NewsCrash

Trends Updates

2011-03-08T17:14:00.001-08:00

Trends Updates

Limited Edition Lalique Jewellery Box By Linley Available At €9,600
Frette Expands the Baby Line With New Products and Designs
Sarah Burton from Alexander McQueen Could Design the Dress for the Royal Wedding

Limited Edition Lalique Jewellery Box By Linley Available At €9,600

Posted: 08 Mar 2011 10:03 AM PST

When two of the finest names in luxury team up, how can you possibly expect anything less than the best. That seems to be the case as furniture brand David Linley collaborates with Lalique Crystal to create a set of limited edition jewellery boxes.

Even a cursory glance at Linley and Lalique‘s new and exclusive jewellery boxes reveals the exquisite craftsmanship involved in creating these units. High on elegance, the jewellery boxes are the perfect blend of fine woodwork by bespoke furniture-maker Linley and sparkling crystal work by French design house Lalique. The two design firms have together come up with two jewellery box designs – the “Masque de Femme” and the “Perles” styles. Both will reveal how crystal combines with the finest wood via the techniques of inlay and marquetry.

The “Masque de Femme” jewellery box is so called because it is adorned with Lalique’s famous “Masque de Femme” motif on the lid. The motif dates back to 1935 when Rene Lalique came up with the design. Built out of Madagascar ebony, this jewellery box is draped in vellum. This limited edition box has an inlaid panel which is decorated with 20 flower-shaped crystals. Meanwhile, the “Perles” jewellery box has been created using Linley’s signature high gloss ebonised maple wood and Lalique crystal with a smooth satin finish.

Only 99 units of each Lalique Jewellery Box by Linley will be produced at a sale price of €9,600 (approximately $13,425). After all, expensive jewellery needs a container that can match up to its luxury quotient.

Frette Expands the Baby Line With New Products and Designs

Posted: 08 Mar 2011 08:02 AM PST

Frette is best known for their luxury linens. In fact, an article covering their Beverly Hills Boutique has titled it The Linen Shop. But they are equally serious about their Baby line and have been working on making the collection more comprehensive. Frette has just added new items for spring to their Baby line. Now they have the range that makes it perfect as a baby shower gift or other celebrations for the tiny tots.

Giraffe motif has been used extensively in the new products and designs. It has been embroidered on bed sets, quilts, covers and towels and on jacquard blankets from the Warm range. There are other products and designs without the giraffe motif. The pillows and bed sets with lace trims or triple bourdon embroideries in pink, blue, ivory and beige are simply gorgeous and luxurious. You are sure to find something that suits the décor of your baby's room.

The expanded Baby line now includes Kid’s pajamas, bathrobes and bibs all embroidered with giraffe or Frette logos. Considering the design and quality of the Baby line the prices seem to be quite reasonable. Prices range from $45 for a bib set to $195 for cashmere sweater. A terry robe for your child will cost you $95 and for $350 you can have the triple bourbon crib set with duvet.

Sarah Burton from Alexander McQueen Could Design the Dress for the Royal Wedding

Posted: 07 Mar 2011 09:07 PM PST

As the Royal Wedding gets nearer the buzz, the anticipation and the rumors are increasing in its intensity. The curiosity value of the wedding is so high that the media is churning out insignificant tit bits also dressed up like vital information from the preparation process. The latest speculation or rumor is that Kate Middleton will be wearing Alexander McQueen for the wedding. The peculation has been on for months now as to who will have the honor of designing the dress foe Kate.

Sarah Burton from Alexander McQueen is the latest name to be thrown in the ring. She has done some gorgeous work and if she actually gets to design the dress it would be considered a cool and nontraditional move from the Royal perspective. Kate has actually made her decision about the designer she wants but has decided to keep her choice a secret. Jonathan Akeroyd, the CEO of Alexander McQueen has denied this rumor. A Clarence House representative also said that since Catherine Middleton wants to keep this private they are unable to comment on it.

In any case, any amount of denials and clarifications will not stop the speculation and discussions on the matter. The designer shoes Kate will or should wear for the wedding is another topic of speculation. The rumors that she has commissioned some flats have disappointed designers and expert stylists. Everyone has an opinion and they are getting vocal and articulate. The run up to the climax is getting interesting and the dress she finally wears will be discussed threadbare.

Via: styleite, news

Trends Updates

2011-03-07T17:46:00.001-08:00

Trends Updates

Guangzhou Opera House by Zaha Hadid to Be Opened Soon
Thomas Pink to Unveil a Book on Englishmen in New york
Prince William and Kate Middleton Marriage to Cost Britain a Lot
Loopt Announces Push Mail Based Promotional Coupons
Living Solutions Inspired by Walt Disney’s TRON Movie Look Out of this World
Couch Sleeper by Anne Lorenz Puts Your Work to Rest
BMW i8 Plug in Hybrid to Star in the New Mission Impossible Film

Guangzhou Opera House by Zaha Hadid to Be Opened Soon

Posted: 07 Mar 2011 12:31 PM PST

Guangzhou, also known as Canton is located very close to Hong Kong. It has come to be one of the most important cities in the Far East and it is the country’s chief port and transportation centre. It is also known for its cultural activities and institutions. Guangzhou Opera House is being built by Zaha Hadid and it is nearing completion. In fact, the Guangzhou Opera House could be opened as early as early 2011.

The structure is made of glass, concrete and steel and aims to accentuate the urban architectural realm as it sits close to the riverside and dock. It is projected to be one of Asia’s major cultural centres and an architectural masterpiece. The structure also comes with an 1,800-seat grand theatre which would host events and performances.

This could just be the postmodern way of going to the opera. When the building is lit up, it sure shall be a beautiful sight to behold. The opera house almost has a futuristic feel to it and it could be one of its major attractions. The opera house shall host [performances by some of the most eminent artists in the world.

Via: design Boom

Thomas Pink to Unveil a Book on Englishmen in New york

Posted: 07 Mar 2011 12:28 PM PST

Thomas Pink surely has an ‘attractive’ surname and most of his designs are quite attractive too. This time around, the LVMH owned designer is planning to bring the ‘Englishman’ to New York. In a chic book called An Englishman In New York, the book features many English dandies like Barneys’ Simon Doonan and Sting who are not only British, but also New Yorkers.

Thomas Pink is a New Yorker who is an Englishman himself. The book contains photographs of various dandies from Britain including a cross-section of British born figures. The list includes many noted English personalities and it celebrates the essence of being English in a country that rebelled against English values and in a country that even formed its own dialect of English.

The idea was to launch a book that is quintessentially English, but also New York-ish at the same time. The glossy book could just be the right place for dandy-wannabes to pick up some style hints which they may not find in usual fashion magazines. If you always wanted to feel like an Englishman, go ahead and get this book!

Prince William and Kate Middleton Marriage to Cost Britain a Lot

Posted: 07 Mar 2011 12:26 PM PST

The British sure know how to be thrifty, and it is something that was recently learned after the country suffered major disruption of its economy thanks to the recession. However, certain British people do not seem to think a lot about the economic state, and especially where the tax payer’s money goes.

Prince William and Kate Middleton are surely going to get married and are the cynosure of the English and the world’s eyes, but it is proving to be a really expensive affair, especially for the Met. The cost of the event is expected to be more than 20 Million Pounds and one of the reasons for it is that the police officers would go double time. When thousands of police officers go double time that would mean that a lot of money is spent unnecessarily!

In fact, the royals could have just chosen a different date, instead of wasting so much of money when the Britain has already faced a lot of hardships due to the economic crises. The Met has actually sent a ‘begging letter’ to the Home Office describing its condition. I would say, the royals just had to calculate a bit before fixing their Royal Wedding.

Via: Daily Mail

Loopt Announces Push Mail Based Promotional Coupons

Posted: 07 Mar 2011 09:02 AM PST

Those who are into advertising would be glad to learn that a new way of reaching the target customer has finally arrived. The location-based app Loopt has announced that partners would be sending coupons to those who are in the vicinity of a store. TiVos, Xbox Kinects, Southwest tickets are some of the coupons that would be given away through these promotions.

K-Mart, HP, JetBlue, SC Johnson, and others would be participating in these offers. Moreover, the idea is not to give away coupons to everyone who walks by a store, it would be done randomly, and these coupons need to be redeemed in a specific period of time. This would lead to people actually making use of the new ad strategy.

Moreover, these coupons would not reach you through SMS but would instead be sent through push mail service offered by iPhone and Android phones. It looks like an interesting move, but I am sure at the end of the day jaded customers would just delete or even ignore when a message pops up and continue to walk ahead of the store ignoring its existence even.

Via: Business Insider

Living Solutions Inspired by Walt Disney’s TRON Movie Look Out of this World

Posted: 07 Mar 2011 08:48 AM PST

‘TRON designs Corian@’ is an exhibition that showcases living solutions which are inspired by Walt Disney’s movie ‘TRON:Legacy. The project is called ‘Safe House’ and the organizers have collaborated with a number of designers in order to create great solutions that would help you to manage your bathroom/wellness, living, bedroom, outdoor, home theatre area and kitchen/dining.

Italian studio Aquilialberg has teamed up with Ernestomeda and created some cool designs for the kitchen. Ilaria Mareli has designed the bedroom space which looks almost out of this world. The Jacuzzi strangely reminds you of TRON movie and you would want to go back to a period of sci-fi wonder immediately. Furnishing company Lago has designed the living space and it makes you want to bring guests home.

Much of these designs could perhaps be requested or made to order if you can contact them. If you are close by, you could even attend the exhibition and see the great pieces of furniture and installations for yourself. There couldn’t be anything better than living in a well furnished apartment. So go ahead, and treat yourself to these goodies!

Via: Design Boom

Couch Sleeper by Anne Lorenz Puts Your Work to Rest

Posted: 07 Mar 2011 08:05 AM PST

All that one could ever wish for is a job that requires you to stay at home, all the 5 days of the week. You would cut down on your fuel, the joy of having to report on time, stand the annoying co-workers and the whole package that comes with working in an office. Thus, the bliss of working at home, and from home is a luxury that not many can afford.

Now, if you are one of those lucky ones, you could get luckier with this chic and well designed Couch Sleeper by Anne Lorenz. The couch allows you to sit in a comfortable position with your laptop and without moving an inch, you could just crawl back into your blanket. On a cold day, you may want to work from inside the blanket too, and that should be easy as well, when it comes to using this bed.

It is not clear how much it might cost, but it sure shouldn't be an excuse for you to not buy something that looks so comfortable. Of course, your productivity will surely go down as you would either play with yourself in the bed or immediately fall asleep. Nevertheless, it could be a good idea to have this in your ‘home office’ if you like working from your bed.

BMW i8 Plug in Hybrid to Star in the New Mission Impossible Film

Posted: 07 Mar 2011 07:43 AM PST

Films can be an ideal platform for the promotion of a new product. Popular franchise like the Bond movies or Terminator or the Mission Impossible with Tom Cruise as the agent Ethan Hunt are perfect for new, stylish and powerful cars. The latest instalment of Mission Impossible, called The Ghost Protocol will have a new star in the form of BMW's chic new i8 plug-in hybrid.

Hybrids have been on the roads for some time now and the celebs like to be seen in them. Some of the luxury brands including Rolls Royce are making serious efforts to go electric and are at various stages of development. The new hybrid from BMW will serve as Tom Cruise's car in film The Ghost Protocol. The powerful car can go from 0 to 60 mph in five seconds. The car is powered by a 328 horsepower diesel-electric drive train. It can hit a top speed of 155 mph and is rather fuel efficient at 62.5 miles per gallon.

In the action thriller genre films cars play a vital role and it is a positive development that a popular franchise will be promoting an eco-friendly car. The film will definitely dispel the misconception about electric or hybrid cars not being as powerful as the traditional ones. But for such cars to become really popular with the general public it will have to be made affordable. With prices upwards of $160,000 it is still of use for selected few. Hopefully with high volume projections the prices per unit can be brought down to reasonable levels.

Via: ecorazzi, bmw-i-usa

Trends Updates

2011-03-06T17:24:00.001-08:00

Trends Updates

FashionStake Reinvents itself as an Online Boutique Where Customers Vote for Designs and Designers
Introducing The Six Most Astounding Successful Startups, Courtesy, SXSW Accelerator
Presenting Projeqt: A Highly Creative Web Publishing Tool Adding Luster To Online Presentations
Google Brings 44 New Languages For Editing Purposes In Google Docs For Mobile
CeBIT 2011: Archos Announces The Launch Of An All New High End Tablet For IFA 2011

FashionStake Reinvents itself as an Online Boutique Where Customers Vote for Designs and Designers

Posted: 06 Mar 2011 01:21 AM PST

FashionStake is hoping it will be third time lucky. The startup has reinvented itself three times in just six months of its launch. Daniel Gulati and Vivian Weng, both Harvard Business School graduates had launched FashionStakes in September 2010. Their vision for the venture was of a site where consumers could support emerging designers by buying "stakes" in not-yet-produced collections in exchange for discounts and other privileges when said collections were manufactured.

There weren't many takers of the concept amongst the consumers who showed clear preference for pre ordering items at a discount. FashionStake in its turn readjusted its vision to offer the opportunity to customers to pre-order clothes from a small coterie of young designers. The production plan was prepared based on the pre order quantities and it was possible to offer attractive discounts. Since the reworking of the format did not yield the desired result the site has taken on a new avatar again.

Now, FashionStake functions more like a traditional online boutique that stays true to its roots in independent design, heavy discounts and customer engagement. The additional feature is that users can vote for designers and pieces through a weekly ballot. It brings back the customers to the site and helps designers gauge demand and trend. Alexis Maybank, a co-founder of luxury flash sales site Gilt Groupe, has become the latest investor in FashionStake in order to add muscle to the site and help it increase its activity.

Via: mashable

Introducing The Six Most Astounding Successful Startups, Courtesy, SXSW Accelerator

Posted: 05 Mar 2011 05:55 PM PST

The SXSW Accelerator competition, which is a part of the annual South by Southwest (SXSW) event, is one of the biggest and most vibrant platforms for start-ups and seed stage companies, who though might have brilliant idea for a successful business, yet are marred by financial restraints. The SXSWi, that is comprised of some 14,000 attendees has proven to be a highly lucrative starting point for any start-up company and though only 40 companies are selected year for the finding process, the immense value and financial backing provided by the SXSWi event has proven to be invaluable for a number of firms that started off as an idea, but have now grown into prominent global online entities. The Accelerator program is in par sponsored by Microsoft Bizspark and this year the SXSW 2011 conference will become host to the Mashable SXSWi House 2011, that will open new venues for start ups to grow and flourish.

Here are six of those names, who began only as a dream, but now have reached the heights of immense success and popularity:

Twitter: The world's foremost and most cherished micro-blogging service, Twitter, that entered into the SXSW 2007 conference, experienced the true effects of the event first hand. Though launched a good nine months before the conference, Twitter invested some $11,000 to showcase its service on flat screen monitors in the hallways of the venue. To make the investors and attendees realize the importance of Twitter, the social networking big hitter designed a custom Twitter service for the event, where in the attendees were enabled to sign up by simply sending a text message and then follow some high profile names present at the conference.

Foursquare: The pioneer and a leading name in location based social networking service for mobile platforms, Foursquare, owes its immense success to the SXSW conference, as after a nerve racking presentation, Foursquare finally achieved success in making the investors realize the uniqueness of their idea. Six months after the SXSW conference, Foursquare, received its first round of venture capital, largely due to the impact of the presentation made at the SXSW conference.

PhoneBooth Free: The SXSW 2010 conference witnessed the arrival of not one but five phone booths, that were the prop for the recently established start up, PhoneBooth Free, a free small business calling service. Due to the creative genius of the presentation idea, PhoneBooth Free immediately became the talk of the conference, with the company booth being flooded with numerous attendees. With such and innovative idea and a marvelous presence at the conference, PhoneBooth Free experienced immense interest from the Press and the investors in the first two days of the conference.

GameSalad: One of the foremost free game creation services, GameSalad, owes nearly all of its success to the SXSW Accelerator competition in the year 2009. At the time, GameSalad was a mere start-up company with no more than five employees. At the pre-competition event called, Tech Cocktail, Jonathan Hunt of GameSalad had the opportunity of interacting with venture capitalists and angel investors present at the conference. Before the end of the Tech Cocktail event, GameSalad had secured its first investment check. The following five months after the conference, GreenSalad was provided an additional funding of an astounding $1 million and soon became a pioneering platform for the development of all games featured at the prestigious Apple Apps Store.

Foodspotting: The highly interactive and engaging culinary information service, Foodspotting, that through its iPhone application enables the users to share photos of various dishes and cuisines, owes its exposure into the market to SXSW conference. It was at the SXSW 2010, that Foodspotting via its engaging, "I Camera Food" t-shirts campaign, created a huge brand awareness for itself, leading to a larger user base.

Tim Ferriss: One of the foremost authors of lifestyle design related articles, Tim Ferriss, proudly owes his success in the field of writing to the SXSW 2007 conference, where in front of packed crowd, Mr. Ferriss gave a presentation in regards to his first book, 'The Four-Hour Workweek'. The applause and interest he gathered at the prestigious conference proved to be more than enough for his career to skyrocket. Soon after the conference, part from considered an accomplished author, Tim Ferriss also made a career as an advisor in the field of startups and investing practices.

Via Mashable

Presenting Projeqt: A Highly Creative Web Publishing Tool Adding Luster To Online Presentations

Posted: 05 Mar 2011 05:39 PM PST

To give the most compelling and mystifying online presentation, one has to focus on two most important factors, the facts and above all the presentation style of the topic at hand, to help audience better understand the whole concept, as well to keep them engaged in an interactive environment. Most users, especially the creatives despite all their efforts get the presentation all wrong and while trying to infuse creativity, end up making the presentation quite lengthy and uninteresting. This where an all new start-up firm, Projeqt comes into play. This highly creative spin off entity from TBWA provides the users with essential tools including Flickr photos, RSS feeds, tweets, YouTube or Vimeo videos, to help put together a fascinating presentation, regardless of the topic.

