Unique Tombstone

Last respect after death is something most people care about. Most times people leave instructions how they want to be buried after death. Some want to be cremated, others want to be buried. Some insist on being buried beside loved ones, while others couldn't care less.

By commission or by omission, the tombstone (if you can still call it that) of Factory Records' founder Anthony H Wilson does strike an impression. It has a beautiful typesetting in Rotis Serif.                                          

Evo-Mobil -Think Outside the Box

What you see here is a product of ingenuity aimed at blending the past with the present-future. Ora-ïto didn’t design another concept car, but rather a genetic transformation. After more than 3 years of collaboration with Citroën, he has come up with a future car that reunites more than 400 years of history, a reflection on the evolution of mobility and the legendary know-how of Citroën. No one can describe Evo-Mobil better Ora-ïto himself, you can read his description below. 

The genetic transformation is a fact resulting from errors of copies during the cellular division. When they are caused by interventions, they become extremely rare. The monumental sculpture created by Ora-ïto is the crossing of two typologies, a machine of the past and a current car, a subtle historic and sociological testimony on the functional mobility of the XVI th century mixed to the modern world.

On the edge of the hypothesis and the contemporary art, this hybrid object is based on the fulfillment of child’s dream with an obvious commitment for the ecology. In the vocabulary of Ora-ïto, we find a real assertion expressing and realizing the imagination.

This creation becomes by definition a vision in opposition with the aggressive universe of the car industry. Inspired by the first Citroën car and based on his designer’s competences, Ora-ïto wonders about the ergonomics of the interior of the first mobile module. He has worked on the codes, the DNA and the philosophy of this industry to modernize it with the possibilities and the existing technologies. Associated to the research and innovation department of the dynastic Citroën, he has developed a surprising and unexpected sculpture joining all the parameters and the technologies appropriate for the universe car manufacturers, partner of the international fair of con-temporary art of Paris (FIAC).

Designer : Ora-ïto

Solar Fridge

23-year-old Emily Cummins started her career as an inventor as a young girl tinkering in her grandfather's shed. Now, thanks to a solar-powered fridge that's already in use across Africa, Nobel winners are handing her awards.
Cummins had the idea for the refrigerator last year when she was a student at Leeds University. A metal cylinder is placed inside a larger cylinder made of wood or cardboard. The space in-between the two is filled with a material that can be soaked in water, like soil or cloth, and as the sun heats that material and the water evaporates, it pulls the heat off the inner cylinder. Perishables can be kept at a cool 6 degrees C with no power needed whatsoever. It's already being used in Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe.

Cummins was selected as a Oslo Business for Peace Honouree in Norway last week, a prestigious award established last year for ethical businesspeople which is overseen by a panel of Nobel prize winners. Not many people have talked to a Nobel prize winner, much less been bestowed with an award by one. Next month, in Japan, the Junior Chamber International will name her one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World for this year. And it's all because of a clever idea she had for a refrigerator.
"Hopefully these awards will inspire other young people to think about how they can contribute to our global community in a positive way," said Cummins. I have a feeling we'll be hearing about her own contributions again in the future. [DailyMail]

Ocean Reef Islands Project in Panama City Involves 2 Artificial Islands

Panama president Ricardo Martinelli knows that to live by the beach is no big deal if you have the money. He thus has considered a great new plan which may well be one of the most extravagant in the history of Panama. He has announced an incredible $300 million Ocean Reef Islands Project which would feature two artificial islands that would have an area of 200,000 square meters.
It would be located off the coast f Panama City and it shall be funded by the likes of Ingenieros Civiles Asociados (ICA), contractor and builder Grupo Los Pueblos. The latter is the Punta Pacific Islands. The two islands would be named the West Island and the East Island. The plots would measure 800 and 1533.73 square meters. Two bridges would connect the two islands and would see the development of luxury homes on the Islands.
Culled from Elitechoice

C-wings Luxury Yacht

Yachts have always been a definition of luxury and display of affluence. In fact people go to the extent of commissioning unique designs just to stand out. This is exactly what the designers of C-wings had in mind.

