KONSORTIUM

Porsche 911 GT3

2013-05-03T22:20:01-04:00

Porsche 911 GT3
We'll be wearing protective clothing when we hit the North American debut of what has long been one of the most hardcore 911 variants. Sparks will be flying when the faithful see that the newest GT3 comes only with Porsche's seven-speed PDK—that's right, an automatic transmission. A 9000 rpm redline, a 3.3-second 0-60 time, and a 195 mph top speed ought to limit the buzzkill, however, while rear-wheel steering will help it corner faster than any ordinary 911. But, slushbox mandatory? Aw, c'mon, Herr Doktors.

PORSCHE CAYMAN S

2012-12-03T10:54:24-05:00

Porsche’s polarizing Cayman gets a much needed overhaul with a completely new design and muscular curves that makes the outgoing model look like a flyweight. Introduced in both the Cayman and Cayman S trims, the car will be powered by a 2.7L flat-six with 275 hp in the the entry level model and a 3.4L, 325 hp flat-six in the Cayman S. As for speed, the Cayman will hit 0-62 in 5.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 165 while the S model will hit 60 mph in 4.7 seconds while on its way to 175 mph. Porsche

COLDAVENGER PRO | SUBZERO WARM BREATH MASK

2012-12-03T10:48:43-05:00

The fleece mask humidifies and warms the cold winter air for comfortable breathing, it protects your face, your neck, ears and airway from the cold air and keeps temperatures inside 40°F to 60°F higher than on the outside. It features a ventilator to control air intake. One sizes fits all.

HEATED GLOVE LINERS | BY WARMTHRU

2012-12-03T10:47:36-05:00

$245.55

HEATED GLOVE LINERS | BY WARMTHRU

Great solution for extreme weather conditions, the Warmthru Heated Gloves G3 Gloveliners are perfect if you suffer from cold extremities or circulation difficulties. The gloves come with 2 x 7.4V rechargeable batteries with heat control and last up to 4 hours on full power. Ideal for driving a motorbike or hiking in cold temperatures.

The ‘SUV of Motorcycles’ Offers Neither Sport nor Utility

2012-11-27T06:43:37-05:00

Photo: Brutus

Alessandro Tartarini, the son of Italjet founder Leopoldo Tartarini, has created a new category of motorcycle we didn’t know we needed. And based on the stats and those pesky laws of physics, we’re unconvinced it’s even a viable solution for the handful of potential buyers Tartarini and his company are targeting.

The design intent of the Brutus (no relation to the Brutus electric motorcycle or Caesar’s assassin) is to be a jack of all trades, handling serious off-road conditions while simultaneously being a practical long-distance cruiser. The big feature is the tires, which are 6 inches wide at the front, and 7 inches wide at the rear.

But as with any hybrid that attempts to blend the best of both worlds, the Brutus’ stats make it sound like a mis-imagined hodgepodge that won’t be good at anything.

To begin with, it weighs in at 485 pounds – about the same as 1,000cc tourers like the Ducati Multistrada. The reason tourers can’t go off road is because they’re far too heavy, which makes the Brutus overweight for dirt path duty.

Then there’s the suspension travel, which at 80mm at the front and 100mm at the rear, is far too short for hopping rocks and ripping through ruts. Most tourers have about twice that amount of travel, and use every millimeter of it.

But questionable stats aside, the Brutus is touted as “at home in any conditions” and “a valid work tool for going where other vehicles cannot.” Two dubious claims that combined with a 45bhp, 750cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled powerplant make even less of a case for Tartarini’s halved ATV.

The production model comes with an glut of options like a reverse gear, a sidecar, a winch, a generator, and even a “snow kit,” which converts the rig into a semi-snowmobile with a track out back. Look for a release next spring, although there’s no word on pricing.

Inside Brooklyn’s Newest Boutique Hotel, King & Grove

2012-11-21T11:15:31-05:00

Life+Times

Located in the heart of one of Brooklyn’s most creative neighborhoods, King & Grove Williamsburgis a new, exciting urban retreat from the team behind Montauk’s Ruschmeyer’s. With a location overlooking McCarren Park, King & Grove Williamsburg is comprised of sixty-four modern rooms with mid-century flair featuring bamboo flooring, warm oak cabinetry and marble bathrooms. Appealing to the sophisticated international traveler and the local creative set, in-room amenities include succulent plants, glass-enclosed rain showers, and bath products from Malin + Goetz. Here, we take a look inside one of Brooklyn’s newest hospitality abodes.