Co-founded by David Lee, Projeqt came into existence as per a web enhancement project Mr. Lee was working on for the creative advertising agency, TBWA. The project called for a more immersive client work display for the ad agency, that was to be made without the use of the essential Adobe Flash component. Projeqt provides its users with working tools, where in the first one can be used by artists to create portfolios for their work and other tool, that is more on a corporate scale, enables businesses to create immaculate presentations for brand awareness and reaching out to the masses. Projeqt essentially provides the users with valuable tools to create a slideshow for their presentation and then add names, tags, photo, text, video or feeds to make it more engaging and interactive. As of now, Projeqt is under the Beta banner, with more than 2,700 beta testers running the tools for testing and improvements. These beta testers are using the service to create professional slide shows for a variety of realms including personal start pages, press rooms, virtual classrooms and company websites.

Google Brings 44 New Languages For Editing Purposes In Google Docs For Mobile

Posted: 05 Mar 2011 05:32 PM PST

The online equivalent of Microsoft Office, Google Docs, that has been now become one of the foremost means of document creation and sharing service, due to its immense and highly successful grip on the cloud computing concept, has now announced the addition of 45 new languages to the Google Docs for Mobile service. This incredible service lets users view and edit documents, spreadsheets and other formats right from their mobile devices, whether they be smartphones, tablets or any other supporting mobile device. Furthermore, users can easily send a link to their documents and then share them with other users in real time, while also providing them with editing rights, if they so choose to. Currently mobile document editing feature is only available on Apple iPhone and Google Android 2.2 (Froyo) powered devices, while spreadsheet editing is open on all mobile platforms.

The addition of 4 new languages now makes Google Docs all the more enticing for users who are tired of creating documents and sending them back and forth via e-mail. Some of the languages added to the list are Korean, Hindi, Japanese, Dutch, Turkish, Ukranian etc. To enable the language of your choice, visit Google Docs from you mobile browser and then select a document to edit. This will bring up the mobile editor and you can choose which language you wish to edit in.

Via Google Mobile Blog

CeBIT 2011: Archos Announces The Launch Of An All New High End Tablet For IFA 2011

Posted: 05 Mar 2011 05:27 PM PST

One of the foremost French consumer electronics company, Archos, at the CeBIT 2011 in Hanover, Germany, has now announced the introduction of an all new high end tablet device, that the company plans to launch the IFA 2011 in Berlin later this year. This new line of tablets are sure to be devised to provide some sort of competition to the incredibly famous Apple iPad (though I guess, iPad 2 might prove to be too much for Archos) and other tablets such as the likes of Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 etc.

However, the most striking fact about the announcement of the new high end tablet is that, Archos in its statement has revealed that the company itself is in dark as to the hardware it would be incorporating in the new tablet (strange right? It might be a surprise for Archos too!). Though it would make no sense whatsoever as to why a company would announced a product, without having the slightest idea to the components that are to be placed in to the product, yet the tablet market is so fierce, that such tactics aren't surprising. However, some believe that the hardware of the new high end tablet from Archos will be quite similar to the tablets of the current generation, as the Archos tablet could very well be powered by Nvidia Tegra 2 dual core processor and running tablet specific OS in the form Google Android 3.0 'Honeycomb'.

Via Netbook News & Tablet Blog

Trends Updates

2011-03-05T17:27:00.001-08:00

Trends Updates

Best Buy Planning To Provide Apple iPad To All Its Employees. Bold Move Or Just Plain Stupid?
Foursquare & American Express Team Up To Introduce New Location Based Offers To Users
Presenting The All New Environment Friendly ‘Eco Can’, The Next Generation Thermos Flask
Introducing The All New Veilleuse d`Orient Night Lamp For Kids’ Bedrooms
Samsung Beads Sweats of Worry Over Apple iPad 2 Competition
AT&T Brings A Most Compelling $30/Month 3G Unlimited Data Plan For Apple iPad
Asus Republic Of Gamers Introduces State Of The Gaming Components
Internet Explorer Expiration Imminent With An Official Countdown Timer From Microsoft
Unique Melody Brings Custom-Fit Earphones To The UK
Presenting An All New Search Engine, Greplin. Search With A Difference

Best Buy Planning To Provide Apple iPad To All Its Employees. Bold Move Or Just Plain Stupid?

Posted: 05 Mar 2011 02:24 PM PST

So far we have seen the incredibly famous tablet device from Apple Inc, iPad, being used commercially in variety of environments ranging from schools, universities to the luxurious and high profile hospitality industry. No matter where you turn to, you can always find an Apple iPad nearby, thus becoming a testament to the popularity of one of the world's most sought after tablet devices. Now it seems that, the iPad is about make its present felt in the retail industry as well. As per reports, one of the biggest retail chains in the U.S, Best Buy, is apparently planning to arm its entire staff with the shining new Apple iPad devices.

It seems to be quite a noble idea from Best Buy, as a well-informed Best Buy employee with an iPad by his side will most definitely induce more confidence in customers. Furthermore, with iPad's abilities, the employees will have quick access to the store inventory and will also be able to answer the customers' queries about various products by going through the online FAQs or simply going to Google and search the details of the product in question. However, there seem to be some downsides to this ambitious project as well. With the immense multimedia and gaming features provided by iPad, the employees could become more engaged with their devices, instead of serving the customers, thus underperforming and ultimately giving a bad reflection on the company's performance as well. Secondly, though big retail chains like Best Buy will be tracking each and every iPad they issue, yet there are still chances for the theft of the device.

Whatever it may be, if such a plan comes in to effect, it would be quite interesting to see how an iPad impacts the retail sector, after successfully making its mark in other verticals.

Via i4u

Foursquare & American Express Team Up To Introduce New Location Based Offers To Users

Posted: 05 Mar 2011 02:19 PM PST

One of the foremost location based social networking services for mobile devices, Foursquare and a foremost name in the U.S banking sector, American Express, have now teamed up to provide the users of Foursquare and the credit card holders of American Express with exclusive deals and discounts on products and services offered by partner merchants, thereby focusing greatly on the mobile e-commerce sector, that is now beginning to gather momentum. As per the deal, AmEx credit card holders can sign into Foursquare, providing their AmEx card details and will then become entitled to offers and discounts from Foursquare partner merchants. The benefit of this all new alliance is two-fold, wherein, the users will be able to receive credits and other incentives from the vendors and the merchants on the other hand, will experienced increased sales.

Foursquare's location based service essentially works by reading the GPS location data provided by smartphones and based on this data, the company is able to present the users with exciting deals and offers from stores, restaurants and vendors, who have enrolled in to the Foursquare program. The all new Foursquare & American Express deal will face its maiden test at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas. This all new deal is part of AmEx's expansion plans, where in the banking giant is aiming at the more tech savvy customers, who would prefer to conduct mobile transactions, rather than conventional money transactions.

According to Dennis Crowley (CEO, Foursquare),

"A big part of what we’re doing is building enhanced loyalty tools. We’re seeing that things like this can drive users.”

Via TechCrunch & Wall Street Journal

Presenting The All New Environment Friendly ‘Eco Can’, The Next Generation Thermos Flask

Posted: 05 Mar 2011 01:08 PM PST

In an age where 'environment conservation' is the phrase of the day, more and more companies, popular as well as not so known, are now increasingly introducing new products that are not only designed to bring the same features of their predecessors, but these new innovative products are also environmentally safe to use and to dispose of. Be it automobiles, clothes, kitchen appliances or accessories, the will to save our ecosystem has spread across domains and in the light of the saving the environment, here is yet another remarkable product in the form of the all new Eco Can.

Eco Can is essentially a conventional thermos flask, that has been designed to take the form of a soda can and can easily keep its content cool or hot as per the choice of the consumer. The Eco Can is developed using biodegradable PLA, that in layman's terms is 'starched corn', that not only gives it unique look but is also quite merciful to the environment. The all new Eco Can is both microwave and dishwasher safe and can easily be used for a variety of liquids such as soup, coffee, juice, etc. This remarkable product with its screw top lid and ring top-style drinking lip, makes the liquid rush straight into your mouth and not on your clothes and this unique product features a thermal double wall, that provides the Eco Can with incredible temperature retention capabilities. The Eco Can is reusable and all you have to do is to rinse it water and its ready for yet another round. This incredible product carries a price tag of $21 and is available exclusive at Firebox.

Via Random Good Stuff

Introducing The All New Veilleuse d`Orient Night Lamp For Kids’ Bedrooms

Posted: 05 Mar 2011 01:02 PM PST

Besides a lot of toys and goodies that you can find in a kid's bedroom, one most essential item, that though comes handy only at night, yet is still considered to be a vital element to a kid's room is a night lamp. A nigh lamp essentially puts a kid to sleep ensuring the little man of safety and security from the bedside monsters in the closet. However, while this item is indeed a necessity for a kid's room, still it does not need to be just another run of the mill night lamp, that simply throws light in the crudest of forms.

Enters, Veilleuse d`Orient, a one of a kind night lamp that not only fulfills its main goal of providing sufficient illumination for your child's sound sleep, but is equally stylish as well. The all new Veilleuse d`Orient lamp is the creation of Tsé & Tsé Associées, a French company specializing in artistic but highly useful household accessories. This marvelous clip on night lamp comes with a moon and star lamp filament, that throws mystical images the moon and the stars. The all new Veilleuse d`Orient lamp comes with a price tag of $75 and is available exclusively at Wannekes.

Via OhGizmo!

Samsung Beads Sweats of Worry Over Apple iPad 2 Competition

Posted: 05 Mar 2011 11:13 AM PST

One of the leading names in consumer electronics, Samsung Electronics, that has also been one of the first companies to bring to the market, Samsung Galaxy Tab, a tablet that was destined to become a stark competitor to the famed original Apple iPad. However, with less than year of its introduction, Samsung is now officially in doubts over Galaxy Tab's ability to be an Apple rival, especially with the introduction of the all new phenomenal, Apple iPad 2. In a recent statement, executive vice president of Samsung’s mobile division, Lee Don-joo, expressed his concerns over the vast success potential that comes with the iPad 2 and how it can significantly take Galaxy Tab out of the game.

As per the statement released by Samsung, the company now feels a lot challenged with the introduction of the new slimmer and lighter iPad 2, that is about 8.8 mm thinner than the original iPad, while the Galaxy Tab is measured around 10.9 mm thick. Though the new Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet computer carries a lot of enticing features, yet the 10.1 inch display makes it more expensive than the iPad 2, thus leading to more worries in the Samsung camp. There is also the issue of the pricing of both the devices, where in the Galaxy Tab 7 inch tablet comes with a tag price of an astounding $900, while the iPad 2 series begins from a nominal price tag of $499, while the most expensive and top end model of the iPad 2 comes at a lower price than that of the Galaxy Tab, at just $829.

According to Lee Don-joo,

"We will have to improve the parts that are inadequate. The 10-inch (tablet) was to be priced higher than the 7-inch (tablet) but we will have to think that over.”

Via Physorg & Yonhap News

AT&T Brings A Most Compelling $30/Month 3G Unlimited Data Plan For Apple iPad

Posted: 05 Mar 2011 07:57 AM PST

Just two days into the announcement of one of the most coolest and most sought after tablets in the world, the all new Apple iPad 2, the tech world is lit up like a Christmas tree in the anticipation of the device, that is expected to hit the markets just over a week from now. As Apple Inc. had announced the availability of both Wifi as well as Wifi+3G models of the new iPad 2 from day one, one of the biggest wireless carriers in the U.S and a name that has been synonymous with Apple iDevices, AT&T, has now come with two exciting data plans, that have been designed to drive the customers to AT&T subscriptions, especially considering the fact that, the iPad will come unlocked and the users will not have to enter into any sort of an agreement with any wireless carriers, thus opening a lot of potential for competition.

The all new Apple iPad 2 and its users are now being offered an 250 MB data plan from AT&T for as low as $14.99, where in the users will be able to take benefit of wireless 3G services from AT&T, while offering them all the features, that are being offered to Apple iPhone customers. Another enticing offer from AT&T that is sure to draw a lot of attention is the $30/month unlimited 3G data plan and both the plans will carry on-device activation, meaning that the hassles of going to AT&T stores or calling the customer services for activation of plans is now history.

Via Engadget

Asus Republic Of Gamers Introduces State Of The Gaming Components

Posted: 05 Mar 2011 12:39 AM PST

The CeBIT 2011 trade show in Hanover, Germany has proved to be an exceptional platform for the gaming community, as one of the foremost names in the hardware industry, Asus, has now announced the introduction of an all new line of gaming gear, that has been designed to provide the ultimate gaming experience and consists of notebooks, motherboards, graphics cards, a 3D monitor, a router as well as gaming headsets. Asus has brought these incredible machines through its 'Republic of Gaming' (ROG) division. The very first that caught our eye is the all new RT-N66U Dual-band Wireless-N Gigabit Router, designed for the best multiplayer and online gaming experience. The RT-N66U is powered by a 600Mhz processor and the device is more than capable of handling simultaneous 2.4GHz and 5GHz connections.

Now coming to the cream of the cake, that is the Republic of Gamers (RoG) G74Sx gaming laptop, that will be available to the users in Intel Core i5 and Intel Core i7 processors as per their choice. Featuring a 17-inch display, the all new G74Sx notebook carries the cutting edge NVidia GeForce GTX 560M GPU, along with a HDMI 1.4 output, that will enable the gamers to connect the notebook directly to their 3D TV, along with the famous NVidia 3D Vision technology. To ensure optimal performance, the G74Sx notebook comes with a brand new thermal management system, where in the rear vents of the laptop are kept open through the running time of the machine, so as to keep the temperature of the notebook at nominal levels. One of the most salient features of this phenomenal new machine is its ability of rendering 3D content without the need of 3D glasses. Asus has incorporated AUO “naked eye” eye-tracking system and plugged in 16GB of RAM into the notebook.

Next up is the Rampage III Extreme Black Edition mainboard for desktops. The gaming special mainboard comes with four PCI-Express 16x slots, Wireless-N Wi-Fi connectivity and USB 3.0, along with RoG Connect USB, XONAR audio and RC Bluetooth.

Via Gizmag

Internet Explorer Expiration Imminent With An Official Countdown Timer From Microsoft

Posted: 04 Mar 2011 11:11 PM PST

About ten years ago, Microsoft introduced, Internet Explorer 6, that was over a decade ago, considered to be one of the most technologically sound web browsers in the market and above all it was free. Now, with the successful introduction of Internet Explorer 9 (IE9), that has proven to be quite on the money in its Beta phase, Microsoft Corporation is all set to phase out IE6 completely, so much so, that the company has now even launched an official countdown site for this project. The all new ie6countdown website provides the visitors IE6 related data compiled by the Web analytics firm Net Applications, and has showcased the market share of IE6 as of present.

As per the website, IE6 currently hold about 12% of the overall web browser market share and about half of this figure is being used by Chinese users. Though 12% isn't bad news for a browsers that has been in existence for more than a decade, yet Microsoft plan to bring down the market share of IE6 to 1%, while eventually terminating its existence for good. The company is especially focusing on IT firms, that are known to stick to IE6 due to custom Web applications or intranets, that were designed specifically for the old browser.

According to Roger Capriotti (IE Marketing, Microsoft),

"We bring you the next step in our mission to see IE6 gone for good. To demonstrate our commitment to getting rid of IE6, we’re launching a Web site.”

Via Computer World

Unique Melody Brings Custom-Fit Earphones To The UK

Posted: 04 Mar 2011 09:10 PM PST

This one should be music to your ears, especially if you happen to be a music buff that lives in the United Kingdom. Unique Melody, which falls under the umbrella of AmpCity UK, is introducing custom-fit earphones within the United Kingdom. The announcement was made recently, and the company has roped in trained audiologists who will modify the earphone to fit your ears perfectly.

If the idea of custom-fit earphones sounds interesting, visit the Unique Melody website. There are two alternatives that you can avail of. First, you could go in for one of Unique Melody’s three model ranges. Aero, Mage and Miracle are the names of the three earphone models and they come with three, four and six drivers per ear respectively. Plus, you can choose from a wide range of colours as well.

However, these are not your regular earphones. So do not be surprised to find that the prices are rather steep. The starting price is £495 and it goes up to £795. Not everybody will find this agreeable, but you are after all paying to find the perfect fit for your ears. I mean, if people can pay up to $10,000 only for diamond encrusted ear bud covers, why would they dither when it came to coughing up a more reasonable sum for earphones that fit like a glove? After all, these babies are tuned specifically for particular ear shapes.

The second alternative is to get your earphones custom-made. All you have to do is send a pair of ear monitors to Unique Melody and they will trace out the perfect earphones for your ears.

Via: Tech Radar

Presenting An All New Search Engine, Greplin. Search With A Difference

Posted: 04 Mar 2011 08:21 PM PST

When it comes to internet search, there is only one name that stands out among all the rest, Google Inc. With its incredible search capabilities, Google is one company that has more competitors than friends and the latest addition to this list is an all new search engine, Greplin, that has taken a rather new approach of providing user-authorized social networking search, wherein users can easily get their social presence such as Facebook, Twitter, Google Documents, Salesforce, etc. indexed for search purposes. The most remarkable fact about Greplin, is that, it has been founded by a 19 year old tech enthusiast, Daniel Gross, a Israeli national, who moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and came up with the idea while working with Y Combinator and Greplin co-founder, Robby Walker.

Greplin, that was launched in the month of February this year, has so far raised nearly $5 million in venture capital, and that too in just six months since the idea first came to Daniel Gross, who is now said to Y Combinator’s youngest founder, without ever stepping into a college. Greplin essentially lets you search stuff that you have spread across the vast social network spectrum and is said to be on the footprints of Google, but instead of covering the generic search, Greplin is more in tune to social media and cloud computing.

According to Daniel Gross,

"Apple, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc., they’re not able to get access to the data other than your own. Google and Apple compete. They’re not sharing data anytime soon. We’re Switzerland, because any company creating a product like this cannot be biased to any product over another."

Via Inc.

Trends Updates

2011-03-04T17:32:00.001-08:00

Trends Updates

VW and iPad: a luxury combination

Posted: 04 Mar 2011 01:12 PM PST

The Volkswagen presented on Tuesday (March 1), during the Geneva Auto Salon 2011, a new concept of micro-bus. The vehicle has a visual inspired by the 1950 and 1960, is the first production company to come equipped with an iPad who joins the panel.