Cruising in C-Wings yacht would be a luxurious moment for any of us. This 42 feet yacht is big enough for 4 people beds, the glass roof provides great protection and beautiful view at the sky in any weather. As part of the hull, there are stairs that you can use to jump off the yacht and swim in the water. Looking at this yacht, one gets this feeling of excellence redefined. The vessel floats comfortably on the water and from its design, is well streamlined for movement and speed. 

                                                                                          

Designer : Lorenzo Spreafico                                                   

Drina, Violet by Swarovski

This swarovski creation is wrought in crystals. Inspired by the xeranthemum, this flower in Violet crystal with Amethyst and Vitrail Light crystal cabochon accents, signifies an everlasting relationship. The back of the flower has elegant detailing and it is set on a silver-tone metal stand .Enjoy the feel of having a flower around without the scent of one.

Designer: Yasmine Hurel

Cash Flush

After getting a realistic experience of the gold plated toilet demanding a confounding 250,000 Euros, all our eyes were on swarovski crystal studded toilet. And here it is busy anchoring an elegant commode’s 50,000 handset Swarovski crystals from the Isis collection designed by Jemal Wright of Hollywood, Florida. The creation can be seen as another value addition to the portfolio of the same maker who delivered chrome-plated toilet for its filthy-rich customers.

The iced-out flashy toilet is embedded with swarvoski crystals. The artist also offers identical sink eyeing all prospective yet proud owner. Sooner, you can complete your kit as the artist to offer an ice-encrusted double slipper tub by spring of 2008. FYI, featured above this toilet bathed in swarovski demands a biting sum of $75,000 and got one deserving owner as well.

Too alluring to install!

Green Rosella, Jonquil

 

Swarovski is a leader in crystals. A look at this exquisitely crafted bird will tell you so. 
Beautiful green rosella in faceted Jonquil crystal with wings and tail in a new colour gradient from clear crystal to blue. Accents in Light Siam and Capri Blue crystal and rhodium plating. This bird is perched elegantly on a nut wood display. Brighten your environment with some thing beautiful.
Designer: Heinz Tabertshofer

Nook Color Unveiled by Barnes and Noble

Nook in color. It has finally happened. At one of its Manhattan stores today, Barnes & Noble introduced Nook Color, a $249 e-reading tablet that delivers books, magazines, newspapers and children's books in color. The sub-one pound, half-inch thick Android-based device has a 7-inch touchscreeen.
Barnes & Noble is taking orders now. The Nook Color ships on November 19. It will be available in Best Buy, Walmart, BAM (Books A Million) and of course Barnes & Noble's own stores. Noble will continue to sell its existing black-and-white Nook devices too.
 Noble CEO William Lynch says that the company is not thinking about lowering the price any time soon, regardless of what competitors such as Amazon and Apple do. "Reading in brilliant color is the killer app," he says.
More than two million book titles will be available for the device, most for $9.99 or less and obviously not all in color. Nook Newsstand will have over 100 titles at launch, including magazines from Conde Nast and Hearst and newspapers such as The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA TODAY. Single copy and subscriptions will be available.
The company says you can go from finding a book to reading it in under 12 seconds.
The first color Nook will be Wi-Fi only, though Lynch says a 3G device could happen. The device has 8 gigabytes of internal memory, enough to hold about 6,000 books. Barnes & Noble says the battery will last about 8 hours.
Also on hand is a browser (no support for Adobe Flash), music player and such apps as Pandora streaming Internet radio. You can also play games (crosswords, chess, etc.).
The biggest applause at the launch event came when Barnes & Noble showcased a read out loud feature for kid's books. This will be a great guide for the young-learning reader.
Nook color is a welcome addition to the portable hand-held device market.

Theo


The light, easy and technological touch that helps you to control your home.

