Spanish company Navarro Azorínis the leading manufacturer of furniture handles in their domestic market. Their collections range from natural leather or Swarovski crystals for those drawn to sparkly things. Their Glam range features, Illustrations, pop art, fruit, vegetables, landscapes and photos, but bespoke options mean any design can be used.

For more information visit www.na-spain.com

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tags: decor, kitchen

The digital photography competition (Europe) is open for six months from November 2009 until April 2010. Each month, a winner will be chosen and awarded a Lumix DMC-ZX1 the latest digital compact camera from Panasonic. The overall winner of the Lumix Award competition – for the single best digital photo - will win a Lumix DMC-GF1, the worlds smallest and lightest interchangeable lens system camera** from Panasonic along with tickets to see the Blue Man Group. Two runner-ups will each receive a Lumix DMC-FZ38 digital camera. All submitted digital photographs will be reviewed and judged by an independent panel of professional photographers and creative directors.

Under the theme of "Visualise Music," digital photographers are invited to submit each month one digital image that best captures the moment when music, whether through the sound of an instrument or every day life, impacts our visual senses.For further information on the Lumix Award competition or to see the submitted images, please visit: www.lumixaward.com

Via: www.lumixaward.com

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tags: competition, digital camera, lumix, panasonic, photo, photography

Trailer for Machinarium an independent puzzle / adventure game developed by the makers of web-games Samorost and Samorost2.

You can play a demo online or download one via Steam. The full version is availble now again via the website of Steam.

www.machinarium.com

Via: amanita-design.net

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tags: game trailer, indie game, pc game, video game

It's exciting technological times for our friends across the pond as tomorrow (Friday) night will see the launch of coast-to-coast entertainment goodness courtesy of Studio 3 Partners' (Paramount/Viacom, MGM and Lionsgate) bouncing bundle of joy, EpixHD. And in light of this momentous occasion, yours truly has had the irrefutable pleasure of conversing with Emil Rensing, head of online for Studio 3, to get the scoop on just what it is we're missing out on here in the UK.

Available nationwide to those subscribed to the Verizon FiOS system, EpixHD promises to furnish those lucky souls with a veritable feast of audio/visual delectations, kicking off with an impressive line-up tomorrow night. But behind the glittering launch (Iron Man, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button and re-patriated Queen of Pop, Madonna, will all be present to usher in this next-gen entertainment medium) lies a (thankfully) forward-thinking model that not only has an eye on the media consumption zeitgeist, but to its certain evolution, too.

What EpixHD will bring is a premium television channel which will provide on-demand streaming and television with the addition of original content. Movies licensed directly from the studios, which have up until now had a year-long wait for cable network premiere screenings, will debut after only 8 months. Musical content, too, will feature heavily, as will comedy exclusives. And with some interesting sounding creative partnerships in the pipeline, EpixHD will be offering original programming to its viewers aswell. But that's not quite all, folks, as there will be a component, namely the 'Private Screening' feature, that'll integrate social media into the bargain to boot, enabling simultaneous multi-party viewings coupled with a real time chat platform.

Entertainment envy aside, this is great news for the future of visual media. As previously stated, the evolution of our consumption is natural and undeniable, and it is perilous to ignore this. To have content on-demand that is so highly personally usable makes previous viewing seem positively archaic. It's become less of a frivolous luxury and more of an accepted necessity to use media in this way. After all, 'on-demand,' for all its petulantly instantaneous and selfish connotations, is a suitable terminology indeed for what we rightly expect from today's technology. And, to paraphrase lyrics sampled by the mighty EPMD, you've got to give the people what they want.

So, don't fight for your right to partake, simply subscribe and you, too, can enjoy a whole world of entertainment in your living room from 8pm tomorrow night, ET.

Want to try it out? U.S. readers can DM us for VIP invites by following us on Twitter (@latemag) or DM me directly by following @fi_wilson. It's first come, first served, so get messaging!

For more information, check out EpixHD's website.

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Halloween is almost upon us and many will be donning the spooky apparel. But what's the more discerning dresser to do when faced with the conundrum of showing the love for all things ghoulish, yet preserving that impeccable sense of style? Well, if you can't fess up to dress up, Chop Shop has a solution; the undeadWe T-shirt. Fitted to adorn the forms of ladies and gentlemen alike, this t-shirt features "51 zombies, ghosts, mummies, spirits and other boo-tiful members of the living dead." And as if that isn't goodness enough, you can play 'spot the reference' as all the figures hail from pop-culture to legend. You can have a peep at their high-res flickr pic and see if you can guess the refs.

Get your spook on over at Chop Shop for $20.00

Via: Topless Robot

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"To celebrate the launch of the new Sony Ericsson Satio handset on Vodafone (UK), photographer to the stars Jillian Edelstein has been commissioned to embark on a unique mission to capture the undeniable beauty and individuality of 121 eyes in only 12.1 hours.

Jillian Edelstein is one of the world’s most influential and celebrated portrait photographers, having captured the likes of Woody Allen, Nelson Mandela, Helena Bonham Carter, Blur, Bill Nighly, Hayley Atewill and Simon Pegg to name but a few. Eyes Wide Open takes her gaze from the world of famous faces, and looks to delve into the realm of visual communication through the exploration of eyes."