Bulli dubbed the mini-bus uses Apple’s tablet as a basis to control its entire entertainment system. A mobile base allows both the driver and passenger have quick access to functions available, including videos and music playback, GPS navigation and indoor climate.

Despite the old-fashioned look, the internal features of novelty are compatible with some of the modern cars on the market. The Bulli uses an electric motor 85 kW, with lithium-ion battery with 40 kWh of power for up to 300 kilometers per charge. The time required to go from 0 to 100 km / h is only 11.5 seconds for an interesting brand of vehicle category.

Although this is only a concept and must undergo several changes before reaching the market, the micro-bus is an indication that the Volkswagen iPad can make a standard item in their luxury models. With the advantage that the Apple tablet can be easily removed from its base, which allows using it normally in any environment.

Via: LA Times.

Trends Updates

2011-03-03T18:07:00.001-08:00

Trends Updates

The Awesome Apple iPad 2 Might Not Be That ‘Awesome’ In Some Respects
Royal Canadian Mint To Launch Commemorative Coin In Honor Of The Up Coming U.K Royal Wedding
Hoblot Releases Special Edition Watch for the Grand Prix in India
Apple Inc. Proudly Introduces The All New Apple iPad 2. Shipping Begins March 11, 2011
Eco-Delivery Electric Bikes Launched by Thrust Electric Bikes at the Expo in Las Vegas
Volkswagen Resurrects The Famous VW Bus As An Electric Vehicle With Apple iPad Support
Presenting An All New Line Of Unusual But Artistic Set Top Boxes From Wistron Corporation
Opinionaided Raises $1 Million In Venture Capital For Expansion
StatCounter: Microsoft Bing Outperforms Yahoo! For The First Time Since Launch
Introducing An All new Full Color Night Vision Camera From AIST

The Awesome Apple iPad 2 Might Not Be That ‘Awesome’ In Some Respects

Posted: 03 Mar 2011 10:19 AM PST

Just 24 hours after the announcement of the year, where in Apple Inc. CEO, Steve Jobs personally took the stage to introduce the all new Apple iPad 2, though the tech world is mesmerized at the potential put forth by the all new device, that is already being termed as a 'competition killer', there are a few factors that Apple overlooked and are now being missed in the new iPad 2.

Wireless Synchronization: Despite the fact that Apple iDevices are some of the most favorite of all other mobile devices in the market, yet one troubling fact remains that, whether it be an iPhone, iPod Touch or an iPad, the users always need to carry a laptop or sit in front of a PC/Mac to share files from their systems or perform an iOS update via Apple iTunes. The wireless synchronization feature has always been in high demand from Apple users and as in the case of the new iPad 2, this feature is still missing.

Retina Display: This is one feature that is sorely missed in the near perfect Apple iPad 2. The remarkable Retina Display, that available on both the iPhone 4G and iPod Touch 4, provides high resolution display, unlike any other mobile device of the current generation. Only geniuses at Apple Inc. know why they left out such an incredible innovation from such an awesome product.

Gorilla Glass: Just like its name, the Gorilla glass, which is available on the Samsung Galaxy Tab is one of the most resilient displays in the market today. Capable of surviving mishandling as well as numerous abuse to the display, Gorilla Glass is one feature that should most definitely been present on the iPad 2, considering how lightweight and fragile this device is.

4G Networking: The all new Apple iPad 2 though comes with various networking options such as 3G, wifi and Bluetooth, yet the word of the day is '4G'. The astonishing new data network, that has rapidly been adopted by numerous wireless carriers such Verizon Wireless etc., is currently being supported by a long list of tablet devices including the splendid Motorola Xoom. 4G networks will provide the users will blazing fast mobile broadband speeds, a feature that the iPad 2 users will not be able to take advantage of .

Via CrunchGear

Royal Canadian Mint To Launch Commemorative Coin In Honor Of The Up Coming U.K Royal Wedding

Posted: 03 Mar 2011 08:13 AM PST

For the year 2011, one of the biggest and most spectacular event scheduled is the Royal Wedding of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales and Miss Catherine Middleton, that is to take place on April 29^th, 2011. In the honor of this glorious event, the immensely famed Royal Canadian Mint has now announced the launch of a new series of collectors coins, that will not only be stunning in looks, but will also carry a significant technological edge to it, while more details in regards to this fabulous collection are slated to be revealed as the wedding date comes close.

The Royal Canadian Mint is well renowned across the globe for its tributes to various royal events and the Mint has announced that, in the month of May, it will be launching yet another extensive set of collector coins, that will pay tribute to 60 glorious years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign. Continuing with the popular 'Continuity of the Crown Series', the Mint will be issuing two new silver coins, that will carry the portrays of Prince William and Prince Harry, while another coin dedicated to their father, the current heir to the throne of the empire, Prince Charles, will be unveiled in the month of September this year.

Via CBC News

Hoblot Releases Special Edition Watch for the Grand Prix in India

Posted: 02 Mar 2011 08:48 PM PST

Formula 1 has been predominantly a sport focused on the western world. It is expanding in the east now as the interest in the sport has become truly global. The growing interest and excitement in the Asian markets has made the creators of merchandise and their retailers proactive to cash in on the new demand from the emerging markets. Special edition of products are being created for these markets.

Hublot, who are the official watchmakers for Formula 1 are on the job already and have unveiled a special edition of just 200 pieces for India who have the honor now of becoming the sixth nation to host the world championship. The India watch by Hublot features the Swiss automatic Hublot caliber HUB4100 movement with 27 jewels, 28,800 vph and a power reserve of 42 hours.

The case of the watch is 18kt king gold and the bezel is satin-finished in gold and black ceramic. It features the signature PVD titanium H-shaped relief screws and an AR-coated sapphire crystal. It is water resistant to 100 mts and has an adjustable black Nomex strap with orange, white and green stitching, symbolizing the colors of the Indian flag, stitched on black rubber. The dial also displays the word India.

Via: forums.timezone

Apple Inc. Proudly Introduces The All New Apple iPad 2. Shipping Begins March 11, 2011

Posted: 02 Mar 2011 08:31 PM PST

There has been a revolution brewing since the month of January this year, when at the Consumer Electronics (CES 2011), the event was flooded with nearly an uncontrolled torrent of tablet devices, a trend that was brought on by the world's foremost technology firm, Apple Inc., in the form of Apple iPad. The event showcased some of the most astounding tablets that have now been launched, such as the likes of Motorola Xoom, Notion Ink Adams Tablet, the four new tablets from Asus and many others. However, now it seems that all their efforts were in vain, as Apple Inc. shook the entire tech world with the introduction to its eagerly awaited Apple iPad 2, a tablet that, will do exactly what its predecessor did, capture the majority of the market share and give its competitors a run for their money.

The all new phenomenal (understatement, of course!) Apple iPad 2 has been designed to become the sleekest tablet in the market and this awesome device is about 33% slimmer than the popular iPhone 4G and about 15% lighter than the older iPad. For the Apple iPad 2, Apple Inc. especially innovated the extremely powerful Apple A5 dual core processor, that has made the iPad 2 blazing fast machine that is incredibly easier to work with. Apple took the Live press event to break the good news that, the iPad 2 will be available in both Black and White colors from the very beginning. The battery life of the new iPad 2 though has been kept the same as the original iPad and that's quite alright, as there weren't any qualms about the battery life of the iPad. The iPad 2 features a 9.7-inch LCD screen with a 1024-by-768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch, like the original iPad.

Apple iPad 2 with a new design and a new CPU, has also been given a new operating system in the form of Apple iOS 4.3 and Apple has announced presence of FaceTime and Photo Booth features for the iPad 2. Also, the Cupertino based tech giant has announced the launch of two new sizzling apps for the new iPad, iMovie and GarageBand, that will provide the users with movie and music editing capabilities, while both will come with a price tag of $4.99 and will be available at the Apple Apps Store. Apple after taking a lot of feedback from the consumers and understanding the needs of the users, has finally introduced the much needed front and rear camera for the device, where in iPad 2 comes with a 5MP rear camera with digital zoom for HD recording and a front mounted subtle secondary camera for video calls and Facetime function. Furthermore, Apple will now provide the user to take advantage of the slide switch to use as either a mute button or to lock the screen rotation.

The all new Apple iPad 2 will be made available exclusively via AT&T and surprisingly enough, Verizon Wireless as well. The all new device which is leaps ahead of the original iPad will be available in two configurations Wifi as well as Wifi+3G. The wifi only models will come with a price tag of $499 for the 16GB model, $599 for the 32GB model $699 for the 64GB model. While the Wifi+3G models will cost you $629 for the 16GB model, $729 for the 32GB model and $829 for the 64GB model.

During the electrifying press event for the Apple iPad 2, Steve Jobs (CEO, Apple Inc.) said,

"With more than 15 million iPads sold, iPad has defined an entirely new category of mobile devices. While others have been scrambling to copy the first generation iPad, we’re launching iPad 2, which moves the bar far ahead of the competition and will likely cause them to go back to the drawing boards yet again.”

Eco-Delivery Electric Bikes Launched by Thrust Electric Bikes at the Expo in Las Vegas

Posted: 02 Mar 2011 08:19 PM PST

Did you know there was an International Pizza Expo? With the worldwide popularity of pizza it certainly deserves one. Well the Pizza Expo was held in Las Vegas last week. The participants included not just the renowned pizza brands but other service providers associated with the popular product and the industry as a whole. Pizza has developed the concept of home delivery into some sort of a science, putting in place a process that that keeps improving over time.

Bicycles are an integral part of the home delivery system and there were bikes also on display at the Expo. Thrust Electric Bikes launched its new model of Eco-Delivery Electric Bikes at the Expo. The advantages of this electric bike are many. Apart from being eco-friendly it eliminates insurance and gasoline costs, provide emissions-free deliveries, and enable faster delivery times. These bicycles are motorized and can be charged by plugging in to electricity or even solar power.

The bikes have specially designed storage boxes for carrying pizzas for delivery hygienically without affecting its freshness and warmth. The storage boxes have very neat illuminated LED lights for signage and can be used as an effective means of advertising for self or can be rented out to others opening another revenue stream. But the Eco Delivery bikes don't come cheap as they will start at $4,995.

Via: chipchick

Volkswagen Resurrects The Famous VW Bus As An Electric Vehicle With Apple iPad Support

Posted: 02 Mar 2011 06:36 PM PST

The VW Bus from the German auto manufacturers, Volkswagen, that was launched in the year 1950, has been one of the most renowned and most selling models from Volkswagen. Now, the German auto behemoth has given rebirth to the VW bus, in the form of an all new electric powered VW bus or microbus concept, that has been given six passenger capacity along with the ability to control the infotainment system via an Apple iPad. The all new VW bus dubbed simply as, the VW Bulli, was unveiled at the coveted 2011Geneva Motor Show and this incredible vehicle is said to be completely zero emission concept EV, as it is powered entirely by an electric motor.

The all Bulli's electric motor will run on a lithium-ion battery with a maximum storage capacity of 40 kWh and with the fantastic motor and battery combination, the Bulli will be able to produce an impressive 114 horsepower with a maximum range of an awesome 186.4 miles and as per Volkswagen, the Bulli will take just under an hour for a complete battery recharge, provided it is charged at an electric vehicle charging station. The all new Volkswagen Bulli will be able to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 11.5 seconds, with an electronically limited speed of 87 mph. The interiors of this magnificent vehicle are just as elegant as the performance specifications, as the passenger compartment of the Bulli has been given a panoramic sunroof for unobstructed natural lighting, while the steering wheel of this incredible electric vehicle comes with multifunctional keys for the car's navigation system, Bluetooth hands-free telephone, trip computer and media center.

However, the most astounding feature of the Bulli, is its iPad integration, wherein Volkswagen has ensured that the world's most beloved tablet device forms an integral part of the Bulli's functions. The iPad is used as a removable device in this EV and the device is programed to control various aspects of the Bulli, such as Bluetooth hands-free telephone and navigation system, while performing is base functions. Furthermore, Volkswagen has given controls on the iPad mount for climate control system and the centrally-located hazard warning switch.

Via Examiner

Presenting An All New Line Of Unusual But Artistic Set Top Boxes From Wistron Corporation

Posted: 02 Mar 2011 06:29 PM PST

Wistron Corporation, a Taiwanese original design manufacturer of information and communication technology products, has now take the opportunity represented by CeBIT in Hanover, Germany to showcase two of the most unusual but artistic set top boxes WiGO 1 and WiGO 2, that are not only technically sound, but due to their unorthodox design, have now won the iF product design award 2011. The all new WiGO 1 and WiGO line of set top boxes have been described by Wistron as 'multimedia centers' that are more than capable of streaming media files from local drives, networks and even the Internet, while adding a beautiful touch to the décor of the living room.

Both WiGO 1 and WiGO 2 set top boxes have been designed to bring the word of technology and home décor closer to each other. While the man of the house will enjoy the features and ease of use provided by this highly creative tech marvel, the lady of the house will be equally thrilled to showcase them in the living room with their acrylic skins and a look that would mesmerize both tech and art enthusiasts.

Via Engadget

Opinionaided Raises $1 Million In Venture Capital For Expansion

Posted: 02 Mar 2011 06:25 PM PST

One of the most renowned question and answers service, Opinionaided, has now raised an impressive $1 million in venture capital, to expand its mobile platform reach that is currently limited to only Apple iOS powered devices. This latest round of venture capital funding was comprised of General Catalyst, SoftBank Capital, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Mark Wachen, Jonah Goodhart, Karl Jacob, ENIAC Ventures and Vince Monical, and with the new funding amount, Opinionaided has now reached a total of $1.2 million in venture capital.

Opinionaided is an iOS specific application, that enables the users to get answers to their queries on a variety of topics from other Opinionsided users. all you have to do is to download this free application, create an account, put in your with the desired subject and wait for the appropriate answers from other users. Once the responses start filtering in, Opinionaided will then classify the responses based on their positive and negative nature, while displaying all the comments to your question. Users can then easily reply back to the comments and strike a meaningful as well as resourceful conversation. Opinionaided was launched in the month of June last year and since then, the application has recorded the submission of 500,000 questions, with more than 40 million answers.

StatCounter: Microsoft Bing Outperforms Yahoo! For The First Time Since Launch

Posted: 02 Mar 2011 06:22 PM PST

One of the foremost and widely used search engines on the Internet, Yahoo!, has finally been beaten by its arch rival, Microsoft Bing as per the latest search statistics compiled by the web analytic firm, StatCounter, according to whom Bing is now the second most popular search engine after the search behemoth Google. Though knocking off Yahoo! from the second place and taking the rank for itself might be considered a success for Bing, yet Microsoft has little to celebrate as the company will now be regretting its decision of entering into a search deal with Yahoo in the year 2009, thereby ensuring that Yahoo's poor performance reflects upon Microsoft as well.

One the other hand, Google Inc, that still retains the top position among search engines also came down to 89.94% of the market share it currently reigns upon and this is the first time in two years in a row that Google's market share has fallen below the 90% threshold. However, this minor loss shouldn't affect Google that much, as its main competitors Bing and Yahoo are way far behind the search King, with Yahoo only managing to hold on to 3.93%. of the market share, while Bing inched closer a bit with 4.37%. The entire evaluation process from StatCounter is based upon over 15 billion page views per month from 3 million web sites that are monitored by this web analytics company.

According to Aodhan Cullen, (CEO, StatCounter),

"It is significant that Bing overtook Yahoo! globally for the first time on a monthly basis but it remains a tough battle to claw back Google’s market share. Although Google dipped below the 90% mark in February worldwide for the first time since August 2009 it shows little sign of losing its global dominance any time soon.”

Via The Inquirer

Introducing An All new Full Color Night Vision Camera From AIST

Posted: 02 Mar 2011 06:17 PM PST

One of the foremost names in technology innovations, AIST, has now come out with an all new surveillance camera that only captures every move, but also provides full color picture in night vision mode. This incredible new camera has been designed and developed by Nanosystem Research Division of AIST. The all new full color night vision camera has been incorporated with a complex highly sensitive infrared photography technology, that has been invented by AIST and allows the camera to capture real time video in full color, even when operating in night vision mode.

The infrared photography technology behind this marvelous new invention makes use of a series of algorithms, that enable the camera to process wavelengths that are generated when an objects comes into contact with infrared, thus enabling the camera to reproduce lost colors such as red, blue and green, while filling color to the video feed. AIST unveiled this magnificent camera at the Printable Electronics 2011 and as per the company's plans, this all new camera could be introduced into the markets by the end of this year, with a price tag that will significantly inexpensive than conventional night vision cameras.

Trends Updates

2011-03-02T17:57:00.001-08:00

Trends Updates

More about iPad 2
New York Times To Introduce ‘Deal of the Day’ Based Daily Deal Service
Apple Inc. Announces The launch Of The Much Anticipated Apple iPad 2 At A Live Press Event
Nexus EnergyHomes Bags Funds For Building More Zero Energy Homes
Lexus’s New Campaign For CT200h Hybrid Hatch
A Water Resort City On The Coast Of Bintan
Eurocopter X4 Will Soon Be Seen At The Horizon
Dior’s John Galliano Fired Over Anti-Semitism
New Fluide Cascade Shower Head
Microsoft Windows 8 For Tablets Could Be Out As Soon As June 2011

More about iPad 2

Posted: 02 Mar 2011 02:07 PM PST

Steve Jobs announced the new Apple tablet. The iPad will be two 33% thinner than its predecessor, will have dual-core processor, two cameras and begins to be sold in the U.S. on March 11 with the same price as the first version.

The tablet, which will be sold in black or white, received the new processor from Apple, the A5, which besides having two cores, promises to double the performance. On the outside, the device was redesigned and slimmed down 33%, to 8.8 mm thick, less than the iPhone 4. Its weight now is 580 grams.

Another novelty is the 30-pin HDMI port to stream content in full HD – cable for transmission will cost $ 39 U.S.. Even with the updates, Apple holds the promise of 10 hours of continuous use of iPad 2 and one month in stand-by.

The iPad 2 will have the same price of the first version of the iPad. The Wi-Fi version will cost $ 499, U.S. $ 599 and $ 699 for the 16GB model, 32GB, 64GB, while the 3G version will cost $ 629, U.S. $ 729 and $ 829. The device goes on sale in the U.S. on March 11 and arrive in 26 more countries on March 25.