Theo has combined ease of use with the most advanced technology so that you can watch over your home just by lightly touching the information on your screen.
Blucasa has launched an innovative range of touch panels, dedicated to the control of Konnex systems. The touch panels are able to display graphics settings that allow you to personalize the range of options and features you wish.
According to them "We use high end components and materials in order to guarantee the best quality and reliability of our products. We chose to reduce energy waste as much as possible so that our products consume less than 10 Watt (less than a low-consumption small lamp)".
The Theo line of products can integrate the surveillance television cameras system and video entry phones.All Blucasa devices are shipped with Ethernetinterfaces. You can also add to your system a GPRS modem module in order to control your home automation from a mobile phone.
Blucasa Touch Panels are available in 2 models, different only in size. Theo 12 has a 12" size with a graphic resolution of 800x600 pixel, while Theo 7 is a 16:9 model, with a 7" size and a 480x234 pixel graphic resolution.

BlinQ QWC014 Wine Chiller 

Chilled wine and un-chilled wine do not give the same thrill. You no longer need a refrigerated wine cellar to get the right chill for the perfect diner. A simple device from BlinQ is changing all this. It takes a matter of seven minutes to turn a wine bottle from un-chilled to adequately chilled.

To use the device all you have to do is place 3 pre-frozen chill cells into your BlinQ QWC014 Wine Chiller, insert a bottle of wine and then pour in some water. Set the timer and in less than 7 minutes, you'll have a cold bottle of wine.For a device that costs $69.99 (street price) and $24.99 (on Tigerdirect.com)

Vibram Five Fingers

Have you ever thought of wearing your foot wear like a hand glove? Think of the flexibility you have with your fingers inside the various sockets in the glove, contrast this where there are no sockets and your hand is
enmeshed inside as in a stocking- unthinkable. Enter Vibram Fivefingers- they are shoes that are meant to mimic the experience of running without shoes, yet protect your feet from dirt and debris. Why would people want to run without their cushy trainers? Running without shoes can strengthen your feet, ankles, and lower legs and improve balance.
The typical human foot is an anatomical marvel of evolution with 26 bones, 33 joints, 20 muscles, and hundreds of sensory receptors, tendons and ligaments. Like the rest of the body, to keep our feet healthy, they need to be stimulated and exercised.


That’s why we recommend wearing FiveFingers for exercise, play, and for fun. Stimulating the muscles in your feet and lower legs will not only make you stronger and healthier, it improves your balance, agility and proprioception.

Eva Solo Smiley Bowl 

Designed with a smile and made from several layers of mouth-blown glass, two bowls in one. Keep your keys on top and a collection of treasures in the bottom – your imagination is the limit with this stylish, sturdy piece.

The latest new design product from Eva Solo can only put you in a good mood. The Smiley bowl always smiles at its surroundings, and it is always ready to lend a helping hand to hold nuts, sweets or all the stuff that you carry around in your pockets.

Eva Solo Smiley is designed by Claus Jensen and Henrik Holbæk the two designers behind the recognized Danish design firm Tools. As usual, the product is yet another well-conceived solution from the talented designer. In fact, with Smiley, you get two bowls in one. The outer bowl invitingly presents pistachio nuts or caramels, while the inner bowl is perfect for the empty shells and the wrapping paper.

The bowl has deliberately been designed so that it produces a smile, and it is made of several layers of clear, colored glass. Smiley is available in popular colors like lime, orange, turquoise, red and black.

Designer: Claus Jensen & Henrik Holbaek [ Manufacturer: Eva Solo ]

Yoyo Chair

Yoyo chair is a modern version of a swing chair. I would love to have this on my garden. This chair stands on the floor, great for modern, young, and stylish people. It is made of perforated metal with comfortable cushion seat specifically designed to fit the chair. It is suitable for indoor or outdoor use.
Do you know a swing chair can help you relax? Try this and find out.

Designer : Tamara Svonja

AdHoc Electric Salt and Pepper Mills

At first sight it looks like a Bio-hazard container, stolen from a research facility. Not to panic, the device only unleashes seasoning to your dishes. The finely crafted set of 18/10 stainless steel mills by AdHoc feature continuously adjustable ceramic grinders as well as integrated lights to help you get the right quantity. Easy to use and refillable in seconds, the Salt and Pepper Mills are guaranteed for five years.

