Object Magazine http://objectmag.com Product Literature posterous.com Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:19:00 -0800 Aeroshot Pure Energy http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/objectmag/~3/omF40EmcqBE/aeroshot-pure-energy http://objectmag.com/aeroshot-pure-energy <p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile9.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-02/GDCHbsFgvsyCjdmnBlazohoqHGFjphdxanAvkEBJIuoaFlBhIcuIbvyeAtJE/Aeroshot1.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Aeroshot1" height="784" src="http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-02/GDCHbsFgvsyCjdmnBlazohoqHGFjphdxanAvkEBJIuoaFlBhIcuIbvyeAtJE/Aeroshot1.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <a href="http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-02/lcrfhpvbqmFbfekgjhgxdbsmyBFJFnyCnqjakHhbdfrrzGeFIDJlgkIHmqvA/Aeroshot2.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Aeroshot2" height="784" src="http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-02/lcrfhpvbqmFbfekgjhgxdbsmyBFJFnyCnqjakHhbdfrrzGeFIDJlgkIHmqvA/Aeroshot2.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <a href="http://getfile8.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-02/JomwopDwJbfapJkgGivistmuondqsqHflAxgalleoanHgyljFyvAjbwJuzzH/Aeroshot3.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Aeroshot3" height="784" src="http://getfile4.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-02/JomwopDwJbfapJkgGivistmuondqsqHflAxgalleoanHgyljFyvAjbwJuzzH/Aeroshot3.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <div class='p_see_full_gallery'><a href="http://objectmag.com/aeroshot-pure-energy">See the full gallery on Posterous</a></div> </div> </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Coffee is too entrenched to ever go away; dozens of stores per city mile and a human love for social spaces will see to that. But more can definitely be done about the other ways we get our caffeine: milky vehicles for coffee-flavored powder, dropped unceremoniously from vending machines; hopped up energy drinks dyed the color of gasoline to signify power; white, flavorless pills of last resort.</p> <p>Essentially an asthma inhaler for the chronically sleep-deprived, Aeroshots deliver a hit of caffeine and Vit B straight through the respiratory system. If that sounds a little hardcore, then the fluorescent-green unit design won't surprise &mdash; though shaped like a stick of lip balm, it doesn't come completely free of the category's mandatory connotations.</p> <p>Each one contains 100mg of caffeine, or about as much as a large coffee, and there are no electronics involved. The ability to consume that 100mg in smaller doses over a period of time is what makes the Aeroshot so interesting, and its over-the-top "energy" positioning so frustrating. Imagine if caffeine had an image makeover, to be marketed as more of a gentle tool (and gentle on the stomach too, without the acidic arabica delivery) for fine-grained cognitive and physical optimization.</p> <p>The company behind them cleverly calls itself <a href="http://labstoreparis.com/">Breathable Foods</a>, and has also created an inhalable chocolate product (zero calories!), and another with green tea, among others in its Le Whif line.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Buy:&nbsp;<a href="http://aeroshots.com/">Aeroshots.com</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </p> <p><a href="http://objectmag.com/aeroshot-pure-energy">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://objectmag.com/aeroshot-pure-energy#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/objectmag/~4/omF40EmcqBE" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/124976/bran.gif http://posterous.com/users/10AoxWESqOZ Brandon Lee sangsara Brandon Lee http://objectmag.com/aeroshot-pure-energy Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:04:00 -0800 Pentax K-01 Mirrorless Digital SLR Camera http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/objectmag/~3/KXe0K5vVyIM/pentax-k-01-mirrorless-digital-slr-camera http://objectmag.com/pentax-k-01-mirrorless-digital-slr-camera <p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile3.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-02-02/bDlhgIroFGgBHFkwqumlDeicImuizkhdyujsvghyDsoFvowuvyodzDenzjkn/pentaxk01a.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Pentaxk01a" height="701" src="http://getfile8.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-02-02/bDlhgIroFGgBHFkwqumlDeicImuizkhdyujsvghyDsoFvowuvyodzDenzjkn/pentaxk01a.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <a href="http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-02-02/EqonmBydrdEyzgAxoEjiDqAAxggdgpywkuGBoypngHhrFrqecEHCsgdzfitw/pentaxk01b.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Pentaxk01b" height="717" src="http://getfile3.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-02-02/EqonmBydrdEyzgAxoEjiDqAAxggdgpywkuGBoypngHhrFrqecEHCsgdzfitw/pentaxk01b.