Sony Ericsson's Satio handseta 12.1 megapixel camera, Xenon flash and 12 x digital zoom and a 16.9 nHD widescreen and 3.5 inch screen.

Sony Ericsson are searching for people from all over the country and all walks of life to take part in this once in a lifetime opportunity to be part of Eyes Wide Open. Members of the public can find out more and win the chance to be involved by visiting www.eyeswideopen.uk.net.  Simply upload your details, an image of your eyes and tell us why you’d like to be involved.

Jillian will be personally selecting the 61 participants from all applicants and inviting them to an invitation only Satio studio photoshoot. Taking place during the first week of December at central London Vodafone store.

www.eyeswideopen.uk.net

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tags: mobile phone, photography, press realese, simon pegg, sony, sony ericsson, vodafone

For those of you who insist on military precision in the kitchen, I present the Swissarmius cutlery holder by Art. Lebedev design.

Many of us may find a survivalist approach is best when livin' la vida loca en la cocina, and that is why designer Yegor Zhgun has brought us Swissarmius; for it is "simple and beautiful, useful and functional, like the real Swiss Army knife." Employing the traditional aesthetics of the famous pocket-sized multi-tool kit, Swissarmius has four life-sized compartments in which you may organise your life-sized culinary tools.

Swissarmius: because you don't need to be army to be handy.

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I spy with my little eye...a new gadget that'll furnish teenage boys with that longed-for 'sixth sense.' No, not seeing dead people, seeing naked ladies. This must-have tech for amateur sleuths and those wishing to perv observe their surroundings promises "no fiddly controls to mess with," leaving your hands free to keep a firm grip on your necessary tool. All's you've got to do is focus, "press a button and bam - you get a picture of whatever it is you're looking at in glorious 1.3 megapixel detail." But, the fun doesn't stop there, apparently, as you can also shoot film.

Do your bit for ailing window furnishing businesses in your area by spending £29.99 over at i want one of those.

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tags: gadget, gift, spy

With its 87 bazillion guns and four player co-op, this baby can only be the RPG/FPS lovechild, Gearbox Software's RPS Borderlands. Just released for the Xbox 360 and PS3, PC gamers will be able to get their paws on the already acclaimed action as of next week.

Looking like a fine slice of potentially addictive timewasting, Borderlands is available to pre-order now ahead of its October 30th UK release (October 26th for North America.) Check out the Borderlands site for more info. (Being as this is an 18-certificate game, the site is age-restricted, so mathematically inept children grab your calculators now.)

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tags: fps, game, pc, post-apocalyptic, ps3, rpg, rps, video game, xbox 360

If you enjoy all the trappings of modern technology but prefer your aesthetics laced with a retro feel, you may well find yourself appreciating this rather smart little Dolmen Digital radio. Of aluminium and wood finish, this rechargeable AM/FM radio cube is perfect for small spaces like a bedside table, and is available from PID in a choice of dark wood or silver for $207.00.

Dinkier still is the AA-battery-powered Mini Dolmen; all the lovely retro cuteness you know and love from the Digital Dolmen with AM/FM radio and digital volume. Material finish is as above, but the Mini comes in a choice of five colour variations from dark wood to super-cheery brightness. Get yours from PID at a cost of $123.00.

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tags: digital radio, radio, retro

Many a start-up company will profess to be 'new and exciting,' but Motothority, spearheading their mission to be "the driving force behind innovation" with the new iREV (that's Interactive Recreational Entertainment Vessel,) do appear to be delivering on that promise.

The iREV is an electric recreation station that's low on emissions but high on versatility. The 10-seater vessel is as happy on land as it is on water, and its 360 degrees of super-fun relaxation allows the central point to function at a customisable level, whether you choose a low-smoke barbeque grill or interactive media panel (500W speakers, amongst other audio goodness, is on offer here.)

Partying all the time a la Rick James is probably not advisable anyway, but with the electric 2-5hp motor and batteries you can at least party on for 8-10 hours.

Via: ecofriend

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tags: boat

Puzzling the world since it was first patented in 1974, professor Rubik's Cube has undergone yet another transformation which sees it snaffle the affections of a new generation of frustrated fans.

Touch sensors coupled with an accelerometer determine the active face and chosen direction, with colour change following accordingly. A built-in memory means that if you need some time out you can resume play where you left off, but it will only last for an hour's play at a time from a full 8-hour charge in its display stand. The Touchscreen Rubik's Cube is also able to offer helpful hints and even solve itself if need be.

Available from Hammacher Schlemmer for $149.95, this next generation puzzle has a next generation price to match.

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There's a noose loose aboot this hoose! Your electric bills might make you feel like topping yourself, but at a cost of 4750.00 Euros, designer Marie Thurnauer's 135cm suspension light isn't going to help any.

Via: OhGizmo!

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tags: lighting

Pocket Wall. It's not a wall in your pocket, but a pocket in your wall.

Polish product designer, Maja Ganszyniec - she of the associative environmental playground - takes her divine inspiration for those products you never quite knew you needed by observing the subtle interplay between object and user. And such was the inception of Pocket Wall; the perforated 'living wallcover' that flies in the face of mess, disorganisarion and that dastardly fiend of modern living - lack of storage space.

