Designs varied but in 1859 an improved cylindrical design was adopted for standard use nationwide.

BBC: Letter boxes: The red heart of the British streetscape

Building on this momentum, LG will unveil a new generation of the stylish series at MWC 2013 with an upgraded design and improved features.

ENGADGET: LG touts 15 million Optimus L Series phones sold like so many refrigerators

While its overall exterior design closely resembles the PENTAX Q, which was designed as a miniature version of a full-scale digital SLR camera, the PENTAX Q10 provides several upgrades in its body design, such as an improved grip for a more stable hold of the camera and attractive color options.

ENGADGET: Pentax launches Q10 interchangeable lens camera, K-5 II and K-5 IIs flagship DSLRs

Other projects being funded this year include an effort to develop a smaller, less costly and more durable fuel cell power system that will enable commercialization of U.S. fuel cell buses, and an effort to develop and demonstrate a lightweight highly efficient bus that incorporates an improved hybrid-electric drive and enhanced bus design.

ENGADGET: FTA awards $16.6 million in grants for fuel cell bus research

What is new is that as manufacturing companies pursue these goals in an increasingly globalized supply chain, they need vastly improved information to design, plan, execute and measure operations across a complex and varied environment.

FORBES: Building Visibility, One Person At A Time

The updated version of SoundHound features an entirely new layout and design, making content more easily discoverable and accessible and a generally improved browsing experience.

ENGADGET: SoundHound now scavenging tunes in more tablet-friendly Android version