Despite looking more fragile and hoarse voice, Steve Jobs did not spare the competition. After announcing that the first iPad sold 15 million units, the CEO of Apple said its App Store has 65 000-oriented applications for the tablet, compared to 100 Android Honeycomb.

To further intensify the competition with Android, which would flood the market with tablets of various companies, Jobs joked with Galaxy Tab, Samsung, saying doubt that 2 million of these handsets have been sold. For him, 2011 will be the “iPad 2 year” and not “the year of the copies,” while the screen showed the logo of brands like HP, BlackBerry, Samsung and Motorola.

Via: ZDNet.

New York Times To Introduce ‘Deal of the Day’ Based Daily Deal Service

Posted: 02 Mar 2011 11:55 AM PST

The New York Times, considered one of the foremost and highly respected international newspaper has now announced that, the publication via it online division, will now be launching an all new daily dear service called, TimesLimited, where in the subscribers to the New York Times will be provided offers for high end goods and services on a 'deal of the day' business model. The New York Times is now trying to provide the users with something more alluring than simply news and articles, and with the introduction of TravelLimited, NYT is now getting closer to that objective in collaboration with its advertising partners.

The subscribers will be sent premium offers on various products and services on a daily basis, quite like the daily deal service offered on a variety of luxury products and service by Gilt City, the online venture of the immensely famous Gilt Groupe. The daily deal service in fact has been mastered by Groupon, a company that come out with the deal of the day model in select cities such as Chicago, Boston, New York City, Toronto and later expanded its reach on a global level

Apple Inc. Announces The launch Of The Much Anticipated Apple iPad 2 At A Live Press Event

Posted: 02 Mar 2011 11:01 AM PST

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2011) in January this year, gave us just a brief glimpse in to what is being termed as the 'tablet revolution'. Whether it be Motorola, Notion Ink or LG Electronics, nearly all major electronics companies have now jumped in to the tablet market, which is by far one of the most competitive and lucrative verticals. Nearly all of the tablets showcased and launched have been designed keeping one goal in mind, to reduce the immense popularity of Apple iPad. However, all these efforts now seem to have been in vain, as Apple Inc. has now introduced the all new successor of the world's most beloved tablet in the form of Apple iPad 2.

The all new Apple iPad 2 will be available for purchase from March 11^th, 2011 and this incredible device is powered by the state of the art Apple A5 dual core processor, iPad 2 will feature the latest Apple OS, the iOS 4.3 and will also provide the users with the much needed front and back cameras for FaceTime and video calling. iPad 2 designed to be slimmer than its predecessor and 33% more slim than the iPhone 4G. The battery life of the device is said to be the same and the phenomenal iPad 2 will be available from both AT&T as well as Verizon, with a starting price tag of $499 (16 GB wifi only) and ending at $829 (64 GB wifi+3G).

We'll keep you updated on more specifications, features and an in depth look into the Apple iPad 2 as more details filter in. Stay Tuned.

Nexus EnergyHomes Bags Funds For Building More Zero Energy Homes

Posted: 01 Mar 2011 11:10 PM PST

Nexus EnergyHomes, based in Annapolis, designs, builds and sells pre-fab homes that are "net zero" or zero energy homes (ZEHs) and they have now managed to raise $200000 to build more of these houses.

The ZEHs are connected to the utility grid just like other houses, but once up and running, on an annual basis, they can produce as much energy as they consume, and sometimes even more.

Nexus EnergyHomes is also involved in manufacture and sales of green building materials and it also offers optimization and installation of equipments that can be managed in a net zero energy home, and so things like air conditioners, lights, filters, meters, solar power generating systems and geothermal wells can be fixed and maintained. Nexus EnergyHomes's software called Energyze helps builders get rebates and incentives to build a ZEH.

Nexus EnergyHomes currently focuses on building in and around Maryland and hence they have not come across any competition from the leading ZEH builders like Ecofutures in Colorado or Vert Design in Ottawa.

The software and systems sold by Nexus EnergyHomes however will face competition at the hands of giants in the industry who are venturing into the green homes market. Giants like GE, Fuji Electric, OPOWER, and Tendril who specialize in home-based energy management technology are eyeing this market.

Green homes are required on a larger scale and only a company that can provide such a supply for this huge demand can survive and lead this market.

Via: Techcrunch, Nexusenergyhomes

Lexus’s New Campaign For CT200h Hybrid Hatch

Posted: 01 Mar 2011 09:26 PM PST

Lexus is going to launch the Lexus CT 300h, which is a luxury hybrid car that gives 42 miles per gallon. Lexus is going to advertise for the new car with a new video series, and the new car is tagged " Dark Side of Green" that seemingly leads people to believe that the car is probably a Green Mean Machine.

Whitney Cummings will be interviewing several people as they drive the new Lexus hybrid hatch through their home towns. Each episode of the advertisement will be based on a new locality that includes places like San Francisco, New Orleans, Miami etc. People who are being interviewed are not those who have special driving skills but rather are those simple potential customers who might be buying this car. The video series is called "Darkcasting" and the interviews will be held across six cities in the United States. The video series will later be hosted on the campaign's website as well.

The commercials also include the sponsorship of the movie Girls Walk Into A Bar, by Sebastian Guitierrez that is going live on YouTube on March 11^th 2011, along with a collection of iPad based tie-ins.

Via: Adrants, Autoblog

A Water Resort City On The Coast Of Bintan

Posted: 01 Mar 2011 08:56 PM PST

It is called Treasure Bay Bintan, and it is going to be a huge world-class water resort city on the coast of Bintan, which will give the island's tourism a great boost.

The total project is going to cover 835 acres, while phase one of the project covers more than 222 acres of land and it will be completed by 2015. Phase one in itself will have a luxury resort and serviced villas, a multi-model transportation terminal, facilities for entertainment, retail, night life, as well as a world class marina and lagoon.

Paul Leong, the COO of Treasure Bay Bintan said that the developments made at this water resort city will redefine world-class tourism and it happens to be one of the largest projects in recent years in terms of size and scale. The company hopes to lure both international as well as regional tourists to make a stop-over at the resort city. The location can also be used and is being propositioned for being used as a venue for honeymoons, weddings as well as special celebratory events.

The luxury resort that covers 18 acres of land has 149 rooms, including 30 villas and it will be ready by 2014. The serviced villas are being offered separately and they add to the luxury of the whole resort in a great way. The marina will be offering boat charter services, luxury yachts, boat management, maintenance and repair services as well.

Via: Travelweeklyweb

Eurocopter X4 Will Soon Be Seen At The Horizon

Posted: 01 Mar 2011 08:25 PM PST

For some reason, helicopters are in, and they comfortably fit into the lifestyle of the rich and the famous who have luxury at their disposal. And so although the Bond's chopper was recently sold, and the Sikorsky X2 and Eurocopter X3 are still under production people are already awaiting the Eurocopter X4. People who are looking forward to buying a helicopter should place an order for the same.

Eurocopter X4 is the next-generation medium twin and it comes as a replacement for the AS365 Dauphin / EC155, and it will be ready to hit the market at the end of 2011. The CEO of Eurocopter, Lutz Bertling promises that the Eurocopter X4 will be a revolution as compared to its predecessors since it features a new way of flying, and has been redesigned with a brand new cockpit that combines old and new technology and makes the helicopter iPad compatible.

The Eurocopter X4 is safer and more environment friendly, and it is also capable of better performance and comes with increased payload as compared to the AS365 Dauphin / EC155. For the production of the X4, Eurocopter is joining hands with the engine maker Turbomeca, Thales, the avionics specialist and Daher the aerostructures, while it also looks forward to incorporate some funds from the French government. Needless to say, more the money, better the project will be. The company with its revolutionary plans is also trying to incorporate diesel engines in light helicopters that are a great solution for the new age choppers.

Via: Jameslist

Dior’s John Galliano Fired Over Anti-Semitism

Posted: 01 Mar 2011 08:24 PM PST

It is important to be politically correct, support gay rights and be extremely supportive of all religions these days, or most probably you would end up getting fired. That is what happened to Christian Dior's head fashion designer John Galliano, when a video of him using anti-Semitic language sprung up. His remarks apparently conflicted with values that the House of Christian Dior has always had.

It is a huge setback for John Galliano since he also has his own eponymous label that will be showcased in the Paris Fashion Week on Sunday. Apparently, Natalie Portman changed what she wore to the Academy Awards at the last minute because she did not want to be associated with any such controversy and did not want to wear a design by John Galliano although it was under the label of Christian Dior.

John Galliano spent half a day in the police station in Paris along with his lawyer, where he was questioned about the incident. In the video, John Galliano appears to be drunk and says something about the Hitler and people like them at a café in Paris. John Galliano, who has always been appreciated for his innovative designs, shocked the fashion world with such statements.

Via: Vogue

New Fluide Cascade Shower Head

Posted: 01 Mar 2011 08:21 PM PST

ST Rubinetterie is extremely creative and it has been proved by this cool new cascade shower head. It is called the Fluide shower head and has been designed by Simone Micheli. The design of the shower head is creative and practical, and the designer was inspired by nature, and it does seem to look like a miniature waterfall at its best.

There is a cool modern twist to the design and the cascading waterfall along with the shower head that is so unconventional makes it really interesting. The cool new and shiny look due to the polished steel makes it look futuristic and puts away all the intrusive features giving it a sleek two dimensional design.

It is a great design that can fit into all compact modern minimalistic bathrooms, since when not in use it is almost absent and while in use it looks gorgeous and makes you stay in the shower longer. The design also complements outdoor showers, swimming pools or vacation villas due to its compact nature. It also comes in a chromed brass and brushed nickel finish, while other colors are available on request. The Cascade Shower Head will make a great addition to features of a house for those who are into interior designing and décor and want to own homes that look futuristic, compact and yet spacious.

Via: Trendir, Strubinetterie

Microsoft Windows 8 For Tablets Could Be Out As Soon As June 2011

Posted: 01 Mar 2011 07:29 PM PST

Microsoft Corporation, considered to be one of the oldest wen entities and a foremost technology company is now well on its way of introducing an all new tablet specific operating system, in the form of the all new Windows 8. As per reports, Windows 8, that had recently crossed its development threshold, known as 'Milestone 2' (M2) is expected to be launched in June 2011. In the case of Windows 7 operating system for PCs and laptop, after achieving M2, it took the development team another five months to reach M3 and then the company finally released a public preview.

As per sources close to the Microsoft Windows 8 development, the company is said to have taken a more Apple Inc. like approach to the project, as far the user interface of Windows 8 is concerned. Microsoft, after witnessing substantial success in its Windows Phone 7 series, has taken the UI concept called, 'Metro' of the Windows Phone 7 project and is working hard to implement in the interface design of Windows 8, which is being designed specifically for tablet devices. The tablet market in the last year has seen remarkable advancements and fiscally speaking, this vertical is proving to be quite a lucrative proposition. However, as in the case of the smart phone revolution, Microsoft again seems to be way behind in the competition, especially when some of the biggest names in the tech arena such as Apple, Samsung and Motorola have already left their marks as competent innovators in tablet technology.

Via Business Insider

Trends Updates

2011-03-01T18:53:00.001-08:00

Trends Updates

Presenting The All New 2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Supercar From Lamborghini
Samsung To Announce The Launch Of Galaxy Tab With 8.9 inch Display At CTIA 2011
Introducing The World’s First Eye Tracking Laptop From Tobii Technology
Year 2012 Could Become The Year Of Personalized Advertising With ‘Gladvertising’
Meridian Introduces An All New Desktop Audio System For Unmatched Audio Experience

Presenting The All New 2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Supercar From Lamborghini

Posted: 01 Mar 2011 05:01 PM PST

One of the biggest and world renowned Italian sports car manufacturer, Lamborghini, taking the 2011 Geneva Motor Show as a platform, has now unveiled the all-new 2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 . this marvelous super car features the very best of Lamborghini engineering and comes with a stunning streamlined design, to take the drivers to the edge of high speed driving experience. The Aventador LP700-4 is the latest in the line of super and hyper cars that have been introduced in to the market at a time when, the Middle Eastern crisis has taken the oil prices to an all time high. Lamborghini is now bidding farewell to one of its most successful models, Murciélago and has introduced the Aventador as the next generation super car.

This incredible four wheel extravaganza is powered by a 6.5-liter V12 engine, with massive output of 700 horsepower, thereby propelling the Aventador from 0 to 60 m.p.h. in under 2.5 seconds, with a maximum speed of 217 mph. Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 has been designed and developed from a new carbon fiber single shell and this awesome high performance super car comes with a seven-speed robotized manual ‘independent shifting rod‘ (ISR) transmission. This all new transmission system is said to provide the Aventador with quicker and more reliable acceleration than other transmissions systems. The interior of the Aventador has been kept at a traditionally lavish tone, as the car comes with TFT-LCD screen, that displays the vital performance information, along with another display screen, that the drivers can use for in-car entertainment as well as navigation purposes.

The all new Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 will be available for customers in summer of 2011 and will come with a rather pleasing price tag of $370,000.

Via New York Times

Samsung To Announce The Launch Of Galaxy Tab With 8.9 inch Display At CTIA 2011

Posted: 01 Mar 2011 02:48 PM PST

One of the foremost consumer electronics companies, Samsung, it seems is now gearing up for the launch of an all new Samsung Galaxy Tab device with 8.9 inch display screen at the upcoming CITA 2011 trade show. Moving on from the original Samsung Galaxy Tab, that was introduced in the year 2010, as a competitor to Apple iPad, in a recent media invite sent out to all pre-registered CTIA media, Samsung has hinted on to the release of three new Galaxy tab models featuring 7 inch, 8.9 inch and 10 inch displays respectively. As per invite image, Samsung has showed a number sequence '78910', that is being widely interpreted as screen display dimensions for the new models.

Samsung's very first Galaxy Tab featured a 7 inch display, so there would be nothing new in that arena, while at the Mobile World Congress (MWC 2011) in Barcelona, Spain, Samsung took the curtains off the all new Samsung 10.1 Galaxy Tab, featuring a 10.1 inch display. However, the invite does suggest introduction of an all new Galaxy Tab, featuring a 8.9 inch display and could just as easily be running the tablet specific Google Android 3.0 'Honeycomb' OS. In today's tablet war, Samsung and LG Electronics are two of the most fierce rivals. Though Samsung has edge in the competition with the previous Samsung Galaxy Tab, yet with the all new LG Optimus Pad, the consumers would now have a varied choice and can just as easily find out who out of the two has gotten the tablet scene just right. Just the LG Optimus Pad, the highly expected Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 could be powered by Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core processor.

Via Ubergizmo

Introducing The World’s First Eye Tracking Laptop From Tobii Technology

Posted: 01 Mar 2011 02:08 PM PST

Very soon, our entire definition of laptops could be turned on its head and instead of using mouse and keyboards, we could just as well be navigating our laptops just with our eyes. At the CeBIT 2011 trade show in Hanover, Germany, one of the biggest and foremost names in eye tracking and eye control technology, Tobii Technology, has now unveiled the first eye tracking laptop, that in its initial phases is able to ascertain and carry out commands by just reading the eye movements of the users. This incredible new laptop has been designed and developed in collaboration with Lenovo, the world's fourth largest manufacturer of personal computers.

The all new eye tracking laptop has been integrated with Exposé, which is a user activated interface, that turns a conventional laptop into an eye-tracking marvel. At the demonstration of this incredible laptop, Tobii showcased, how the Exposé software was able to track the eye movements and run applications by staring at their icons. The applications of this marvelous technology seem to be endless, especially when it comes to gaming. Though there haven't been any efforts in this field, yet Tobii showed how a user could just as easily play a game like 'Asteroids' simply by looking at the screen. Tobii Technology also said that, the eye tracking technology could also be used mapping service, where in users can zoom in to a map by staring at it and zoom out by looking away from it.

As of now Tobii and Lenovo have developed only 20 units of this awesome laptop, for testing and demonstration purposes only and Tobii has stated that it will take about two full years for the technology to be commercially available for the users.

According to Henrik Eskilsson, (CEO, Tobii Technology),

"More than anything else, the Tobii laptop prototype is proof that our eye tracking technology is mature enough to be used in standard computer interfaces. To reach a state where the technology is part of the average computer, we need to make it smaller and cheaper. We believe that this can be realized in a couple of years by partnering with the right manufacturer."

Video Courtesy: Engadget

Year 2012 Could Become The Year Of Personalized Advertising With ‘Gladvertising’

Posted: 01 Mar 2011 01:58 PM PST

Forget the advertisements featured in television and newspapers that designed for the masses and expand your imagination to world where you an advertisement banner will address you personally and will know what kind of a mood you are in, then suggest you a certain product or service. Sounds too far fetched? Not according to a recent study released by the Center For Future Studies, according to whom, the advertising revolution called 'Gladvert' could become a concrete reality as early as the year 2012. Gladvert is essentially the technology behind this unique personalized advertising platform, where in ad agencies and product companies will make the most out of emotion recognition software (ERS), that will enable them to suggest the best suited products to individual consumers, based on their mood.

Such a technology isn't that far along, as one of the foremost technology companies, NEC, has already designed and developed an advertising system in Japan, where in it can ascertain the gender and age of individual consumers and then serve them with advertisements as per those factors, thereby greatly personalizing the advertising approach. With incredible boom in social media and social networking, it's just a matter of time, when the advertisers will be able to present advertisements based on a person's age, sex and interests. With the possibility of the heavy involvement of social networking services in this emerging trend, the privacy activists are already raising questions marks on the legitimacy of the whole process and asking the pivotal of as to how much and what sort of personally identifiable information will be collected by the advertisers and marketers.

Speaking in regards to the privacy concerns that are currently being raised by Gladvertising, Alexander Hanff from Privacy International said,

“We feel that it is an industry that has so far gone unchallenged and because of this they are developing some scary stuff. We have a situation where the boundaries between our online and offline worlds become even more blurred and we currently have no regulatory or legislative regime in place to deal with these dangers.”