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tags: storage

Intel have employed the creative vision of Smart Design to develop this concept device which they hope will successfully target the 'next generation' consumer. Rather succinctly entitled the Intel Magic, the concept is a response to the apparent needs of the aforementioned consumer, which is the desire for "a single, optimally functional and unique device that could store a load of information." Working along established smartphone lines, Intel Magic combines a phone, MP3 player and websurfing device in one, but with morphing functions that create a "completely different appearance and experience for each." Magic.

Via: designboom

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tags: concept, intel

If, like me, you like to keep an eye on what's what in the world of blankety goodness, you might find yourself similarly admiring the Siamese Slanket; the sleeved blanket made for two. Those of you enjoying all the traditional cosiness the Slanket provides, but wishing to share that good thing you've got with your buddy/other half may now rejoice as the good folks behind the mighty Slanket have seen fit to literally double the fun. You might want to pop this one in a pre-nup, though, or that chill you feel in your bones won't just be because you're alone, it'll be because you're also actually very cold. 

Get yours here for $44.99.

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Finnish design team, Imu, have struck a chord as self-appointed mediators between the brightest emerging young design talent and the public. One such luminary is Johanna Hyrkas; an all-round creative lady who's also the founding member of Anteeksi design collective. Featured at Imu is this rather fabulous Light Carpet, which "combines a carpet with light and warmth." Made of a combination of thread and light-rope, this durable carpet is high on the usability/comfort factor as the nights draw in. Plumping for the premium version will even furnish you with light show-capable carpet.

More images at www.hometone.org

Via: CoolBuzz

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tags: carpet, lighting

Make sure your style is nothing less than smokin' with these vintage lighter cufflinks. Made from original and fully-functional lighters dispensed by gumball machines in the days when folk puffed away in ignorant bliss, these custom cufflinks are the hottest accessory for the man about town. However, please ensure that whilst you're craftily dazzling the ladies with your debonaire ways that it is only your sex that's on fire and not your lovely suit as you must remove the links prior to actually lighting up.

Currently sold out and unavailable from YOUgNeek at Etsy for $40.00 plus p&p.

Via: technabob

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It's a beautiful thing when designers take inspiration from nature to craft their products, whether it be the aesthetics of floral perfection or the intricate mechanisms of life itself. However, when Panasonic chose the humble inchworm as their muse for the Fukitorimushi domestic robot, this particular inspiration ensured they definitely cleaned up in the creepy stakes.

Incorporating Teijin's nano technology for the non-slip, super-cleany cover, Panasonic created Fukitorimushi to mimic the inchworm's distictive locomotion as a potentially successful method of floor cleaning. Teamed with its flashing sensors which glow red when they come into contact with worrying levels of filth, the robotic pillowcase/inchworm hybrid will work away at it until it achieves a level of cleanliness acceptable to itself. When Fukitorimushi's work is done, it will even find its way back to its home on the charging station.

Cute as it is, I can't help but imagine a Screamers-style 'autonomous mobile cleaner' scenario some way in the future...Shh, the silence of (domestic) space is about to be shattered...

Via: CrunchGear

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tags: panasonic, robot, robots

Brazilian product designer, Anderson Horta, has lovingly recreated the spirit of the 80's with his concept lamp, "80's Ghost." In an affectionate nod to the decade which brings the fondest nostalgia to a generation of a certain age, 80's Ghost is not only an illuminating cultural icon, but a play on childhood fears, too. As Horta says so well himself, "Let's put some light in our memories!!!"

Via: UberReview

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tags: concept, lighting

Available in either 110v or 200v, these glass-shaped LED lights by Dutch design studio OOOMS won't leave you in the dark on designer mood lighting. But the light that burns twice as bright won't burn half as long as each will shine for around 30,000 hours (or 10 years in the lesser-known time-to-romance equation.) See things other people wouldn't believe with Glassbulb Light by OOOMS.

Via: Designboom

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tags: lighting, mood lighting

Created by designer Leslie Buker. "Cube" is a modular system, made from sheets of cardboard that can be fixed together with built in tabs and slots to create cube-shaped blocks. When these blocks are put together, they can make tunnels and towers and any shaped structure that cats can crawl through, jump on, shred and chew. It's a 100% recyclable alternative to the wood and carpet "cat condos" that many cat owners have. Owners construct their own, so it can be designed to fit into any space.

www.thecreativepet.com

Via: Cube Form The Creative Pet

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tags: cat, cats, pet furniture, pets, recyclable

Industrial designer Ahmad Bittar has come up with an interesting, if slightly worrying, handset concept that combines (or should that be exploits?) our increasingly emotional bond with our technology. Behold Gaia Phone, the emo phone of the (possibly not too distant) future that's like a party in your hand, if indeed you have enough friends for a party. The all-singing, all-dancing Gaia Phone comes alive with all the excitement of a well-adjusted puppy when in receipt of updates or contact from loved ones, friends or family. Of course, if you keep your friends close but your enemies closer, Gaia will keep you informed via the glow that keeps you in the know. Yes, the more contact you have with a person, the brighter the light, which will probably compound the misery of a break-up as that light will, quite literally, go out of your life. And so, sort of an ironic product for Generation Geek, as hermitic life sets in and the wide circle of friends slowly but surely dissipates. Nevermind, emo phone will feel your pain.

Via: Yanko Design

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tags: concept, industrial design, mobile phone, phone, product design

In a galaxy far, far away...a luminous cleanliness was reached...