Mercedes-Benz Ener-G Force Concept Car

2012-11-20T19:11:01-05:00

Mercedes-Benz entered their Ener-G Force concept car for this year’s LA Design Challenge. The vehicle seems like a stretch until you consider this year’s theme of Highway Patrol Vehicle 2025.
The Ener-G Force takes cues from the German manufacturer’s G-Class and infuses modern elements like sunk-in headlights, turn signals/running lights running along the front fenders, a flat roofline, and low, rectangular taillights. The Ener-G trades in the G-Class’ boxy lines for a more rounded shape.
While the roof rack looks more suited for a safari, it is actually an innovative way for the vehicle to collect water to store in tanks to then be transferred to a converter that creates hydrogen to power the fuel cells. The hypothetical range for this conceptual system is 500 miles of zero-emission driving. When off-roading, the system uses four independent motors at each wheel and a roof-mounted scanner that adjusts the suspension to best fit the road conditions and terrain.
The vehicle was one of six entrants for this year’s competition. The winning design will be announced on November 29 as a part of the LA Auto Show.

ORA Audio: The Ultimate Sound System for the iPad

2012-11-20T19:06:31-05:00

ORA Audio delivers truly immersive sound for your iPad. The quality sound your iPad deserves in a beautifully crafted, go-anywhere design. ORA has eight tuned, front-facing speakers surrounding the screen, turning your iPad into a portable entertainment system that reportedly is five-times the sound volume as your iPad alone.

Dr. Romanelli x Head Porter Peacoat iPad Case

2012-11-15T19:22:45-05:00

Head Porter and Dr. Romanelli show some love to the ol’ peacoat with a wool case for the iPad dressed just like the classic naval staple. The zippered case is detailed with navy blue wool, striped webbing, and an epaulet adorns the front complete with a Peacoat button.$205,

VESPA 946

2012-11-15T19:21:36-05:00

Inspired by the WWII-era MP6 prototype, the Vespa 946 ($TBA) is the scooter at its most pure and refined. The 946 is powered by an ultra-modern single cylinder, 125cc, four-stroke engine that offers fuel consumption of over 55 km per liter — that’s nearly 130 mpg — and 30 percent fewer emissions. Other features include a lightweight, high-quality build that incorporates plenty of aluminum, and a sleek design that’s perfect for the urban commute.

Villa Midgård by DAPstockholm

2012-11-15T19:20:32-05:00

shawngunn

RIM Ready To Launch BB10

2012-11-15T19:19:00-05:00

RIM has announced that Jan. 30 is the day they plan on announcing, unveiling and rolling their Blackberry 10 devices, but word has spread today that RIM plans on rolling out the device to different continents in 30 days. RIM is ready to steam roll their BB10 device, for their sake lets hope the public feels the same

Barack Obama’s 2012 Presidential Acceptance Speech

2012-11-07T17:49:01-05:00

Barack Obama was reelected as President of The United States.

Build-Your-Own Cell Phone Kit Created by MIT Media Lab

2012-11-05T13:15:18-05:00

Jaymi Heimbuch
Technology / Gadgets
April 26, 2012

Engadget video /Video screen capture

Have you ever wanted to build your own cell phone? Turns out you just might have the opportunity with an interesting kit created by MIT Media Lab, which is in prototype phase. Complete with a wood case, a circuit board, control pad, antenna, and LCD screen, you can put together your very own mobile phone in your living room and customize it to your liking.

Engadget states, "Building your own wireless communications device isn't for the faint of heart, or the law-abiding -- the FCC tends to prefer placing its own stamp of approval on devices that utilize US airwaves, making a homegrown mobile phone an unlikely proposition. That didn't stop a team at the MIT Media Lab from creating such a DIY kit, however."

While checking out the prototype at an MIT open house, Engadget's Zach Honig notes that the audio sound quality of phone calls that went out and came in was decent and you can even have caller ID. Here's a video:

While it's not a practical option for a quality cell phone, it could be an interesting science project for students learning about electronic devices when the kit comes out on the market. Getting comfortable with electronics, including something as ubiquitous as cell phones, is important in getting people to repair their own gadgets when they break, rather than replacing them. And projects like this are just such a way to make electronics less intimidating. So even though this isn't a super slick cell phone, it is indeed made for the "cool kids."