Via PSFK & BBC

Meridian Introduces An All New Desktop Audio System For Unmatched Audio Experience

Posted: 01 Mar 2011 11:20 AM PST

One of the foremost names in audio technology, Meridian, that is also considered to be Britain's leading manufacturers of state of the art audio equipments has now brought an all new desktop audio system, that though carries a pretty hefty price tag, yet will provide the audiophiles with unmatched sound quality. For this new product, Meridian has fused the brilliance of Audio Core 200 and DSP3200 Digital Active Loudspeakers to create a magnificent product. The Audio Core 200 is a pre-amplifier that has been designed with the state of the art Meridian Resolution Enhancement technologies, where in the Audio Core 200 is able to provide the very best sound quality.

The Audio Core 200 has been designed to easily connect to any audio source and has been given a PC audio replay via USB along with a Meridian SpeakerLink input for single-wire connection. Furthermore, the Audio Core 200 is also fully compatible with Apple iPhone and iPod devices, that allows the users to connect their devices to the system and enjoy high fidelity sound quality, while their devices get charged as well. Via the single wire option, users can connect the Audio Core 200 directly to the second component of the all new Meridian desktop audio system, which is the DSP3200 Digital Active Loudspeakers. These incredible loudspeakers are embedded with the immensely popular Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technologies, invented by Meridian. The DSP3200 Digital Active Loudspeakers feature a state of the art wide-range driver, that provides the most optimal sound experience even with continuous playback.

The all new Meridian Audio Core 200 comes with a price tag of $3,000,, while the DSP3200 Digital Active Loudspeakers will cost you about $6,000 per pair.

Via Robb Report

Trends Updates

2011-02-28T17:22:00.001-08:00

Trends Updates

WikiLeaks’s founder, Julian Assange, filed an application to patent the use of his name
LG Optimus Pad Tablet All Set For Pre-orders In Japan From March 15, 2011
Presenting The All new ‘Stealth’ Arcade Table For The Classic Gamers
Introducing An All New iPhone Voicemail App, ON VoiceFeed
No More Worries Of Shark Bites With The All New Anti-Shark Suit From Neptunic Technologies
MiTAC To Showcase Four New Media Tablets At CeBIT Trade Show
Zero Race Finally Comes To An End With Zerotracer From Team Oerikon Taking The First Position
Facebook Revamps The ‘Like’ Button With Full News Feed Story On Third Party Websites
JP Morgan and Twitter: a partnership?
The Social Network couldn’t beat the King

WikiLeaks’s founder, Julian Assange, filed an application to patent the use of his name

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 04:19 PM PST

According to international media, the request was made by the law firm of Assange two weeks ago, with the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO), an organization that takes care of intellectual property in that region. The request covers the use of the mark Julian Assange in public activities (lectures), service journalism, news, texts, education services, advertising and entertainment.

The request will be formalized next Friday, 4. After this period, the IPO will set a period of two months for positions contrary to the claim. If there is no manifestation, it will be granted to Assange.

Last Thursday, Judge Howard Riddle, Belmarsh court, decided that extradition of the founder of WikiLeaks to Sweden, where he answers in court on charges of rape and sexual harassment. Assange can still appeal the decision.

Paul Julian Assange (Townsville, July 3, 1971) is an Australian journalist and cyberactivist. It is one of the nine members of the advisory board of WikiLeaks, a wiki of complaints and information leaks. It is also the main spokesman for the website.

Assange studied mathematics and physics, was a programmer and hacker, before becoming a spokesman and chief editor of WikiLeaks. WikiLeaks founded in 2006 and serves on its advisory board. He was involved in publications on extrajudicial documents in Kenya, and it earned him the prize Amnesty International Media Award 2009. He also published papers on toxic waste in Africa, proceedings of Guantanamo, and others. In 2010, he published details about the U.S. involvement in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. And then on November 28 of that year the WikiLeaks and its five media partners, El Pais, Le Monde, Der Spiegel, The Guardian and The New York Times, began publishing the secret telegrams from U.S. diplomacy. For his work in Wikileaks won other awards, like Sam Adams and Index on Censorship Award for The Economist in 2008, and has been considered the “Man of the Year” by the French newspaper Le Monde in 2010.

Via: PC Mag.

LG Optimus Pad Tablet All Set For Pre-orders In Japan From March 15, 2011

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 04:09 PM PST

Unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2011) and with most of the specifications, even the proposed name for the device being hidden, the all new LG OPtimus Pad, has now finally seen the light of day, as LG Electronics has announced that, the company will begin taking pre-orders for this incredible new tablet device from March 15^th, 2011. Known to the rest of the world as, LG Slate, the all new LG Optimus Pad (named only for Japan) will be custom designed for Japanese consumers and the Optimus Pad will come with Japan specific feature including BeeTv, a wireless entertainment service, and 2Dfacto, a reading application for eBooks and comics.

When the LG Slate is launched for the rest of the global markets, BeeTv and 2Dfacto will be absent from its feature, but the configuration for both these models remain the same. The LG Optimus Pad is powered by a 1 GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core processor and will be running the tablet specific, Google Android 3.0 'Honeycomb'. This brand new tablet device will come with 8.9 inch widescreen display, providing an impressive 1280×768 resolution, along with a 5MP rear camera, that will enable the consumers to conduct 3D recording, while enjoying their recordings in full HD 1080P video and device will also featuring HDMI output.

Via Into Mobile

Presenting The All new ‘Stealth’ Arcade Table For The Classic Gamers

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 03:49 PM PST

Though the world of gaming has taken huge leaps in technology and the way games are played in the 21^st century, including PCs, gaming consoles and on the Internet, yet the very essence of gaming itself has always been residing in the classic arcade games, that brought on the gaming revolution. Be it Pac-Man, Tetris or Mario, these low-fi games are still very much popular, so much so that every now then a new product commemorating these awesome games is launched with immense fanfare. Arcade Tables, a company well renowned for its arcade gaming tables, has announced the launch of 'Stealth' a gorgeous and quite discreet arcade gaming table, that would only give you more than 60 game titles to play, but would also be a fine addition to your home's décor.

The all new Stealth arcade gaming table features a HD LCD screen, that has been designed and developed to provide the player with an 89 degree view angle, thereby substantially enhancing the classic gaming experience. The joystick as well as buttons for this remarkable table are placed within the table, thus keeping the aesthetics of the table as streamlined as possible. The Stealth arcade gaming table's design seems to have been inspired from the classic arcade games and this wonderful tables comes in white, black, and red and a highly glossy finish. The Stealth arcade gaming table from Arcade Tables comes with 60 pre-installed games and carries a price tag of $3,300 per piece.

Via Red Ferret

Introducing An All New iPhone Voicemail App, ON VoiceFeed

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 03:42 PM PST

When it comes to the immensely famous Apple iPhone, nearly all the applications designed for the device seem to be quite useful especially if you are sporting an all new iPhone 4G with a fast 3G or 4G connection. However, there is one nifty app in the iTunes App store, that has got a lot of attention, due to its simply yet incredible features. We are talking about the all new On VoiceFeed, that has taken the traditional voice mail concept and turned it into a remarkable service and was unveiled at the DEMO Spring 2011 exhibition.

On VoiceFeed essentially provides the users with the freedom to create custom voice mail greetings for different groups of callers. Say, if I wish to greet my office colleagues with a professional message and my family as well as my friends with a more personal tone to the voice mail message, On VoiceFeed enables me to accomplish this task. On VoiceFeed features an interactive and user friendly interface, wherein you can easily create custom group for callers and then the voice messages you have created for each group. Another salient feature of this marvelous app is its ability of converting text into speech, thereby enabling the users to simply type in their voicemail message and the app automatically converts it into a voice message. As of now the app offers a list of voices to choose from, but the company behind this applications, will soon be introducing new voice patterns for the users, that can be bought separately.

The all new On VoiceFeed is surely one of the best voice mail services in the Apple Apps Store and can easily be counted in the most elite rack, where sit some of the most renowned services, such as the likes of Hullomail, , Google Voice, YouMail etc. The On VoiceFeed will be available in both free and premium service modes. The free app will let you record three different greetings for unlimited groups of callers with access to only month of voice mail, while the premium service will enable the users record unlimited greetings for unlimited groups.

Via Ubergizmo

No More Worries Of Shark Bites With The All New Anti-Shark Suit From Neptunic Technologies

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 03:38 PM PST

Though water sports and underwater exploration are some of the most exciting outdoor and vacation activities, yet the depths of seas represent a constant danger, and that being of an unfriendly run in with a shark. The beast that made the holly blockbuster 'Jaws' such a legend has been feared for centuries and considered to be one of the most lethal and fatal encounters in sea water. Now, an all-new company by the name of Neptunic Technologies, has taken upon itself to bring the forth the most reliable anti-shark suit, that will not only protect its wearers from shark bits, but will also be quite light, as against the age old shark suit made out of chain maille.

This new anti-shark suit, that is being developed secretly at Neptunic Technologies, is said to become one of the most efficient and safe diving suits in the world and the fabric itself will be so sturdy, that it will be able to withstand a bite from one of the most ferocious of all sharks, the Great White shark. The owner of the company, Jeremiah Sullivan, himself being experienced with several shark bites, came out with the first Neptunic shark suit in the 1970s and since then has been featured on more than 45 television shows and film projects. However, understanding the need for lightweight fabrics, Mr. Sullivan is now working on the next generation Neptunic suit, that will be made mostly from the in-house created fabric called, Neptech. As per reports, Neptunic Technologies has already been approached by the U.S government and the military in regards to the fabric's military and law enforcement potentials.

Via CBS 8

MiTAC To Showcase Four New Media Tablets At CeBIT Trade Show

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 03:31 PM PST

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2011) in Las Vegas in the month of January this year became the platform for the tablet revolution as some of the biggest technology and consumer electronics companies came out with their own line of cutting edge tablet devices, such as the likes of Motorola Xoom, the Eee Pad Slider from Asus and the Adam tablet from Notion Ink among many others. Now, with the CeBIT 2011 scheduled to take place in Hanover, Germany from March 1^st to 5^th, 2011, one of the foremost Taiwan electronics company, Mitac International Corp. has now announced its plans of showcasing four new media tablets at the event, where in one of the tablets will be featuring a rather sturdy design, while another will sport two GPS receivers.

MiTAC came into the spotlight last year, after launching the Valinor media tablet, that became an instant hit and grabbed several awards for its incredible features and looks. The new media tablets slated for the CeBIT 2011 consist of two Valar media tablets, that will provide the users with a high definition display of 1080p HD and will also be carrying HDMI output. The Valar line of media tablets will be powered by 1GHz Cortex processor and will be running Google Android 2.3 'Gingerbread' with MiTAC overlay. MiTAC will be introducing Valinor 7, with a 7 inch touchscreen display and Valinor 10, that will come with a 10 inch high definition widescreen display and both these models will come equipped with built-in GPS, thereby providing the users with support for Google Maps and turn by turn navigation.

However, the most enticing of these new additions is the all new Ulmo, a media tablet device has been designed to take a beating and rough handling. The Ulmo will sport a 7-inch touchscreen display with 1080p HD video playback, while being IPX7 waterproof and drop resistant. MiTAC has also given Ulmo the added benefit of HDMI connectivity as well as stereo speakers.

Zero Race Finally Comes To An End With Zerotracer From Team Oerikon Taking The First Position

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 02:22 PM PST

On August 15^th, 2010, a world trying desperately to salvage its fragile environment flagged off the highly ambitious Zero Race from Geneva, where in four participating teams came out with their 100% zero emission electric powered vehicles and prepared to a trip across the globe, covering 30,000 kms and cruising through 20 countries. Now, about a week ago, the Zero Race finally came to an end, when the incredibly futuristic looking motorcycle called, Zerotracer from Team Oerikon Solar crossed the finished line and claimed the first position in this one of a kind event. The entire event came to a magnificent end at the United Nations Palace in Geneva, Switzerland, where three out of the four teams returned after traveling 28,000 km (17,398 miles) across 16 countries. Team Oerikon Solar came first in the race, closely followed by Team Vectrix in second place and Team Trev in third.

However, crossing the finishing line wasn't the only requisite to win the Zero Race, as the organizers evaluated all participating teams on the basis of the vehicles' range, reliability and safety. Also, the participants were required to accomplish certain tasks given to them during the race. The overall quality of the Zerotracer, along with its competence in helping Team Oerikon Solar finish the required tasks, enabled it to become the winner. After the successful completion of the Zero Race, the organizers are now looking forward for the next Zero Race and are already calling in for applicants to showcase their 100% carbon free vehicles, that should have a minimum range of 150 km (93 miles) and should provide a top speed of 80 km/h (50 mph). the next Zero Race is scheduled to take place from September 3 to 25, 2011.

According to Helmut Frankenberger (CEO, Oerlikon Solar),

"It is great that our team was able to win this very demanding race. This shows that emission-free mobility solutions are useful for everyday life even in adverse conditions. The Zerotracer is a real milestone on the path to use solar energy as a form of fuel in an economically viable manner and thus to create a real alternative for the mobile world of tomorrow.”

Facebook Revamps The ‘Like’ Button With Full News Feed Story On Third Party Websites

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 11:13 AM PST

Since the emergence of Facebook in the social networking realm and the subsequent popularization of the website amounting to a whopping 600 million user base, Facebook has been expanding its reach all over web with its famous Facebook 'Like' button, that is now found just about every website you visit and is considered to be one of the most vital promotional tool on the web. Now, Facebook has finally revamped the convention Like button, where in when the users click on the button, it provides the full news feed story, as against the one-line Recent Activity story. Facebook has now down away with the aging 'Like with Comment' that enabled the users to publish their preferred content from third parties, inclusive of headlines, thumbnail images, and captions. The social networking behemoth is also planning to phase out the 'Share' button and replace its functions with a universal Like button.

The most significant advantage of the new 'Like' button is that, it now publishes the entire news feed story with images, thereby making it more attractive and providing other users with a more detailed description of what they are looking at, thereby saving them the time of going to the specific webpage and understand the gist of the content. In the year 2010, Facebook had launched the social integration tools for websites at the F8 conference and since then, these tools have been used by nearly 2.5 million websites across the globe. Facebook also opening its social integration plugins to developers, thereby enabling them to use their functions for social games and Facebook applications.

Via Inside Facebook

JP Morgan and Twitter: a partnership?

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 10:03 AM PST

Twitter may be close to receiving an injection of capital. This is because, an investment fund linked to JP Morgan in talks to buy a minority stake in the microblog. According to a statement released by New York Times, that would make the social network was valued at about $ 4.5 billion.

According to the news, the source who disclosed the information indicates that, to date, it is unclear whether the investment fund – known as JP Morgan Digital Growth Fund – investors would be interested in investing directly in stocks or in buying the microblog Twitter.

The investments made by this fund must also be expanded to other areas related to social networks, like the case of companies that produce games and applications specific to these environments. To this end, JP Morgan emphasizes companies with established business models and stable revenues.

So far, spokesmen for JPMorgan and Twitter did not comment.

It is noteworthy that, in early February, they released a document showing that Facebook and Google have been trying to negotiate the purchase of Twitter. At the time, a matter of Wall Street Journal pointed out that the microblogging worth around U.S. $ 8 billion to $ 10 billion.

Via: NYT.

The Social Network couldn’t beat the King

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 09:48 AM PST

The movie “The Social Network” won the Oscar 2011 in 3 categories, but was defeated in the most relevant awards, best picture and best director. The film, which tells the inside story of the creation of Facebook, competed for awards in eight categories: best film, best director, best screenplay, best adapted screenplay, photography, soundtrack, sound mixing and editing.

The movie, however, eventually turned down in important categories. "The king’s Speech" won statues for best film and direction, crowning the work of Tom Hooter, who directed the movie.

Before winning the Oscar statuettes, “The Social Network” earned in January this year, four awards at the Golden Globes, including best film.

According to critics, the dizzying success of the network, which already amounts to 600 million users globally, contributed to create a larger interest of the judges of the American Academy for the work of Fincher.

Despite the good reception from the audience and critics, the work is rejected by the main characters portrayed in the plot. Mark Zuckerberg, the protagonist of the film, described the film as “pure fiction” and “no connection with reality.” Since Sean Parker, creator of Napster and Facebook investor in her period of startup, criticized the film’s production.

Portrayed as a businessman few scruples, Parker, is the principal agent to stimulate the difference between Mark and his Brazilian counterpart Eduardo Saverin, co-founder of Facebook and taken control of the young company for a controversial legal maneuver.

The acid tone of the movie and the fact of work as someone who portray Zuckerberg copied ideas from others, and break, maneuvered to leave his partner for the first time outside of Facebook caused great concern among the directors of Facebook.

Via: IMDB.

Trends Updates

2011-02-27T17:05:00.001-08:00

Trends Updates

Walpole To Groom Next Generation Business Women For 21st Century Corporate Jobs

Posted: 27 Feb 2011 09:58 AM PST

One of the foremost names in the luxury industry, the Walpole British Luxury has now taken an all new approach towards the luxury market, focusing its vision on the corporate side of the realm. As per the new initiative taken buy Walpole, the company will now be providing invaluable assistance to the modern women, who are aspiring to grab executive jobs in the luxury industry. This marvelous new campaign will now be taking advise and inputs from some of the most accomplished figures in the industry including consultancy and academia. The advisors to be taken on board for the grooming initiative will be composed of both men as well women.

Walpole British Luxury group represents more than 170 British luxury brands that feature high profile names such as Harrods, Burberry, Jimmy Choo, Mulberry and Fortnum & Mason. This incredible women empowerment program has been the direct result of recommendations made by Lord Davies of Abersoch, where in an enquiry led by the Lord emphasized on the need of increased women presence in the corporate world, especially when it comes to the U.K companies that are listed at the FTSE 100. As per the report, Lord Davies has urged these companies to create target of a minimum of 25% females representation in the top executive positions by the year 2015.

According to Julia Carrick, (CEO, Walpole British Luxury),

"I wholeheartedly support Lord Davies's recommendations. We are keen to exploit the creative industries' fantastic wealth of female talent by providing the necessary mentoring, support and training to help them to reach the boardroom."