Those partial to a relaxing soak in the tub can surely strive for nothing more than Nirvana. The good folk at Bathroom Tomorrow are promoting a state less stinky and more thinky with this gloriously translucent LED bathtub, complete with in-built touch controls and auto-fill functions. With its galaxy of light to unwind the mind from the ties that bind, Nirvana is the tub to help you reach enlightenment. Divine!

Via: Trendir

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tags: bath, bathroom

Panasonic has announced the market introduction of the DMR-BS850 and DMR-BS750 Blu-ray Disc™ Recorders and the DMR-XS350 High-Definition Recorder / DVD Recorder (Standard Def Archiving). All three new models are compatible with freesat+, making it easy to view and capture high-image-quality digital satellite broadcasts.

In addition to storing all films and shows, they can be used to preserve your family films and photos on a Blu-Ray disc.  Therefore, in a bit of a fun twist, they’ve released some research that puts a definitive monetary value on the sort of family memories the recorders store. You are invited to calculate this value at the Panasonic HD Everything site at hdeverything.co.uk/mymemories.

www.hdeverything.co.uk

Via: Panasonic HD Everything - Your Memories

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tags: blu-ray, electronics, panasonic

With festival season upon us and the summer set to be a scorcher, why not plan to party in style with the new range of festival gear from British fashion and textile designer Celia Birtwell.

Having designed sell out ranges for Topshop in the past, Celia first turned her hand to camping gear in the 2008 collaboration for outdoors retailer Millets. Her new collection for 2009 includes the full festival product checklist from tens and wash bags through to sunnies and wellies (yes the weather is meant to be better this year, but it is Britain after all so best to be prepared!).

The neon-bright prints on the gazebo and tent will help ensure you never find yourself scanning the canvas city thinking “now where the hell did I put my house?”

Available from Millets

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Teo Jasmin are a Parisian company that specialise in digital printing on canvas, cushions and furniture. When you think “French”, the word chic automatically springs to mind, but now you can add “kitsch” to the list. With images ranging from iconic film stars and city scapes through to the quintessentially British, their fabulous prints really make for some eye catching, tongue-in-cheek furnishings.

 I particularly love the “Doggy Queen” from their 2009 collection. I was going to say that’s because I am the doggy queen, but at the risk of inviting innuendo style misinterpretations, I will elaborate that to “I like the doggy queen prints as the puppy pictured reminds me very much of my own pug-faced pooch!”

For more information and to view the full product range visit Teo Jasmin

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With Michael Bay's Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen on its way to cinema's soon, the multi product franchise is as hot as ever. This Transforming USB Flash Memory is aimed more at those (probably 30 somethings) who remember the 80's toy range with misty eyed fondness. In terms of technical spec its not the best flash drive at just 2 gigabytes, but thats not really why you want it anyway.

Available to pre-order from www.bigbadtoystore.com

Via www.techfresh.net

Via: nerdapproved.com

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tags: flash memory, transformers, usb, usb flash drive

Switched On Set posted a stunning Misty Tree photo mural from Bespoke Interior print firm Surface View.

The company allows you to "create stunning murals, blinds or prints all digitally printed with an image of your choice. Choose from an incredibly varied library of over 1000 images of artwork and photography, from sources as diverse as the V&A, Marvel Comics and Ella Doran."

Prices start at £75 per sq metre plus VAT and its well worth browsing their website www.surfaceview.co.uk. I've picked out "Dreams Are Made Of This" (Blind) from Wayne Hemingway and Stella Mitchell's Land Of Lost Content Collection. Le Pouple Colossal (Print) from teh Natural History Museums collection of Illustrations and etchings. And "The Invincible Hammer Of Thor" (mural), a classic panel illustration from teh "Marvel" collection.

Via: www.switchedonset.com

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tags: bespoke, blinds, decor, images, interior prints, murals, prints

Whether you're looking for creative inspiration, to purchase or simply to kill time, these aesthetics driven websites are a great places to visit.

NOTCOT.org

NOTCOT.org is populated by user generated content, anyone can register and submit content. However submited items are not guarenteed to appear on the page as the site is "curated" to maintain it's aesthetic vibe. Part of the NOTCOT Design Network of sites reaching over 4 million pageviews monthly. Along with sister curated sites NOTCUTURE, liqurious and Leading design blog NOTCOT.com

www.notcot.org

picocool

PicoCool is a global community dedicated to uncovering the cool, whether in art, design, environment, culture, architecture, fashion, travel or technology. Currently to post to the site you need to get an invite from an existing member.

www.picocool.com

freshbump

Freshbump is a daily visual inspiration source for industries including, but not limited to: Advertising, Architecture, Computer Arts, Graphic Design, Illustration, Industrial Design, Interior Design, and Photography. Freshbump is a social news media site that facilitates community driven content promotion and prioritizes posts based on the collective view of the userbase.

www.freshbump.com

cribcandy

Cribcandy is a visual news gallery of household & interior design by Curations.com. Items are hand picked by the curators daily with pictures and links to the best finds from all the world’s household design sites and blogs. Items are picked from those submitted to the social shopping site wists.com.

www.cribcandy.com

oobject

Oobject is a another curations.com website like cribacandy this time concentrating on unusual or interesting gadgets . Items are hand picked by users and filtered by curators who have a background in design.

www.oobject.com

.KOMPOUND.

