the open lock into the design, it's a bit distracting, I think owing to it being upside down (at least compared to how we're used to seeing such locks). Maybe the U-bolt could have formed the N instead?
I really like Neuros' spirit here (I always like Neuros' spirit!), but I have to agree the logo could read and look better (speaking as one with a formal typographic education, in fact). That upside-down lock doesn't quite read well enough as a lock, and I agree with Jordan that the typeface looks kind of dated (1980s sci-fi movies).
I think "unlocked," while not ideal, is probably the best word in practicality, as "free" connotes an absence of compensation, and I can't really think of anything else that comes close in concept.
Hmm... in the spirit of open source community, I'd gladly volunteer a bit of time to try to improve this logo.
I agree with hatekillpuke that "unlocked" isn't really the right term, it still leads people to think of music being "locked" as legitimate.
A better term might be "open" or "unrestricted".
With a tagline like "Now you're in control"
I think it will be great when companies realize that they can market the fact that they don't support drm.
"Unlocked" is ambiguous in its affect, since a lock can be a good thing or a bad thing. Chains, on the other hand, are much more suggestive of servitude and bondage, so I would suggest "unchained".
I am going to throw my hat in with all the other graphic design snobs (myself included) in saying that the concept rocks, but this is only a first-draft at best. The visual style is slightly boring; it needs to work better as a self-contained badge or sticker easily attached to products or websites; the U vs. J issue is worth looking into; and, my nitpick, the kerning and letter widths are terrible.
I've got a feeling that we are going to start seeing a lot of redesigns around the web, and I hope the industy[ies] can agree on using a nice final design because this would be a great tool in getting the open standards/non-DRM issue in the public eye.
Hi there, I'm Joe from Neuros, and we certainly welcome your input on the logo. It hasn't been fixed or put in any materials yet, so it's entirely changeable, further, I think a batch of alternatives will speak loudly to folks interest in the concept will will (hopefully) help us to find a home for the trademark. Probably the best place to submit them would be on our forum, I started a thread: http://forums.neurostechnology.com/index.php?topic=8424.0
While their intentions may be good, the end result is not. As others have said, the concept of "open" and "free" are good places to start, and please consider engaging the services of a professional designer to create the mark.
Some thoughts, just to kick-start some discussion:
http://hybridlab.com/concept/playfree.png
http://hybridlab.com/concept/openplay.png
This is Johan from Neuros. As Joe mentioned in his post above, we can certainly modify the logo if need be. It is good to see that everyone seems to be in agreement about what matters most though: the concept of promoting open media content.