IMPORTANT VOTER INFORMATION

2012-11-05T10:27:48-05:00

In NC voting ”straight ticket” democrat is NOT A VOTE FOR BARACK, that’s on another part of the ballot.

Ferrari Museum Opens Exhibit Celebrating Works of Sergio Pininfarina

2012-11-05T10:25:05-05:00

The Great Ferraris of Sergio Pininfarina exhibition focuses on the years during which Sergio, the son of founder Battista “Pinin” Farina, made a pivotal contribution to the creation of the Prancing Horse’s most famous models. A collaboration that started in 1952 and which represents one of the great icons of the Made in Italy phenomenon.

The exhibit features 22 Ferraris, all designed by Sergio Pininfarina, and is open now and runs until January 7th, 2013.

ZBoard Electric

2012-11-01T11:39:38-04:00

As a rule, longboards are friendlier to commuters than short boards; once a rider has to go up a hill, they're forced to carry a huge piece of wood instead of riding it. This is what makes the ZBoard so intriguing. An on-board electric motor keeps the board moving even when a rider encounters a hill. This is accomplished without wireless remotes and other hand-based controls found on other electric skateboards on the market. The ZBoard is all about your feet. Two pads on the board control its motor. Lean on the front pad to go forward, lean on the rear pad to brake. They're pressure sensitive, so speeding up or slowing down fluctuates accordingly with your shifting weight. The longboard-inspired design and knobby wheels give the board a smooth ride, while small sidewalk pebbles won't throw you off track. The aggressive wheels also make you feel like you can tackle anything the road throws at you. Cracked concrete, wavy asphalt, even the occasional yard-crossing short cut seems like a breeze with skateboard monster tires.

LED Lenser X21 flashlight

2012-11-01T11:37:25-04:00

LED Lenser includes a warning with its X21 flashlight: "Do not shine the light directly in someone's eyes. If the light beam does shine directly in your eyes, look away immediately." That's because the four D batteries in the X21 put out 1,100 lumens through seven large LEDs. There will always be an arms race in flashlight lumens, and many flashlight companies claim to sell the brightest light. But lumens by themselves aren't a useful measure. A light's perceived brightness also depends on how focused it is. This German-engineered light employs a quick focusing system to illuminate threats—or targets—as far away as 1,500 feet.

Badassery in flashlights is about more than just brightness, though. This giant flashlight (it comes with a shoulder strap, if that tells you anything) is made of black, machined aluminum and weighs more than three pounds. If the light beam itself isn't enough to stun a stalking cougar, braining the cat with the heavy end of the X21 is a legitimate second option.

LIVESCRIBE SKY SMARTPEN

2012-11-01T11:29:20-04:00

Livescribe Sky Smartpen($170-$200). Available in 2GB and 4GB models, this multi-function pen sports a built-in mic and speaker for recording and playing back the audio that accompanies your notes — up to 200 or 400 hours of it, respectively. Thanks to built-in Wi-Fi, it automatically sends notes and audio to Evernote, and can also share notes directly to other services. Best of all, you can access your notes from nearly anywhere, including on a PC, Mac, iOS or Android device, or pretty much anything with a browser.

“Star Wars: Episode 7″ Coming in 2015 as Disney Buys Lucasfilm

2012-10-31T15:26:30-04:00

4.5 BILLION with a "B"

Disney has just confirmed that they will acquire George Lucas‘ Lucasfilm Ltd for $4.05 billion, in a deal that includes rights to the Star Wars franchise. Disney has scheduled Star Wars: Episode 7 for a 2015 release, with future movies to come every two to three years. Not much is known about what to expect from the films other than the fact that Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy will be executive producer on any forthcoming Star Wars movies, while George Lucas himself with serve as creative consultant.

“For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed from one generation to the next,” said Lucas. “It’s now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers. I’ve always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime. I’m confident that with Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy, and having a new home within the Disney organization, Star Wars will certainly live on and flourish for many generations to come. Disney’s reach and experience give Lucasfilm the opportunity to blaze new trails in film, television, interactive media, theme parks, live entertainment, and consumer products.”