We've mentioned the tumblr based site .kompound. before on LateMag. Its a great site this and shows how you can easily create your own design inspiration gallery with the popular tumblelog software. The site uses the Museum theme for tumblr.

www.kvnh.tumblr.com

materialicious

Formally a design blog in the classic sense of the word a recent redesign has seen it adopt the curated gallery approach. Its packed with great design finds, but it might be better if the images linked straight to the sites in question rather than going to a second page with the same 250*250 image. Definitely a great site though and well worth bookmarking.

www.materialicious.com

NOTCOUTURE

Sister site of NOTCOT.org and runs along the same lines, however as the name suggests the focus is apparel and fashion releted.

www.notcouture.com

popgloss

Another of Curations.com's sites this one, like NOTCOUTURE, is for the fashionista's out there.

www.popgloss.com

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tags: design, gallery, image gallery, inspiration, modern design

When I was a little kid I liked watching reruns of The Saint, which starred Roger Moore as Simon Templar. Like most cool 60's and 70's cult TV heroes he drove a dam cool car, the Volvo P1800. Now Swedish designer Mattias Vöcks, who works hand assembling supercars for Koenigsegg by day, has decided to update the classic Volvo.

With help from Bo Zolland from Swedish design firm Vizualtech, Vöcks has added a few modifications to bring the shapely Swedish beauty to modern standards. Aerodynamics are improved by a rear diffuser, flat underbody tray and a front fascia that's been smoothed out and lengthened by 70mm. Powering the beast is a 4.4-liter V8 borrowed from a Volvo XC90 SUV that's been force-fed by a turbocharger and routes its 600 horses through a six-speed manual transmission to the rear wheels.

Currently existing only in the form of rather swish looking renders, Vöcks is intending to put the car into small scale production. While I'm not a massive car person and don't think its a great idea to drive round in 4 litre plus cars everyday, for obvious reasons. I would love to be able to afford one of these as an occasional toy for summer motoring (though I am unlikely to ever find myself in that kind of tax bracket).

It would certainly complement my other 60's / 70's Bond villain / suave spy dream possession The Razor Residence by Wallace E. Cunningham

autoblog.com has more details and images and you can check out the work of design firm Vizualtech at www.viztech.se

Via: acquiremag.com

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tags: cars, classic cars, retro, volvo

I just love these chunky retro-styled watches from Void. If you head over to Dezeen, they have teamed up with the designer, David Ericsson, and are offering five lucky readers the chance to win one in a colour their choice. Colours available are black, gold, silver and copper. The competition closes on 18th May (and yes I have entered myself!).

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This exciting and much anticipated series of 8 new art prints has explored landscapes in a more graphic, pattern-like style than ever before.  These 'patternscapes' have come together over several months and within the series there is sure to be a new adventure for everyone! 

Currently, Wish You Were Here is a wonderful collection of 25 eye-popping, optimistic and inspiring A3+ art prints. By the end of April 2009 WYWH will be launching the much anticipated super range of 100% cotton drill, 46cm x 46cm cushions in 3 patternscape designs! Alongside the cushions there will also be available a superb range of 9 high-colour, high-quality fabrics also derived from the patternscapes.

WYWH is an exciting venture created by UK based husband and wife team, Fiona and Ben O'Brien (aka Ben the Illustrator). Ben is the illustrator extraordinaire and Fiona, with her background in Advertising and a penchant for ideas, design and interiors, conceptualises and manages their business and products. Together they create illustrations for commissioned advertising campaigns, editorial, interiors and of course their own art prints and products under the brand 'Wish You Were Here'.

The concept behind "Wish You Were Here!" was to create a brand of illustrated functional items that the house proud, design conscious could enjoy in their home "We wanted a way for people to enjoy the optimism and vibrancy of Ben's illustrations in the comfort of their own home, and better still be able to use the items everyday!. Our aim is to produce beautifully conceived prints and products that retain our eco and humanitarian ethics, envelope them in Ben’s awe-inspiring, colourful illustrations creating the perfect combination of function and beauty".

"We understand that times are a little more difficult out there at the moment so we wanted to create uplifting artwork that offered people affordable escapism from their everyday grind. In a time where expensive, luxury escapes are not as possible, the aim of WYWH is to bring those beautiful, far away, idyllic places directly to you, beautifying your home in the process!"

Visit www.wywh.co.uk and make sure you stop by Ben's Flickr page

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tags: art, decor, illustration, press release

kraftwerk is a cardboard chair, designed by Tom de Vrieze. The name  arises from the use of cardboard and kraftpaper-tape in its construction. The polygon, surfaced chair which can not be seen as an origami chair is very light (1,8 kg or 3.97 lb) and strong.

kraftwerk is constructed from only 4 mm or 0.16 in. thick cardboard.  The chair is filled with polyurethane expansion foam. Originally Tom tried to support the chair using only internal structures, without using foam, but the unfolding patterns became to complex for DIY-builders. While this means teh chair is not as environment friendly as he would have liked. It does meanthe cair is more durable and stronger than some other cardboard chairs. most cardboard chairs are using larger thick nesses (and/)or are layered which are using a lot of cardboard-surface. kraftwerk is built with CFC-free polyurethane low expansions foam bottles. (CFC = chlorofluorocarbons, harmful chemicals that eat away at the ozone. they were most commonly found in aerosol cans, but have since been linked to the degradation of the atmosphere). Foam filling is not actually new in the furniture industry, some well known designs are riccardo blumer's lalegerra for alias and françois azambourg's mr. bugatti for cappellini. Foam filling is probably most know in the automotive industry for dashboards, seats, but also in other industries such as plumbing (water heating), construction and building.