Via The Retail Jeweller

Trends Updates

2011-02-26T17:06:00.001-08:00

Trends Updates

Guz Architects’ Cluny House Blends Technology With Sustainable Living
All Daily Deals Brought on the Same Page by Savings.com
Google Improves its Algorithm in its Search for High Quality Sites

Guz Architects’ Cluny House Blends Technology With Sustainable Living

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 11:26 PM PST

Based in Singapore, Guz Architects are an award-winning architectural firm. And their latest project is the Cluny House in Singapore. One look and it is clear that the Cluny House is another addition to the new breed of buildings that strive to blend in with its natural surroundings. Earlier this year, the Amangiri resort in Utah’s Canyon Point was named Best Resort at the recent Travel + Living Design Awards for a similar reason.

The aim of the Cluny House project is to build a home that is luxurious, cozy and sustainable, all at the same time. The Cluny House comes fitted with photovoltaic cells and solar water heaters – two steps that are sure to considerably reduce the home’s carbon footprint. Plus, the architects have planned the house in such a way that cross ventilation and passive cooling reduces the need for electronic cooling equipment. Irrigation tanks and the use of recycled teak and artificial timber further add to the sustainable nature of this home.

There is plenty of natural light and you can see greenery all around. Plenty of roof gardens almost give the impression of living in the midst of a forest resort.

Of course, this is a high-tech house. However, the high-tech quotient is used to increase the eco-friendly quotient rather than decrease it.

Sustainable housing is the need of the hour, with even the likes of super-wealthy Lakshmi Mittal planning super-green homes. The Cluny House, is thus, a big step in the right direction.

Via: Contemporist

All Daily Deals Brought on the Same Page by Savings.com

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 07:47 PM PST

Daily deal sites have mushroomed in the recent past and the space has become red hot and a good number of very similar deal services have popped up. It has become a bit of an overload and it is hard to find appealing deals. Groupon is the dominant player in the space and Living Social is a distant second. It is difficult to predict how the large number of imitators will fare.

In order to capitalize on the buzz, Savings.com is attempting to bring every daily deals site on the same page. The company has announced the launch of a closed beta at a conference in San Francisco. The concept is simple and has all the ingredients to become successful. The users can sign up with the site by creating a new account or their existing account on Gmail, Yahoo, Facebook or twitter account.

The user can pick areas of their interest and look for deals. The site will compile a daily feed of deals from other daily deals website. Mention of zip code will get information of local deals as well. As the user goes along adding new brands and deals and deleting the old deals the feeds from the site also become more specific to match the trend. This is definitely a concept whose time has come.

Via: venturebeat

Google Improves its Algorithm in its Search for High Quality Sites

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 07:07 PM PST

Google thrives on its ability to search most relevant answers to queries in the least possible time. Searching the web for the answers is the easier part but filtering the superfluous from the substantial is the important part of their job that requires regular fine tuning. With the amount of information on the web growing at an increasing pace Google has to keep updating its algorithms to recognize the good content.

Minor changes are so subtle that they often go unnoticed. The recent change Google has introduced is going to have a major impact on the ranking. The new algorithm is expected to impact almost 12% of queries. The changes are designed to reduce rankings for low quality sites and provide better rankings for sites with original content and information. Sites with in-depth reports, research and thoughtful analysis will get preference in terms of ranking.

Google, as the largest player on the web feels responsible for maintaining a healthy web ecosystem. And in order to do that it is important that they reward the high-quality sites and that is what this new improvement will ensure. Initial results are encouraging and Google believes it is a big step in the right direction. It is the result of a year of coordinated hard work and more changes will follow to constantly improve the results. Initially this change or upgrade is being implemented in the US alone and will be rolled out in the rest of the world over a period of time.

Via: googleblog.blogpost, chrome.google

Trends Updates

2011-02-25T17:29:00.001-08:00

Trends Updates

Apple iPhone 4G & Apple iPad Win The Coveted 2010 Engadget Awards Editors’ Choice
DARPA Requisitions ‘Cheetah Bot’ With Quick Capture & Evade Capabilities
Presenting The All New Luxurious ‘New Yorker’ Art Deco Keyboard
The 3C Company Unveils A First Of its Kind Net Zero Energy Home
Cycling Grand Tour League Initiates An Around The World Trip On Bicycles
The Gap Between the Fashion World and the Tech Experts Must be Bridged
Room 77 Launches A Huge Viewable Hotel Room Database

Apple iPhone 4G & Apple iPad Win The Coveted 2010 Engadget Awards Editors’ Choice

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 04:13 PM PST

The year 2010 was one of the most thrilling and eventful time for nearly all technology aficionados as well as online tech blogs. With the launch of Apple iPhone 4G and iPad, the previous year offered a wealth of options for consumers to consolidate their lifestyles with mobile technology, while connecting to rest of the world in a more advanced and fashionable manner. One of the most revered and highly respected tech blogs, Engadget, took this opportunity to praise and highlight some of the most awesome and delightful additions to gadget as well as the overall technology industry. After sifting through a plethora of interesting and very compelling entries, Engadget has finally declared the winners for its coveted 2010 Engadget Awards Editors' Choice.

Here are the top three gadgets and innovations that took the cream of the cake at the 2010 Engadget Awards Editors' Choice:

Gadget of the Year: The principal category at the 2010 Engadget Awards Editors' Choice was not surprisingly, 'Gadget of the Year'. Besides the fact that 2010 produced some of the most enthralling gadgets till date, yet the prestigious title was grabbed by none other than the world's most cherished tablet device, Apple iPad. Launched in the month of April last year, Apple iPad became an instant hit, so much so that, Apple Inc. saw a phenomenal sales rate of the device with one million units being sold out in just 30 days. Sporting a 9.7 inch touchscreen and powered by the cutting edge 1Ghz Apple A4 processor, the iPad offered users the same level of iDevice sophistication in a neat and incredible package. The iPad was introduced with an all new iOS 4 operating system and came with a variety of connectivity options including wifi, Bluetooth and 3G network capabilities.

Phone of the Year: Launched in May 2010, the all new Apple iPhone 4, came as a relief for numerous iPhone 3GS users, who has been looking for a viable option to replace their old iPhone. Apple Inc. it seems made it a point not to disappoint its vast fan following by introducing the iPhone 4G, that came with the phenomenal Retina Display, that proved to one of the most astounding features of the new iPhone. Running the new iOS 4 and powered by a 1Ghz Apple A4 processor, iPhone 4G sports a 3.5 inch display with a multi-touch touchscreen. Emphasizing on video calling with Facetime and featuring a 5MP rear camera and a front camera, iPhone 4G gave its consumers exactly what they were looking for. Along with crystal clear photo shots, iPhone 4G also supports HD video recording. Though the iPhone 4G initially came under criticism for its antennae issue, still it turned out to be one of the most successful gadgets of the year.

Robot of the Year: When one speaks of technology, it remains incomplete without the mention of robotics, one of the most aggressively evolving tech fields, that garnered its share of spotlight last year. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), who has been accredited with numerous cutting edge tech innovations took the world of robotics by storm in April 2010 when the U.S space agency unveiled its all new robot astronaut, Robonaut 2, or R2. This incredible was conceived from a previous project called, Robonaut and the new Robonaut 2 was the successful result of a joint project between NASA and General Motors (GM). The all new R2 weighs about 300-pounds and has been designed to work both at the GM manufacturing plants, as well as in space conducting extra vehicular activities (EVA). R2 was planned to be sent to the International Space Station (ISS) performance testing in zero gravity environment. R2 was designed to mimic the human anatomy, as this incredible robot has been human-like hands and arms, that enables it to take hold of objects and work more freely like humans.

DARPA Requisitions ‘Cheetah Bot’ With Quick Capture & Evade Capabilities

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 12:13 PM PST

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency or DARPA, of the U.S Department of Defense has for long time been known for its ability to take the thresholds of science and technology to their limits. Keeping up to its reputation, DARPA has now reportedly awarded a contract to Boston Dynamics, where in the company has now been tasked with the creation of a faster than human robot called, Cheetah. Named after the fastest animal in the world, the all new Cheetah robot's designs calls for a Cheetah like structure with four legs, along with a flexible spine, that will not only becomes on the most astounding robotic creations, but will also be programmed to run faster than any human being on earth.

The Cheetah Robot project has been inspired from Boston Dynamics's previous army contract that gave birth to the animal bot, BigDog. This highly impressive animal robot was designed and developed to carry supplies for the soldiers on the battlefield. The all new Cheetah project, envisions the development of a Cheetah look alike animal, that will be designed with such agility, that it would be able to carry out capture & evade operations flawlessly, while the animal robot will also be able to stop on a dime. Boston Dynamics has stated that along with its military applications, the Cheetah bot, will also prove to be quite useful asset for the emergency services, while touting this incredible innovation to be highly applicable in the field of advanced agriculture and vehicular travel.

Via Wired

Presenting The All New Luxurious ‘New Yorker’ Art Deco Keyboard

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 12:11 PM PST

In the recent times, the world has witnessed a rise in the fusion of exquisite art with current generation conventional technology, mostly revolving around computer peripherals and accessories. As the tech industry goes stronger each day, the art world has not only realized the impact of technology in their realm, but has also been stepping up to bring out products that not only have a tech edge to them, but also carry a rare and gorgeous class to them. One such product in discussion today is the all new 'New Yorker' Art Deco Keyboard from designer Richard “Doc” Nagy, who has unveiled this marvelous keyboard on his webpage, Datamancer. Mr. Nagy, is renowned for his unique artistic perspective on tech products and has already designed a long list of art keyboards, that though function as any regular keyboard would do, but carry with an essence of insurmountable panache..

The all new 'New Yorker' Art Deco Keyboard carries a constructed in polished brass and aluminum and this splendid keyboard represents a stepped and layered layout, that itself has been inspired by the incredibly famous, Chrysler Building. Apart from its association with Chrysler Building, the all new Art Deco Keyboard also resounds with one of the most cherished car models of all time, the 'New Yorker' from the renowned automobile manufacturer, Chrysler. The 'New Yorker' Art Deco Keyboard is a USB keyboard that is compatible with both PC and Mac machines. Designed with utmost attention to the ergonomic design aspects, this sensationally gorgeous keyboard provides one of the best typing experiences to be found in luxury keyboard. Designer Richard “Doc” Nagy, is currently planning to reach out to the Asian markets, with such luxury keyboards designed specifically for China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The all new 'New Yorker' Art Deco Keyboard carries a price tag of $2,800 and is available exclusively from the Datamancer website.

The 3C Company Unveils A First Of its Kind Net Zero Energy Home

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 11:42 AM PST

One of the foremost eco-friendly real estate developers in India, The 3C Company, has now unveiled its latest concept in environment friendly homes in the form of the all new NET ZERO ENERGY HOME. This incredible and highly innovative energy efficient home design was unveiled at the 12th edition of the Acrex India Expo 2011, that is currently underway at the exhibition grounds in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The all new Net Zero Energy Home, has been designed to provide the common home owners with the necessary know how, enabling them to contribute towards the preservation of environment and significantly reducing their carbon footprints. The concept also aims at providing the home owners with valuable tips without having to fiddle with the décor and aesthetics of their homes.

The 3C Company is best known for its innovative and dedicated approach towards a greener real estate development and the firm has already established a name as well as a renowned reputation for itself with the creation of Asia’s first Net Zero Pre Nursery School. The overall goal of the 3C Company is to spread awareness and create innovative opportunities towards the creation of sustainable and eco-friendly architectures. The Net Zero Energy Home, essentially harnesses the power the sun and creates usable energy, that provides the home to work independently, without having to be connected to any external electricity grids.

According to Vidur Bharadwaj (Director, The 3C Company),

"At the Three C Company we have always strived to set benchmarks in eco friendly designs. In an effort to highlight our technical excellence in creating sustainable buildings, we are showcasing a working model of a net zero energy home, here at the Acrex India Expo. The fully functional model displayed is of a self sustainable home which is environment friendly and can fulfil its energy demands through the help of solar panels and other innovative techniques.”

Via India PR Wire

Cycling Grand Tour League Initiates An Around The World Trip On Bicycles

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 10:44 AM PST

One of the foremost cycling associations in Asia, The Cycling Grand Tour League, has now initiated an all new 'around the world' campaign, where in the organization is urging its members to journey across around the globe on their bicycles and experience the sights and sounds with a truly personal perspective. This incredible new program that is being advertised with the tag line, "Experience the vastness of the world with your own body!" is expected to be accomplished in a highly ambitious time frame of four years, and will be composed of members, who will participate separate in six different legs of the journey across the globe.

The Cycling Grand Tour League is made up of Taiwan Asia Adventure Cycling Association (TACA), the Taiwan Cycling Travel Association along with a host of established tourism agencies. Due to the fact that, today's lifestyles barely give people time for themselves, let alone for a world trip on bicycles, TACA therefore segregated the entire trip in six segments, where in each group will be composed of a maximum of 20 cyclists and participants will divide the sections of the world to be covered, thus completing the entire initiative as a group effort. The first leg of this marvelous journey is scheduled to begin in the month of July this year and will cover the entire Silk Road that stretches from Beijing to the Hassock borders. The second leg of the journey scheduled for 2012, will witness the riders covering some of the most scenic locations in Central Asia to the Europe-Asia borders in Turkey. The third and the fourth years of this incredible around the world trip will take place in Europe and North America.

The entire stretch of the Silk Road is measured at 6,000 km and as per TACA estimates, the Silk Road journey alone will cost the organizers about $6,700. As per the details of the program, all the riders will cover a distance of about 60 km to 100 km per day on the Silk Road, while being accompanied by a bus.

According to Chen Shou-chung (Deputy Director, TACA),

"There are a lot of people wanting to go around the world, but they can't find the time or lack the ability and partners to do so. The Grand Tour isn't for people who want to live in the lap of luxury and go shopping."

Via Taipei Times

The Gap Between the Fashion World and the Tech Experts Must be Bridged

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 07:31 AM PST

The use of digital technology and social media by fashion industry is a topic for debate. Along with the New York Fashion Week, the Social Media Week was a big draw with loads of resourceful information. Interacting with the tech guys you realize the enormous possibilities that could be exploited by the fashion industry but the wide gap between the two is seemingly difficult to bridge.

The fashion world's foray into social media is often limited to the elementary use of Facebook and twitter. The reluctance on their part to really commit themselves to the new medium and find innovative ways to develop long lasting relationships between the brands and their consumers is curious to say the least. The digital technology is evolving very rapidly and you have to take help from experts to master it and exploit it fully. The experts are more than willing to extend the helping hand and the fashion community has to walk that extra mile to make the connect.

Brian Solis is a social media expert and author of Engage. Through his blog he regularly shares winning branding strategies and perspective on successful uses of social media and influence. Brian Stelter, a digital media reporter for the New York Times pointing you in the right direction for the most innovative happenings in social media through his tweets. Adam Ostrow writes of social media, mobile, marketing and business and advices you on the practices you can inject into your brand. The fashion industry must act and adapt.

Via: lalanyc

Room 77 Launches A Huge Viewable Hotel Room Database

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 01:53 AM PST

Nowadays, it is extremely difficult to choose a hotel for either a business trip or vacation, because even with the internet and all its websites there is no way to figure out the services and luxuries offered at hotels and the size and quality of the rooms cannot be anticipated by the pictures on the website.

Room 77 is launching a review website and a search engine that entirely focuses on hotels. The database has already collected 425000 hotel rooms in 2500 hotels, and although this for now just includes three star hotels and above and gives information of hotels only in the North America and in the UK, it will soon include hotels and give these facilities for hotel rooms from other places in the world as well. Room 77 is also getting reviews from travelers and that adds credibility to the information on this website.

Room 77 is currently accessible through a website and through an iPhone application. Details regarding the hotel like room categories, square footage, bed type, elevator proximity and if it is a connecting room can be accessed and it also allows a virtual view of the room through the use of Google Earth technology. Room 77's proprietary Room Rank algorithm ranks the best choices according to the user's requirements and "matched" based on how close they come to the requirements. Room 77 has obtained the data and created the database with the help of its own staff but now several hotel chains are willing to and working with them to expand their database. Room 77 has also been discussing this business with Starwood. Room 77 has taken over TripKick and its only competition now is TripAdvisor, which is what is most commonly used for such searches by people.

Via: Techcrunch

Trends Updates

2011-02-24T18:36:00.001-08:00

Trends Updates

Presenting The World’s Slimmest Wrist Watch From Obaku
Volkswagen Resurrects Golf Cabriolet For The 2011 Geneva Motor Show
Motorola Gives out Complimentary Xoom Tablets To 2011 Oscar Nominees
Introducing The Most Tech Intensive Surfboard From Pukas & Tecnalia
Presenting The All New Aston Martin Virage. Luxury & Performance Redefined
Jaguar Introduces The Fastest Jaguar Production Model With The All New Jaguar XKR-S
Samsung will compete with Apple
Hallmark Plans Biopic On Prince William And Kate Middleton’s Romance
Bunmi Koko Collaborates With UNWFP To “Fill The Cup”
Layla Grayce Plunges Into Women’s Fashion

Presenting The World’s Slimmest Wrist Watch From Obaku

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 05:42 PM PST

The world of horology in the last century has witnessed one of the most astronomical evolutionary curves in its entire history, so much so that, the current generation watches are a testament to the immense technological and design related advancements made in this field. Nowadays, watches are by default required to be streamlined and the slimmer the better, as more and more consumers are opting for slim and lightweight time pieces, rather than going for stunning but burgeoning watches. One of the premier luxury watch designers, Obaku, has now unveiled its all new creation, the V140G sports watch, that the company now claims to be the world's slimmest watch.

The all new Obaku V140G sports watch carries with it a the same elegance and gorgeous design that Obaku is so revered for and the Danish company has stated its plans of introducing the new sports watch into the global market at the coveted BaselWorld 2011. The dial of the V146G has been designed in a very simplified manner, where in designer Christian Mikkelsen has shortened the watch's index considerably, thereby giving the dial a more inviting appeal. With the addition of the new V140G sports watch, Obaku has given its best efforts to attract the luxury consumers of the 21^st century, who have developed a rather differential taste, when it comes to watches.

According to Christian Mikkelsen,

"Traditionally sporty watches have large bezels, thick cases and many functions. Most watch designers would not think of making a sporty watch, which is also slim. This is probably one of the slimmest sporty watches in the market today."

