Article: The design economy: a brave new world for businesses and consumers.

A cutting-edge technology may soon converge with an innovative business model, giving consumers the power to download and print their own products--auto parts, jewelry, and even the kitchen sink.

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At this moment, two phenomena are converging to create the successor to the information economy. The first phenomenon is a new business model exemplified by Ponoko, a San Francisco company that bills itself as "the world's largest marketplace for product plans." Ponoko's customers upload plans for furniture, jewelry, and other things as suitably formatted computer files. The customers choose from previously ...

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