kraftwerk is available at the tovdesign webshop as a DIY plan for 7 euro.

www.tovdesign.com

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tags: cardboard, chair, diy, furniture, furniture design, press release, recycle, sustainable

This Datamancer Deco Keyboard was commissioned by an Art Deco-themed independent movie theater/rental store. They wanted a keyboard for their PoS register that would compliment their decor. The keyboard features a black reflective acrylic faceplate, brilliant white LEDs, and a frame made of wood and chrome.

Datamazncer inspired by the commission are now working on building an art deco themed PC, which will no doubt look rather spiffy.

www.datamancer.net

Via: bornrich.org

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tags: art deco, steampunk

It was very very cold
so was made Blankoat.

Coming roasty toasty on the heels of that other behemoth of blankety goodness, the Slanket, Blankoat is marching ahead in a certain 'War of the Cosies.' From the good folk who brought us the most devilishly debonaire from the world of dandy warfare, the Bulletproof Handkerchief, Blankoat is pure wool shorn from Icelandic sheep and "corrupted by placement of two colossal Sleeves." Looking like it was fashioned on the Grim Reaper himself of a cold winter's morn, let it not be said that 'death warmed up' is not a good look. Let Battle of the Blankets commence!

Get your Blankoat (you've pulled) over at Sruli Recht

Via: Behance Network

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Who needs hands to tell the time when you've got eyes? Certainly seems designer Mike Mak is in that line of thinking with his Eyeclock - a devilishly dilated timepiece with simple yet (fairly) effective temporal globes. Rotating 'eye' disks give you a somewhat vague idea of the time, so probably not ideal for those with issues of punctuality. However, if you're having trouble seeing eye-to-eye with more traditional fare, this could be the clock for you. Sadly, though, this is still a concept, so we shall have to await the immortal cries of "the Mak is back!" before we can get a good look at this product. I think it's eye time this went into production, don't you?

Via: Shiny Shiny

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quick intro to boxee from boxee on Vimeo.

"boxee takes the great user interface of our social media center to control all of your downloaded media, and adds the great streaming content from CBS, Comedy Channel and Hulu! When your friends watch a TV show or movie that is on any one of these (and more) streaming sites, boxee will automatically connect you to the full movie or featured clips, so you can watch along with your friends, for free!."

They posted this video over at Grassroots Modern and as someone who only watches "TV" from online sources it looks pretty good to me.

Via: Grassroots Modern

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tags: computers, internet tv, living room, mac, online tv, pc, software, tv

Technology changes the way we live and for many the Internet has surpased television programming as their number one recreational activity. So like me, you probably have a large LCD / plasma TV in the room you deem the living room. However for me personally, the idea of sitting in front of it for periods of time actually channel surfing or even worse watching one channel's programing schedule for a period of time has become an alien one. Modern life, choice and of course the aforementioned interweb has killed off both the desire and the attention span. Actually using a TV in the way we did back when I was a child in the 80's seems as ridiculous as having a land line telephone (I tried to sign up to ebay.co.uk and it asked me for one the other day. I thought "you what, I've not had one in a decade, surely only telesales people use them to ring you"). No, old form TV is dead to me, I couldn't care less about the shared watercooler experience of "did you see *insert inane shit reality TV show here* last night". When Virgin (my cable ISP) fell out with Sky and removed channels and then did not pass on any saving (they are back now) and then decided to start throttling Broadband services in classic 'large corporation we can get away with anything we like style', something had to give. And the giving was me giving them back the TV service, and upping the broadband connection. TV when you want it via the Internet is now a reality and getting better all the time and the main thing, other than wildlife documentaries that I would actually care about using my TVs 50,000 - 1 contrast, 100 mghz and full HD for, is movies and well there's Blu Ray for them. So with traditional TV banished from my home, and I'm guessing an increasing number of other's home's too, it's time for the Internet to find it's way out of the ghettos of the office, the laptop and the PC workstation and into the promised land of the living room. And bellow are five small Pc's that should be more than adequate to handle the transition. Of course it's not an 'either or choice', if you love your Freeview / Sky. Virgin etc. TV viewing habits, there's still plenty of good reasons to get your TV hooked up to a PC.

The Studio Hybrid from Dell is all about space saving, power saving and ultimately (according to the marketing blurb) Earth saving. The Dell is a pretty attractive little desktop that will look stylish in the living room without claiming much real estate. As shown above you can stand it horizontally or vertically depending on your taste / available space. As a living room PC you will ultimately want to connect it to your shiny new living room dwarfing TV and the Hybrid has both your normal monitor connection and HDMI. Prices start from around £340 in the UK and run to around £560 for the 4044 with Blu-Ray.