Life Sack - Innovative Grain Sack

The main problem of third world’s crisis is to get food and fresh water supply. World wide charities such as World Vision have sent common supplies such as grain, packed in sacks. Based on this information, three Korean industrial designers have ingenious idea to redesign the sack. Life Sack is a sack that can also work as a water purifier kit. After grain is stored, they can reuse the sacks to purify water. Life Sack uses SODIS (Solar Water Disinfection Process) technology to filter contaminated water.

The UV-A-radiation and thermal treatment will kill deadly microorganisms and bacteria in water. It is hoped that this design can help providing more sufficient amount of clean water for the people in Africa.
Designer : Jung Uk Park, Myeong Hoon Lee, and Dae Youl Lee

iPod Nano with Multi-Touch Technology

The newly designed iPod Nano, smaller, lighter, colorful and sleek. This new iPod Nano is smaller and redesigned with Multi-Touch technology, the same technology for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Listening your music is easier, intuitive and more fun. Have fun with your music, just tap or swipe away!

Charles and Marie InsideOut Champagne Glasses

Rethinking the classic shape, Charles and Marie have created a beautiful and functional object d’art. Easier to hold and slower to warm, Inside Out glasses will always add a fashionable touch to your celebration.
The InsideOut Collection of barware turns the common knowledge of what a drinking glass should look like on its head. In AMT's collection of barware, the well known and oftentimes iconic shapes of glasses are hidden behind a neutral and discreet outer shape, unassuming and simple. But once you pour the drink, the glass' inner identity appears creating an unusual and highly fascinating effect.
Besides the visual beauty, there is another extremely convincing argument: your drink simply doesn't warm as fast as it would in a normal champagne glass as you are not touching it at all and if you really want it cold, chill the glasses in the freezer and create an amazing visual presentation…

The glasses are all handmade, are 1.5" (3,8 cm) wide and 9.25" (23,5 cm) high and come in a set of 2.

Swarovski Naughty Raymond 

Care to store music or pictures, a trendy naughty robot from Swarovski can help you do that. With a 2 GB USB key integrated with high-speed 2.0 interface, Naughty Raymond is the must have robot of the season. Apart from storing data the device can also serve as a pendant or charm. The black body is set with crystals in the Pointiage technique. Led ears highlight data transfer. The device can hold as much as 500 songs or 2000 pictures. Turn your USB key into a fashion statement with Naughty Raymond.

Long Reach- Making a difference in rescue
Portable Buoyancy Deployment System

Water accident happens all the time. Unfortunately even with the great rescue systems we have at the moment, sometimes, they are unable to reach the victim on time. For this reason, Samuel Adeloju, an industrial designer, designed “Longreach”. It is a portable water-activated conveyance system that turns into a buoyancy device to help victims from drowning situation. This device is designed to help victims to remain buoyant while rescue personnel prepare the appropriate response to the situation. Once this rescue unit contacts the water, it uses hydrophobic or rapidly expanding foam to provide buoyancy. This allows the package to be vastly smaller in size than any currently existing buoyancy device. The device is a welcome plus to any rescue rescue team's equipment.

Designer : Samuel Adeloju

Fractal MGX Coffe Table - Unique and Stylish

How would you like a coffe table grown just for you?
Plants inside a house always complement to the interior decoration and the room environment, but when it’s about Fractal.MGX, it also adds handy functionalities. This unique and stylish coffee table is designed considering the fractal growth patterns of trees, making your room a lively place with great appearance. The table has been manufactured as a single piece using epoxy resin and stereo lithography without any seams or joints aiming to turn a simple room into something worth feeling proud of. Even though it doesn’t seem much useful as a coffee table to me due to its uneven surface (unless the designers have thought some unique cups and saucers with matching bottom), it surely can create a bond between human life and nature.

Designers : Gernot Oberfell and Jan Wertel