Volkswagen Resurrects Golf Cabriolet For The 2011 Geneva Motor Show

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 04:05 PM PST

Volkswagen, considered to be one of the most reputed auto manufacturers in the world has now finally showed its willingness to bring the past in to the modern, as the company at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show has planned to showcase its all new Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet. The somewhat iconic Cabriolet, has witnessed its own share of tweaks and revamps, and with the all new Golf Cabriolet, Volkswagen has given this historic automobile a new face, while preserving the legacy of the model. However, this resurrection of the Cabriolet is currently being aimed only at the European customer, while the U.S market is all set to receive the Volkswagen 2012 Eos and the new Beetle models.

The all new Golf Cabriolet will be featuring an electronic roof, that will take about 9.5 seconds to open and close, while the drivers can easily operate the roof at speeds of up to 18mph. When this gorgeous vehicle will be made available for global sales, Volkswagen is planning to offer its worldwide customers with up to six turbocharged, direct-injection gasoline engines and diesel engines, along with dual-clutch transmissions as well as the option of a state of the art BlueMotion technology. Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet has been designed keeping in mind the safety of the occupants, as the car has been constructed with a reinforced window frame and there have been made significant modifications to the underbody, side panels, cross-members and doors.

Via Inside Line

Motorola Gives out Complimentary Xoom Tablets To 2011 Oscar Nominees

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 03:48 PM PST

With the 83rd Academy Awards being just two days away, one of the biggest names in the field of smart phones and mobile devices, Motorola Inc., has come up with a rather interesting advertising concept for its debut tablet device, Motorola Xoom, wherein the mobile technology giant is now handing out Xoom tablets to the Oscar nominees and too in gold. All the actors and actresses nominated in the following categories, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Director are now the proud owners of a gold plated Xoom tablet, along with a stunning custom leather envelope case.

Some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry such as the likes of Javier Bardem, Jeff Bridges, Jesse Eisenberg, Colin Firth, James Franco, Annette Bening, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lawrence, Natalie Portman, Michelle Williams, Christian Bale, John Hawkes, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo, Geoffrey Rush, Amy Adams, Helena Bonham Carter, Melissa Leo, Hailee Steinfeld, Jacki Weaver, Darren Aronofsky, David O. Russell, Tom Hooper, David Fincher, etc. who have been nominated for the Oscars, will be going home a winner, regardless of whether they win an Oscar or not. The all Motorola Xoom has been touted as a stark competitor to incredibly famous Apple iPad. Xoom is a 4G network capable tablet that runs on the tablet specific Google Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) and is powered by a 1 GHz Nvidia Tegra dual core processor.

Among other features of Xoom, some of the most enticing ones include a 5MP rear facing camera and a 2M front facing camera for video calling. Users can easily capture HD video with Xoom's 720p video capture @ 30fps capability. Packed with a 10.1 inch display, wifi and Bluetooth capabilities, Motorola Xoom has taken the tablet market by storm.

Via Engadget & Tom's Guide

Introducing The Most Tech Intensive Surfboard From Pukas & Tecnalia

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 03:36 PM PST

Surfing, which began as a hobby for coastal inhabitants has over the years turned in to one of the most popular and significant water sports in the world. Just as in other sports be it soccer, athletics or tennis, surfing has also witnessed an astounding level of evolution. With the advent of technology and its subsequent domination of our present and future lifestyles, it was only a matter of time before even one of the most rawest of sports, surfing, would also be impacted by the tech surge. One of the biggest surfboard manufacturers, Pukas Surf and sci-tech company, Tecnalia have now joined forces in unveiling the world's most tech intensive surfboard.

This hi tech surfboard has been designed to provide surfers with maximum control and efficiency from their surfboard, while still being connected to the land, when they are traversing the waves. This all new surfboard from Pukas and Tecnalia is a hi tech combination of sensors and state of the art gadgetry. The all new hi tech surfboard has been packed with some of the most essential instruments such as a gyroscope, accelerometer, GPS and compass, that are deemed invaluable for sea travelers and water sport enthusiasts. As per the project initiated by these two companies, all these devices will gather performance data of the surfboard, that can then applied to the surfboard as per the surfer's needs via PC, thereby providing the athletes the luxury and freedom of trying new tricks and techniques with complete ease of mind.

Via Gizmodo & Puka Surf

Presenting The All New Aston Martin Virage. Luxury & Performance Redefined

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 01:39 PM PST

One of the foremost luxury car manufacturers in the world, Aston Martin, which is also known to be a preferred supplier of high performance automobiles to the famous James Bond 007, has unveiled an all new luxury and featured packed sports car in the form of Aston Martin Virage. The new Virage series, that comprises of Virage and Virage Volante has been designed and developed to fill the gap created by Aston Martin DBS and DB9 sports cars in the GT segment. Aston Martin Virage is powered by a phenomenal front mid-mounted V12 engine, providing the Virage a stunning 490 bhp with a top speed of a blazing 186 mph or 300kmh. Both the Virage and Virage Volante carry six-speed automatic “Touchtronic 2” transmission, thereby achieving an acceleration of 0-60 in just 4.5 seconds. Aston Martin is slated for a worldwide debut at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show on March 1^st, 2011.

The all new Aston Martin Virage has been given an all new Adaptive Damping System (ADS), that provides the driver with utmost control of the vehicle in traffic and this system comes in 'Normal' as well as 'Sport' mode with five different settings for both modes. To ensure the safety of the car as well as the driver, Aston Martin has incorporated Carbon Ceramic Matrix (CCM) brakes on the Virage, thereby providing incredible on-the dime stopping power for the car. As far as the aesthetics of the Virage is concerned, this superb sports car comes with single bi-xenon headlamps and an aluminum metal front grille. The Virage also comes with a state of art Satellite Navigation system, that has been devised in collaboration with Garmin, while some of the other features of this incredible sports car include, cruise control, satellite navigation, Bluetooth telephone preparation, along with a mind blowing 700W Aston Martin Premium Audio System with Dolby Pro Logic II and full iPod integration.

Via AutoBlog

Jaguar Introduces The Fastest Jaguar Production Model With The All New Jaguar XKR-S

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 01:34 PM PST

Jaguar Motors, one of the most famous and highly respectable names in the automobile industry, has now unveiled perhaps its greatest creation yet, in the form of the all new Jaguar XKR-S sports car. This incredible new Jaguar vehicle has been branded as the fastest series-production model, while the British luxury automobile manufacturer, has announced this sensational new car as part of the 50^th birthday celebration of the Jaguar E-Type variant. The all new Jaguar XKR-S model is powered by a 5-litre supercharged V8 engine, that is also found under the hood of the standard XKR models. However, for this stunning new variant, Jaguar has upgraded the engine to produce a whopping 542bhp, that propels the XKR-S from 0-60mph in just 4.2 seconds.

Along with the engine upgrade, Jaguar XKR-S has also been given a variety of aerodynamic tweaks, thereby enhancing the vehicle's performance considerably. The all new Jaguar XKR-S is slated for a launch at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show and this incredibly gorgeous high performance machine comes with a top speed of a phenomenal 186 mph (300km/h). With such high speed capabilities, Jaguar has spared no expense in providing the XKR-S with the most state of the art handling experience. Jaguar XKR-S comes with a cutting edge Adaptive Dynamics system, that enables the drivers to stretch their cars to their maximum limits, while ensuring near perfect handling of the automobile. Commemorating the glorious completion of 50 years by Jaguar E-Type, the company has also planned for a gala event at the Restaurant Hotel du Parc des Eaux-Vives in Geneva.

Via Cnet.

Samsung will compete with Apple

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 01:20 PM PST

Samsung Electronics today launched an ultrathin notebook in an attempt to expand its presence in the more sophisticated mobile personal computing market dominated by Apple.

Samsung, which has emerged as one of the strongest rivals to challenge Apple in the markets for smartphones and tablet PCs, also attacks the notebook sector, where Apple is trying to replicate the success he had with the iPhone and iPad with the MacBook line.

Samsung launched the 9 Series model to compete with the ultra-thin MacBook Air, released in October. The South Korean company said the new notebook will cost 2.5 million won ($ 2,218) in Korea and will be released starting next month in the Americas and Europe.

Apple overtook Hewlett-Packard last quarter as the largest manufacturer of mobile computers in the world, driven by strong sales of the iPad, according to market research firm DisplaySearch. The company sold more than 10 million tablets and notebooks last quarter, gaining a market share of 17 percent, almost one million more than the HP, which holds 15.6 percent of the market.

Samsung said on Thursday that aims to be the sixth manufacturer in the global mobile personal computing this year, put up a ranking of last year.

Via: Reuters.

Hallmark Plans Biopic On Prince William And Kate Middleton’s Romance

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 08:04 AM PST

A couple of days ago, the invitations for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding ceremony at Westminster Abbey on 29 April made waves and garnered much media attention. Everyone was talking about the invitation card and there was plenty of speculation about who was on the guest list and who had been left out. In the days to come, there is sure to be much more news from the William and Kate front. For now, the latest is that the Hallmark Channel will be producing a royal romance biopic.

The Hallmark Channel’s biopic is scheduled to premiere on 13 August this year. In this, it joins the Lifetime network which is also focussing on the upcoming royal wedding.

Senior VP of Original Programming at Hallmark Channel, Barbara Fisher said that this biopic would not simply be a narrative of the couple’s eight-year-long romance. The film, which is tentatively being called “William & Kate: A Royal Love Story”, is a biographical film which will also explore the nuances of a monarchy in modern times. The final title of the film is yet to be finalised.

The television film is being written and produced by Linda Allen. Allen had earlier produced the 1982 telefilm, “The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana”, a film where she explored the love story of Prince William’s parents.

However, the August premiere of Hallmark’s take on the William and Kate romance seems quite a distance away. Lifetime is planning to premier its own TV movie based on the young couple’s romance in April this year – the same month as the royal wedding.

Via: NY Daily News

Bunmi Koko Collaborates With UNWFP To “Fill The Cup”

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 02:03 AM PST

After winning several awards in 2010 and after having worked with great names like Allison Rodger and Alexander McQueen, and Prada, Harrods and Louis Vuitton, now Bunmi Koko is going to be working with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

WFP's school meals programme feeds around 22 million children in the developing world. Bunmi Olaye and Francis Udom are originally from Nigeria and they are joining the WFP in ensuring that no child goes to school hungry because Bunmi says it's a known fact that it is harder to concentrate and focus on an empty stomach. It is surprising to know that there are 66 million primary school children from the developing world who go to schools hungry and of that 23 million are from Africa.

The WFP Executive Director is delighted and is sure about this fact that when a high fashion flyer like Bunmi Koko pays attention to them then several other influential people will be forced to pay attention to them as well.

Bunmi Koko has come up with the Bunmi Koko Red Cup Label scarf and macbook case that are great to be taken to work or school and gives its customers a feel good factor by supporting hungry children and being fashionable at the same time. Fifty percent of all profits coming from this collaboration and their products will go to feeding hungry children.

Via: Wfp

Layla Grayce Plunges Into Women’s Fashion

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 01:58 AM PST

Layla Grayce were into baby gear and luxury and lifestyle products and now it just seems obvious for them to have plunged into women's fashion. Layla Grayce has come up with some stylish cardigans, and other great tops and dresses from talented designers as part of their product line.

A few examples of the same are the Heather Grey Charlotte Tarantola Chacha Ruffle Dress, which is a great spring dress. It is a beautiful dress in neutral color and can be perfectly matched with cardigans and jackets as well.

The Amy Butler Sweet Rose Tote in Sun & Moon Sepia is a special modern tote designed with a hint of classic tote. It is made of organic cotton and has leather handles for the chic look.

The Petunia Pickle Bottom Travel Train Case is great to travel with and is a great accessory to sport with all kinds of dresses as well.

The Ella Moss Khloe Striped Dress in Charcoal is cool, chic and feminine, and it can be matched with leggings or with jeans to look stylish and yet simple. It can also be matched with some great sandals and heels.

These are just a few examples, and the Layla Grayce website showcases several other such stylish clothes for women.

Via: Childmode

Trends Updates

2011-02-23T18:42:00.001-08:00

Trends Updates

Grow More Hair With iGrow
Amazon Is Giving Away Freebies
A Green Vegetated Workspace Or House
Mr. Porter Will Be Launched Just For Men
Volvo V60 Estate – Diesel Plug-in Hybrid Version
iPad 2 will arrive soon

Grow More Hair With iGrow

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 06:32 AM PST

Hair is a very essential part of our appearance, except for those who choose to be bald. For those who want hair, or more hair it can be a very daunting task to maintain and take care of hair. As we get older, hair growth changes and hence it is difficult to have thicker hair as we get older. Those who are balding or who have skinny hair, need not fret, since there is a solution for this now. iGrow promises to help you grow back hair that you have lost over the years without any discomfort.

iGrow looks like a helmet, and uses 21 laser diodes and 30LED lights to help you grow hair better. Apira Science who has come up with the product claim that it enhances hair growth in a few weeks and if that does not happen you can have your money back and thats guaranteed. There is still some amount of skepticism over the web regarding such products and since there is limited information available regarding iGrow it is still on the list of “unsure” products. There is no information regarding the power source or how long it should be worn to increase hair growth.

If you have searched the web for such products, you wouldnt have turned up a long list of authentic results and so if you are interested in getting an iGrow, it can be bought for $695. Some people might find it attractive and it can probably be used as a helmet if things do not work out as hoped.

Via: Dvice

Amazon Is Giving Away Freebies

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 06:32 AM PST

When Amazon hit the web it was instantly crowded with customers. Amazon is a great website and a perfect example of B2C kind of business. It incorporates several retailers and brings a wide variety of choices to its customers. Hence, it is not surprising that it has a loyal following of regular customers. And, if you are an Amazon Prime customer spending $79 per year for free expedited shipping for all your orders, then you are going to be rewarded well for it from now on.

Amazon is providing its prime customers with over 5000 movies and TV shows to stream for no extra cost along with the free shipping that they receive. This new service is very similar to Netflix and has similar set of selections as well. It has been developed to work in-browser as well as through the Roku set-top box. It has not been mentioned whether similar services will be added to the gaming consoles and other set-top boxes like Netflix has but that might happen in the near future as well.

So much for $79 is definitely cheaper than Netflix, and along with it also comes with a free two-day Amazon shipping. The option for streaming it to your television is still lacking and that is probably the only drawback of this new feature, which otherwise looks very promising.

Via: Dvice

A Green Vegetated Workspace Or House

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 06:31 AM PST

Samyn and Partners worked together with Patrick Blanc and came up with this cool green Vertical Garden Workspace that can also dub as a house since it does not lack on space. The green vertical garden workspace/house has been completed after 8 years of construction and it stands green and gorgeous in Linkebeek, Belgium.

The original plan was to use the ivy plant and patinated copper material was going to be used for the roof. While the construction was still on, the innovative creators had enough time to come up with better ideas that made it more green, and hence now there is a lush green envelope of exotic plants that drapes the place instead of copper and ivy.

This cool green structure can serve as a home or a workspace since it has an entry, office, a kitchen, living room, and a stairway that extends to the rest of the building.The addition of a mezzanine made it possible to accomodate a master suite, bedrooms and bathrooms as well. The mezzanine is protected with textile netting and the window that receives excessive sunlight has been draped with white polyester curtains from ceiling to the ground for optimal control of temperature. Privacy will not be an issue since the vegetated sides of this glass house face the sides that open up to blank spaces. Felt stapled onto rigid PVC panels are the support system for irrigation and fertilization of the greenery that covers this vertical garden workspace/house.

Via: Inhabitat

Mr. Porter Will Be Launched Just For Men

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 01:44 AM PST

Just like Net-A-Porter helped women out when it came to fashion, there is a new website that they have come up with, and this time it's just for men. Now, men can shop from their homes and have some good clothes to go around in. Mr. Porter will be coming to their aid soon. This website will be coming up in January 2012.

The founder of the company Natalie Massenet sold the stakes of the company to Richemont for £50m, which is a Swiss luxury goods group. Net-A-Porter was a small company that has bloomed into a big business now and it helps women throughout the world to buy fashionable clothes without stepping out of their homes. Since the website ships their packages to their homes, women could even buy stuff even if it wasn’t found in their city. The company usually comes up with great ideas and last year they came up with Outnet that is a website for those who cannot afford the expensive fashion brands and they could get heavy discounts on those designer pieces that would otherwise be out of reach.

Some of the items to be showcased on this website will be from the Spring/Summer 2011 collection of design houses such as Ralph Lauren, Burberry, Yves Saint Lauren and Dunhill, and some other great brands to help men out. There are very few men who love shopping and hence Mr. Porter will make it easy for those who hate it.

Via: Luxuryhub, Dailymail, Elitechoice

Volvo V60 Estate – Diesel Plug-in Hybrid Version

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 01:01 AM PST

The upcoming Geneva Motor Show will showcase the Volvo V60 Estate's diesel plug-in hybrid version. This cool car goes into production only in 2012. Although Peugeot is going to introduce a diesel hybrid version of the 3008 model, it lacks he plug-in capability. Plug-in hybrids are long lasting since they usually carry more batteries than regular hybrid vehicles and they can run longer on electric-only mode as well.

Both, the Volvo and the Peugeot diesel hybrids vary from the ones used by Toyota. Toyota is the leader in hybrids and in those hybrids the electric motors and the combustion engine are compactly incorporated into a single package at the end front of the car and they are used to drive the front wheels. While in the upcoming diesel hybrid models from Volvo and Peugeot, the diesel engine drives the front wheels and the electric motors drive the wheels at the back.

The new Volvo V60 Estate's diesel plug-in hybrid car has an electric motor with 70 horsepower, and will be able to cover 32 miles in the battery mode itself. The diesel engine provides 215 horsepower for full acceleration. The car has three modes called "pure", "power" and "hybrid" that can be accessed by different buttons. The car has carbon dioxide emissions of 49g/km.

Via: Independent

iPad 2 will arrive soon

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 07:45 PM PST

In an event scheduled for next March 2, Apple might introduce a new version of its tablet, iPad 2. The information was disclosed by a source close to the company, which denied the report that the production equipment would be delayed and that the products would be coming to market in June.

According to news report by Reuters, Apple shares fell 3% after news of late iPad 2, because of possible difficulties that component manufacturers such as Hon Hai, were having to adapt production to recent design changes proposed by Apple.