Packard Bell's iMax 3515 / 3516 is much larger than the Dell or the tiny Asus Eee PC desktop, but its mini tower is still half the size at least of the company's full size PC's. The 3516 retails for around £480 and can read Blu Ray Discs. Depending on your space and aesthetic taste, the Packard Bell packs a decent spec with the Intel® Core 2 Quad Q8200 processor and 3GB DDR2 and optical S/PDIF to connect a surround sound amplifier. There's no HDMI and like all these smaller PC's the Graphics card is a little disappointing, though its adequate enough for most living room based computing tasks it's probably going to struggle with a bit games.

Sony Vaio VGX-TP2S/B is constructed with the living room firmly in mind, with it's Blu Ray reader, HDMI port, remote and wireless keyboard receiver built into the case and its got a built in wireless receiver for connecting to a network. Being a Sony though the price is between £800 and £900 (depending where you look) in the UK and while a round case is a bit different, nothing in the spec (on paper at least) makes this vastly superior to the others here, other than of course the Eee Pc, but then that retails for a quarter of the price and really is meant for net surfing and very simle tasks.

For around £500 the HP Pavilion Slimline s3644 with Blu-Ray Combo stuffs a lot into its slimline case. The AMD Phenom X3 8250e processor (e is for energy saving) means it's not too power hungry. The spec includes a Digital TV Tuner, 4GB of ram (the most of any system here) and like the Sony it has a 500GB hard drive so you can pack a lot of media onto it.

The Asus Eee Box (available in black or white) is not a multimedia machine and is aimed squarely at those who as Asus have noticed use a computer to essentially launch the Internet and get online. In terms of a living room PC this is a great option for those that already have the DVD, Blu Ray, sound system etc. and would just like to be able to go online and read a cool blog (like LateMag) or check their email from the TV while eating their toast before work in the morning. It's Tiny and cheap and essentially does what it says on the tin. The first of the new generation of PC's that has come to be known as Nettops, taking their name from their netbook cousins also pioneered by Asus. If a simple way to access the internet from your TV is all you want from a living room PC, at less than £200 and with built-in wireless this is a great choice.

Of courses these are not your only choices, there are the high-end dedicated media center PC's many of which will look much like your existing separate AV components. If you know your way around the insides of a PC then there's a large array of barbone PC's from Shuttle that you can upgrade to fit your needs. Low power "eco" offering like the Advent Eco PC which claims to use 78% less power than a normal PC ( I imagine they measured that against a pretty power hungry machine which did not have the equivalent spec so be dubious of items which make "eco" claims). And of course for those who can't live without Apples operating system and badge theres alway's the diminutive Mac Mini.

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tags: blu ray, computers, desktop, dvd, internet tv, living room, online tv, pc, tv

Ah, 'tis the season to be jolly good to your pet, and here at Beyond Kewl we'd like to point you in the direction of our top 5 pet picks, if we may. From the sublime to the ridiculous, plus bonus surprise entry (no, not a thermometer up the backside at the vet's,) I would like to present to you Beyond Kewl's Top 5 Pet-Related Products...

1. Milki

Just stroke him under the chin and Milki will be the LED light of your life. Part acrylic, part ceramic, but all lovely, Milki is the touch-sensitive sausage dog soul who'll provide you with canine illumination, no treats required.

Available Here

Source

2. DogPot

Designer Young-Long Choi has been beavering away at the answer to mucky pups and come up with the DogPot - the conveniently foldy pocket paper pooper scooper. Choi provides this enlightening quote on his design:

"When we clean the dog or other pet’s excrement, If picking and throwaway are acted at a time, is it more prompt or convenient? For this aim, this product is applied a leverage. Only with a little effort, it can pick a target exactly, and pick once, it have the target slip through its package. This product is made by paper, so it is very useful in outside for its light and portable shape. Most of all, structure of dogpot have folding lines. So it will be flat when you have it in your pocket at outdoor."

However, if that's not enlightening enough for you, you could always try the Lighted Pooper Scooper.

Source

3. SNIF Tag

"If you ever longed for a way to monitor your dog's social life, map out his buddy network, and sense who its true friends are, you might have been waiting for SNIF"

Indeed you might. Yes, strange but true, you can in fact be an undercover, covert spy doggy style with the SNIF Tag - the online way to keep track of that wayward pooch. Transmitting information wirelessly via an accelerometer to SNIF Base, you can find out all your dogs antics from ball-licking to arse-sniffing and poo-munching shenanigans.

Available Here

Source

4. iBone

No, not a statement on my part, just the name of this geek-inspired dog toy. If you can't get your paws on an iPhone, get your pup's paws on an iBone. Comes complete with squeaker "for extra enjoyment" at only $11.95.

Available Here

Source

5. Cat DVD

"This is it! This is the cat video you & your kitty have been looking for!"

Designed with cats in mind, Cat DVD is home entertainment for your kitty. With over 3 hours of exclusive footage including squirrels dancing in and out of screen AND cat toy video special effects ("yes special efects made for cats!,") Cat DVD is the route to feline entertainment this season.

Available Here

Source

And now for my bonus entry (oo-er)...

DIY Cathouse

Make sure your pussy's feline sublime this Christmas with a DIY Cathouse. Full instructions can be found here as to the construction of your own contemporary cathouse. Olive's owner had this to say on the subject:

“I made this house for my cat, Olive. She enters through a door in the bottom side and then ascends a ramp, which boosts her to the upper level. The front wall is plexi-glass, the floor is 2.5 inch thick old sheepskin rug, and my wife made some small paintings that hang on the walls. There is also a big cardboard scratching porch. Cats love to scratch and relax on cardboard. The top is removable and the glass slides out for maintenance.”

Source

Well there you have it, folks, all you need for a spot of heavy petting this Christmas.

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tags: pets

In the very occasional series I shall call Beer Gear for obvious reasons, I bring to you the Beer Bottle Holder Sweatshirt. Coming nicely chilled off the heels of The Official Beer Glove, this "classic heather-grey sweatshirt" comes complete with built-in bottle pouch to keep your baby safe. Surely an ASBO essential, this hoodie retails from $41.98 for a large size and you can go up to $44.98 for an XXL as your carefully honed beer-belly grows. Oohh it's like mothers' milk.

Available Here

Via: Foolish Gadgets

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“Product design should be user-orientated. Good ergonomics, usability, user interface, looks and materials should come standard."

 - So says Heikki Juvonen, designer of this Nokia concept mobile phone. Whilst Juvonen might well uphold this stance as his work ethic, his attitude is to let technology hang in the balance. That's literally speaking, of course, as this compact handset allows for the bulk workings to rest at the bottom, making for a still-mini yet aesthetically pleasingly chunky design which is high on user-friendly ergonomics, as promised.

Visit Heikki Juvonen online at www.heikkijuvonen.com

Via: Design Launches

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It's retro on the go today at Beyond Kewl with these rather nifty Cassette Wallets. Each is a true original, a one-off, hand made to order, so if you've got an old cassette that's still beloved but beyond repair or conversion, this could be the ideal way to hang on to it. Only $39 for a really funky slice of 80's retro-cool, so stop bopping and start shopping.

Available Here

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Tonight's edition of The Gadget Show enables me to give you both a fresh scoop of technologically informative goodness whilst simultaneously getting a whinge off my chest. Yes, it's the notoriously dodgy field of broadband providers tonight, a field I have considerable experience with (hence the whinge) and one which has been briefly de-mystified thanks to the Jon Test segment of the show.

Anybody embarking on the goddamn annoyance that is installing broadband will know that even prior to the major ball ache that is physically installing the damn thing (many expletives have been expressed Chez Wilson in regards to routers,) you have to choose the best bloody deal. Of course, price is a prime factor, but there are others variables at hand such as speed and download limit when one is to get oneself connected.

In Britain's Best Broadband Deals, the advice to happy shoppers is to visit simplifydigital.co.uk for deal info, and that most users will need no more than 15 meg (enough power to equal approx. 300 album downloads,) with heavy users advised to go 'unlimited.' However, though many I.S.P.'s claim to give the user 'unlimited' service from their broadband, many will put restrictions on if they feel you've gone a bit nuts and spanked the net too much.

So, getting a genuinely unlimited deal is harder than you may think, added to that that we 26-million Brit net users are open to hundreds of deals and further bundles, so it really is a minefield. Fear not, for we have the info to put you in the know. Following in reverse order are the three best deals as picked out by the show:

3. Zen - Chosen for it's "great service," Zen isn't cheap at £35.00 per month for just 8-meg, but, you can subscribe monthly and it's an award-winning service, winning PC Pro's "Best I.S.P." award for the last 5 years, amongst others.

2. Sky - This super-cheap package will benefit existing Sky users as it's only an extra £10 on your TV bundle for 16 meg. Plus, there are no hidden usage caps (sneaky steals when they think you've used enough) and they'll also throw in a free wireless router. Only drawback here it it's not guaranteed in all areas due to phone lines.

1. O2 - This I.S.P. is offering "Ultimate" up to 20-meg broadband for £20 per month to existing customers and only £15 to anyone else. This unlimited package comes with "fair use" so they shouldn't be imposing those dodgy hidden usage caps. O2 also provide free connection, a free router and a 24-hour UK-based call center, yay!*

*Not so long ago I had the misfortune to have to use Tiscali, which was ball ache supreme as the bloody thing went off daily or for weeks at a time. Consequently, the Indian call centre could give no help bar "have you tried turning it off and on at the router?" which made me feel thoroughly murderous, not to mention poverty-stricken as I had to fork out for all the damn calls.

You can see The Gadget Show excerpt Jon Test - Britain's Best Broadband Deals here on five.tv's fivefwd.

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Now, you and I know that the Wikipedia is free to view on any net-capable device, but for the old folk, this may not be so apparent nor viable. Ergo, this Seiko ER8000 Digital Encyclopedia Britannica could make the perfect gift for the 'wiser' one in your life this Christmas. At a current total of 32 volumes, the Encyclopaedia Britannica's been giving out the knowlege since 1768, and will currently set you back a reduced rate of £745, or £3500 for leather binding. So, for a mere £119.95, this digital version plus Concise Oxford English Dictionary, Concise Oxford Thesaurus, Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, spellchecker, abbreviation dictionary, crossword solver, phrase finder, currency converter and calculator is not only a bit of a bargain, but space-conscious, too. Measuring only 11.5 x 8 x 1.8 cm and running on 2xAAA batteries, this is the compact way to get those knowledgeable old wordsmiths tech-savvy, or to turn your tech-savvy kids into knowldegeable wordsmiths. Literary genius.

Available here

Via: The Red Ferret Journal

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