Speculation of a delay in iPad 2 occurred on the same day that a leaked news that Apple is expected to discuss the succession of its chief executive, Steve Jobs, who is away from the company on behalf of a medical problem.

Last week, the value of Apple shares fell after the release of photos showing the company’s CEO, Steve Jobs, leaving a clinic for treatment of cancer. The major concern of investors with respect to uncertainty about the possible successor to Jobs at the helm of the company if the executive’s health problems getting worse, and how this may affect the future of the company, which is today the most valuable in the technology area .

The health problems of Steve Jobs made the company’s executive to depart in mid-January, due to a medical leave. Fears over a possible cancer are related to the fact that the executive has had the disease in 2004, had surgery on the pancreas.

Via: Reuters.

Trends Updates

2011-02-22T17:51:00.001-08:00

Trends Updates

Amazon launches new service to compete with Netflix
Add A Girly Touch To Your Home With Feminine Table Lamps By Italamp
Baselworld 2011 Will Showcase The Hermès Arceau Grand Lune
Jolie And Depp’s Belstaff Outfits From ‘The Tourist’ To Go Up For Sale
BMW Names New Green Sub-Brand “i”
More changes in Google Chrome
Hermes Recreates Iconic Furniture By Jean Michel-Frank
Ruby Anemic Hang-It-All Pays Tribute To Charles & Ray Eames’ Iconic Creation

Amazon launches new service to compete with Netflix

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 12:43 PM PST

Amazon.com has launched a TV service and stream format movies for its special customers, to directly compete with Netflix, a rival that is growing rapidly.

Amazon announced on Tuesday that its prime customers, who pay $ 79 a year to receive orders without shipping charges and within two days, could choose between 5,000 TV shows and movies, like “Syriana,” “Doctor Who: Season 4 “and” Analyze This”, to watch on their computers and devices like the Roku.

Shares of Netflix were down 4 percent at the opening of trading on Tuesday, while Amazon fell 2.6 percent.

The launch intensifies the battle between Netflix, Apple, Google and Microsoft, fighting for control of home entertainment systems that allow users to watch TV and movies directly from the Internet, televisions and other appliances, for example tablet computers.

At the same time, these companies are trying to attract media conglomerates like Time Warner, Walt Disney, News Corp, Viacom and CBS, so they can use their collections of TV shows and movies.

Netflix began delivering DVDs to its subscribers by mail, in bright red envelopes, but is now making the transition to the distribution in stream format.

The total subscriber base of the company now reaches 20 million people, and it reported that a vast majority of users in the United States uses content streaming, in different units.

Recently, Netflix launched an exclusive subscription service for content streaming, the monthly cost of $ 7.99 in the USA.

Via: Reuters.

Add A Girly Touch To Your Home With Feminine Table Lamps By Italamp

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 03:50 AM PST

How about adding a little feminine illumination to your home? These days, with furniture and home décor turning increasingly minimalist, it is all about functionality and saving space. Take the instance of the award-winning Rima Light from Dreipuls. It is clean and smart to look at – but it is so unisex. That is why it is refreshing to come across these uber-feminine lamps from Italamp.

Italamp has taken inspiration from women’s fashions and garments to come up with this new line of feminine table lamps. These are the perfect gift for a girly girl. These table lamps are soft and pretty, without going overboard. Take a look at the Capri lamp. It has a beautiful, chic design. The shade resembles a woven hat, complete with a bow around the centre and a hint of shimmer through the weaves. And as far as colours go, the customer is spoilt for choice. The Capri lamp comes in a variety of pretty shades – purple, blue, black, brown, green and silver.

Then again, you could consider the Voici lamp. This one is a sensual piece with zipper detail. The zipper is half undone and through the translucent shade you can spot the bulb. The Voici lamp is available in three different sizes and is the perfect addition to a dresser or a bedside table.

Italamp’s fashion lighting is the ideal choice for fashionistas who love to add a touch of style to the illumination in their homes. And their romantic feminine lamps are sure to strike a chord with the ladies.

Via: Trendir.com

Baselworld 2011 Will Showcase The Hermès Arceau Grand Lune

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 03:31 AM PST

Hermes have been quietly stepping up in the range of watches they are designing and the most recent is the Hermès Arceau Grand Lune. Hermes, which is a renowned French Fashion House is bringing the sophisticated Grand Arceau Moon Phase watch to the market later this year. It is being showcased at the Baselworld 2011 Show, which is the World Watch and Jewellery Show, where around 2000 companies showcase the products they would be launching in the future for the world to see.

Hermes is known for its leather goods, silk ties and scarves and it has been slowly catching up with onto the line of luxury watch brands. Examples would be the Hermès Carré H or the Hermes Clipper Chronograph Titanium. The new Hermès Arceau Grand Lune is a calendar watch that features day and month apertures and has a dial stamped with a herringbone motif. It comes in a 43mm steel case, and has an automatic mechanical movement with Dubois-Dépraz 9313 moon phase module and a matt black alligator strap. It will also be available in an opaline silver-dial model.

The Arceau watches are named after a saddlery element – a hoop shaped part of the stirrup and it was designed by Henri d'Origny in 1978.

Via: Perpetuelle

Jolie And Depp’s Belstaff Outfits From ‘The Tourist’ To Go Up For Sale

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 03:24 AM PST

With Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie in the lead, The Tourist should have been the blockbuster of 2010. However, the film fizzled out soon after its release with critics panning it and audiences remaining largely unimpressed. However, the fate of this failed action thriller should not reflect upon its costumes. No matter how you look at it, Jolie and Depp were dressed in some really chic garments, thanks to luxe outerwear company Belstaff. And some of those outfits could soon go up on sale.

Belstaff has been dressing Hollywood for awhile now. The company has been responsible for Brad Pitt’s look in Inglorious Basterds and Tom Cruise’s in Mission Impossible. But the luxe brand has also dressed George Clooney and Tom Hanks among others.

The United Kingdom-based luxe outerwear company has dressed both Depp and Jolie in The Tourist. If you have seen the film, there is no way of forgetting the waterproof parka that Jolie wore in the boating scenes. Apparently, this parka from Belstaff is created out of waterproof, breathable, self-shining fabric. There is a large hood and an adjustable drawcord to ensure that the parka fits perfectly. This Tourist Parka will be available from Belstaff outlets at the price of $795.

Meanwhile, the men can snap up Depp’s super-smart leather briefcase. Named ‘The Office Bag’, Depp’s leather briefcase has a very retro, very vintage appeal and will be sold for $775. However, the military style overcoat that was so much a part of Depp’s outing in The Tourist is not likely to come up for sale.

BMW Names New Green Sub-Brand “i”

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 02:53 AM PST

After the iPod and iPad, the iCar? It is common news that BMW has been working on eco-friendly automotive technology. Just yesterday, I put up a post about its Rolls-Royce brand coming up with a super-green limousine based on the Rolls-Royce Phantom. And now, the car manufacturer has just announced that they will be naming their new, green sub-brand “i”. Thus, by the time the German automaker’s sustainable vehicles hit the stores in 2013, they will be under the i family.

By now, most people are aware of two of BMW’s high-tech green cars – the MegaCity runabout and the Vision EfficientDynamics eco supercar. It appears that these two vehicles will eventually be launched as the i3 and i8. The German car manufacturer has confirmed that the i8 will be assembled in factories within Leipzig. However, there is not clarity yet regarding where the i3 will be built.

In the meanwhile, BMW has founded BMW i Ventures. This will be a New York City-based holding company that is backed by $100 million. BMW i Ventures has been established to take care of services that are not vehicle-related. Typically, that would cover areas like smart phone applications.

Already, BMW i Ventures has, among other things, placed a stake on My City Way, a company with an application providing information on parking, traffic and entertainment across 40 US cities.

Meanwhile, green car enthusiasts have a long wait ahead. At the earliest, they will have to wait until the 2012 Olympics to discover exactly how far BMW has proceeded with its green technology.

Via: AutoBlog.com

More changes in Google Chrome

Posted: 21 Feb 2011 09:18 PM PST

Developers of programs for Google Chrome are already testing some changes in the browser interface that will appear in an upcoming release. According to the project site Chromium, Google wants to change mainly the address bar of your browser, so that the window has more room for browsing.

The intention is to remove the address bar, which would be visible only if you pass the mouse cursor on a specific part of the browser. The modification is similar to what is found in the final version of Internet Explorer in September, but Google wants to free up even more space to view web browsing.

Chrome also intends to increase the demand for web applications so that users have better control of its content area.

For now, they are investing more in the first two, classic and compact. In the compact, there is an address bar displayed at all times: it only appears when you select the tab, or when the page is loading.

And if you’re thinking about changing browser, calm again, these designs are not final, and probably you will have the option to switch between the minimalist layout and what you use today. But one thing is certain: Google Chrome still wants to leave the barest.

Chrome currently has over 120 million users, and while the browser updates occur every six weeks, this change in the user interface is still in development and Google would not confirm whether the changes will be made available to all.

Via: Conceivably Tech.

Hermes Recreates Iconic Furniture By Jean Michel-Frank

Posted: 21 Feb 2011 06:04 PM PST

French luxury brand Hermes has tied up with the family of veteran designer Jean Michel-Frank in a bid to make some of Frank’s iconic furniture designs a little more accessible. Frank’s original pieces are hard to find. This is one of the reasons why Hermes has allied with the Franks. Together, they will be reissuing some of the French designer’s most iconic pieces. The units will be on display at Hermes store in New York’s 691 Madison Avenue and other US stores from April.

Frank was known for his simple, clean lines. At first glance, Frank’s work looks unbelievably simple. You could be forgiven for thinking it dull. However, don’t let this obvious simplicity fool you. If anything, Frank’s furniture, often using leather and wood veneers, are works of pure genius.

His minimalist approach and simple designs had brought Frank quite a fan following. In fact, he designed homes for the likes of New York’s Rockefellers and Paris’ Cole Porter. Yet, despite the obvious success, life was unkind to him. Frank’s two brothers died in World War I and his parents too expired while he was young. When the Second World War broke out, Frank moved to Argentina. But in 1941, the depressed designer committed suicide.

In a bid to revive the designer’s signature pieces, Hermes has spared no cost. Solid oak and calfskin leather upholstery have been used to recreate Frank’s “chair with a padded seat”. Also, on offer will be a three drawer dressing table which boasts of materials like parchment and ivory goatskin lining. The collection will include plenty of 1930s’ French furniture – from club armchairs to long low tables. It is a fit tribute to a classic designer.

Ruby Anemic Hang-It-All Pays Tribute To Charles & Ray Eames’ Iconic Creation

Posted: 21 Feb 2011 05:59 PM PST

Innovative furniture is all the rage right now. Paintings and sculptures still attract big money, but young designers seem to be using their art skills to create furniture that people will want to take home and use. Take the case of the original ‘Hang-It-Alls’ – Retro to Go and its limited edition by Charles & Ray Eames. At first glance, you could hardly tell that these pieces were meant to hang your coats on. Coat racks have rarely been this much fun. And now, Berlin-based designer Ruby Anemic has come up with a tribute to the original piece by Charles & Ray Eames.

The new Hang-It-All by Ruby Anemic is huge. This coat rack tribute measures in at 200 cm x 160 cm. And it is not just a Hang-It-All either. It is also a sculptural marvel. The Berlin-based artist has viewed the iconic original Hang-It-All through the eyes of an installation artist almost. The connecting tubes are built of lacquered white metal while the colourful spheres are of lacquered polychrome.

Indeed, this is a piece that cannot simply be introduced into any home. But in a minimalist, contemporary home, Ruby Anemic’s Hang-It-All would be just the thing. The tribute piece retains all the fun elements that Charles & Ray Eames had introduced in their earlier pieces. And it is sure to become quite the conversation starter.

This intriguing coat rack is a limited edition piece. Ruby Anemic has created only 53 units of the same. As to price, each signed and numbered piece costs about 8,300 euros.

Via: Switched On Set

Trends Updates

2011-02-21T17:46:00.001-08:00

Trends Updates

Designer Sang Creates Metallic Laptop Cases That Are High On Style
Thanks To BrainDriver, Cars Could Soon Be Running On Thought Power
Ducati Allies With Cigarette Racing, The Cigarette Racing 42X Ducati Edition Is Born
102EX Is The New Super-Green Limo From Rolls-Royce

Designer Sang Creates Metallic Laptop Cases That Are High On Style

Posted: 21 Feb 2011 10:02 AM PST

Sometime ago I had written about leather merging with silk to create handbags that were hardy yet feminine, stylish yet utilitarian. The designer in that case had been US-based designer Be Invathong, and the collection had something to suit most tastes. However, in an era where the Internet rules our lives, handbags fail to carry the 21st century’s constant companion – the ubiquitous laptop. Meanwhile, laptop bags fail miserably on the style test. Will there never be a middle path where a laptop case comes to ooze style as well as practicality?

That search could soon be over. Designer Sang A Im-Propp has created laptop bags that can be carried unobtrusively into any kind of conference room. Yet, these will not stick grubby handles out either. Sang A Im-Propp’s laptop case is a classic example of how sleek, elegant design can add style to any look.

Sang’s laptop cases are a refreshing change from the hundreds of dull, boring, excessively corporate laptop cases that seem to be ruling the workplace. Sang’s bags are made eye-catching thanks to the incorporation of an antique metal lizard. So while the dark colours suggest sobriety, the lizard look adds a certain chic quality to the case.

The laptop cases by Sang come with a zippered closure and a zip pocket on the outside of the bag. On the inside, a quilted lining has been sewn on to ensure that the computer rests comfortably against its softness and to guard against possible scratches. Measuring 15″ W x 11″ H x 1″ D, Sang’s laptop cases will set you back by $1,195.

Thanks To BrainDriver, Cars Could Soon Be Running On Thought Power

Posted: 21 Feb 2011 09:26 AM PST

How often have you wished that your car would run without you having to do a thing? Apparently, you are not the only one. German researchers have developed a brain, or rather, a sort of brain interface that can be used to drive a car. The team of researchers has developed a project called the BrainDriver.

According to research team chief Raul Rojas, the Artificial Intelligence professor from Freie Universitat Berlin, the BrainDriver could have a huge impact on combination and autonomous driving in the coming years. BrainDriver is part of the MadeInGermany project.

An “Emotiv neuroheadset”, something like an EEG sensor created by San Francisco company Emotiv for the gaming industry, was used by the researchers to record brain activity. It takes a little “mental training”, but the average driver can learn soon enough to use their thought processes to move virtual objects. This works to drive a car because commands like “turn right” or “turn left” or “slow down” seem to create different brain activity patterns. Thus, these patterns are recorded before being a modified Volkswagen Passat Variant 3c, the car’s drive-by-wire system.

However, this is not just another theory project. The research team even drove the car to the old airport in Berlin Tempelhof. Of course, the BrainDriver app is not yet near being road ready. Plenty of further research and development need to be completed before the interface can hit the roads. The app could very easily be used to nudge cabs into taking certain routes simply by the power of thought. It would be of great help to the physically disabled.

Via: Spectrum.ieee.org

Ducati Allies With Cigarette Racing, The Cigarette Racing 42X Ducati Edition Is Born

Posted: 21 Feb 2011 09:00 AM PST

What happens when a Ducati hits the oceans? It creates the Cigarette Racing 42X Ducati Edition watercraft. And when a boat is inspired by a superbike, it is only fitting that the former will stand on display at the 2011 Miami International Boat Show. The new Cigarette Racing 42X Ducati Edition has been launched at the show. It is one of the displays in “The Menage of Waterports” segment which showcases performance boats as well as two- and four-wheelers.

The 42X Ducati Edition came to be when Mercedes AMG and the Cigarette Racing Team extended their alliance to include Italian bike brand Ducati. Over to specifics. The 42X Ducati edition is equipped with two 1,100 hp Mercury Racing Engines, thus managing a rating of 2,200 hp. But it is not just about speed. Even size matters. So the 42-foot hull with an 8-foot beam weighs in at 4,899 kg. The watercraft sports signature Ducati designs – a red racing stripe runs across its white body.

The 42X Ducati Edition also comes with a colour GPS, a GPS speedometer, a hydraulic cabin door with integrated steps and a sea strainer that flushes with fresh water. Enthusiasts will surely notice the Herring propeller upgrade and the swim platform.

Gabriele Del Torchio, President and CEO of Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A, described the 42X Edition watercraft as “the Ducati of the Sea”. He promises that the new craft would combine the design, performance and racing history of the two brands. Meanwhile, Skip Braver, CEO of Cigarette Racing Team, announced that Ducati was the only motorcycle brand that fit in with the expectations of Cigarette Racing’s customers.

Via: AutoEvolution.com

102EX Is The New Super-Green Limo From Rolls-Royce

Posted: 21 Feb 2011 07:47 AM PST

Rolls-Royce is going super-green this year. The auto-maker has come up with a Rolls-Royce limousine that will run on electricity. The new limo is based on the £300,000 Rolls-Royce Phantom. However, the difference is this. While the standard Phantom gives a mileage of 15 miles per gallon, the electric powered version is set to be far more fuel-efficient. Apparently, the new, electric-powered Rolls-Royce will cost only about 2p per gallon. The car, named 102EX, is due to be unveiled on 1 March this year at the prestigious Geneva Motor Show.

A recent statement by the company announced that the new limo would debut at this year’s edition of the Geneva Motor Show, putting to rest two-year-long speculation about a secret electric car being developed in the Rolls-Royce labs.

The 102EX will go on a testing tour throughout 2011. The car will be taken across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America, to encourage owners to offer feedback about the car. The research data that is thus collected will then be put to use to develop future cars from Rolls-Royce.

Chief executive officer Torsten Müller-Ötvös has announced that with the new car, Rolls-Royce has engineered the first-ever battery electric car in the ultra-luxury segment. This green luxury car is expected to hit the streets by the 2012 Olympics. Incidentally, Rolls-Royce’s parent company BMW will be showcasing its eco-friendly technology at the Olympics.

Meanwhile, the super-wealthy will have to wait for the 102EX to hit the stores. Don’t expect this 2p-per-gallon car to come cheap though. The price tag is expected to hover around the £1 million mark.

Via: Daily Mail