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <div class='p_see_full_gallery'><a href="http://objectmag.com/pentax-k-01-mirrorless-digital-slr-camera">See the full gallery on Posterous</a></div> </div> This has been turning into a bit of a camera blog lately, which I hope to rectify soon, but this just popped up and, well, look at it! Designed by Marc Newson, it makes an incredible statement about the form of the modern camera, and how much meaning this simple shape has accumulated over the years &mdash; subverting it, calling attention to its sections with dashes of bright color, and going bigger when everyone else has tried to flatten out its character.</p> <p>Okay, so one of the reasons for its size is that it uses Pentax's K-mount specification, which means compatibility with decades of old SLR lenses. I imagine this legacy support was a functional decision that had to be made at Pentax: embedded baggage that a product manager struggled with, and then decided could be solved by daring design. The design innovation is not entire superficial; look closely, and you'll notice a 40mm pancake lens attached, the thinnest of its kind in the world.</p> <p>Available in March for about USD$800.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.digitalcamerainfo.com/News/Pentax-s-risky-K-01-is-like-no-other-mirrorless-camera.htm">Digital Camera Info</a></p> </p> <p><a href="http://objectmag.com/pentax-k-01-mirrorless-digital-slr-camera">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://objectmag.com/pentax-k-01-mirrorless-digital-slr-camera#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/objectmag/~4/KXe0K5vVyIM" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/124976/bran.gif http://posterous.com/users/10AoxWESqOZ Brandon Lee sangsara Brandon Lee http://objectmag.com/pentax-k-01-mirrorless-digital-slr-camera Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:50:00 -0800 ⊛ Ricoh CX6 Digital Camera http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/objectmag/~3/rWMrA5f0Zgc/ricoh-cx6-digital-camera http://objectmag.com/ricoh-cx6-digital-camera <p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile4.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-27/BdakypByDiHdhHqyBeBxcEsfHuHrwiFjwnCIDrqtwagAuEHxCgAAtoiauugz/IMG_1679.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Img_1679" height="735" src="http://getfile3.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-27/BdakypByDiHdhHqyBeBxcEsfHuHrwiFjwnCIDrqtwagAuEHxCgAAtoiauugz/IMG_1679.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>Choosing a Ricoh digital camera is often illogical. The GR Digital series (such as the&nbsp;<a href="http://objectmag.com/ricoh-gr-digital-iii-camera">GRD3, reviewed here</a>) are idiosyncratic fixed lens shooters based upon the company's once-popular film cameras of the same name, zoomless relic-shaped compacts in a sea of sleek and shiny Sonys. The GXR is a system camera, like the many popular interchangeable lens models sold today, such as the Panasonic GX/GFs, Sony NEXes, Olympus PENs, and yet also unlike anything else on the market &mdash; different in that the sensors, too, are interchangeable. That design involves prohibitive costs, and guarantees a niche product.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile3.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-27/sgxgktooyjetyExFcdisfeHIGxzbGsJAGspgEztquzjkAtuqFCgapxFyiwEv/IMG_1682.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Img_1682" height="735" src="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-27/sgxgktooyjetyExFcdisfeHIGxzbGsJAGspgEztquzjkAtuqFCgapxFyiwEv/IMG_1682.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>In almost every specification, the CX6 is outclassed by competitors in the consumer travel zoom category. It's chunky, unsophisticated looking, and only shoots 10 megapixel images with its small sensor where others stretch as much as 16 megapixels from the same. Its zoom goes to 10.7x starting from 28mm wide, not 18x and not 24mm wide like Sony and Nikon models. It doesn't have a GPS unit. Its screen doesn't respond to touch.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-27/wFbcscwuCbkHyvBFpbiGBBdJJBwrqrztdCwicsdBmIAxeEcexwcCvldwHvwB/IMG_1681.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Img_1681" height="735" src="http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-27/wFbcscwuCbkHyvBFpbiGBBdJJBwrqrztdCwicsdBmIAxeEcexwcCvldwHvwB/IMG_1681.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>Explaining why I recommend this requires a justification of illogical choices. I like its spirit and purpose. Where other companies release 24 new cameras a year, Ricoh updates the CX line once every six months. Despite that, each new CX doesn't include every new feature out there, only a few that matter and that can be done well by a modest camera engineering team inside a large photocopier company.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile9.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-27/mbpeuqerCyrHFuJEtsfxsgxnBFAtvmgoxbzahsHpDsyEdjocahodkCmcGzqn/IMG_1684.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Img_1684" height="735" src="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-27/mbpeuqerCyrHFuJEtsfxsgxnBFAtvmgoxbzahsHpDsyEdjocahodkCmcGzqn/IMG_1684.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>In these few, critical ways, it stands above the competition. The CX6 features a hybrid phase/contrast detection autofocus system that's much faster than most &mdash; 0.1 seconds whether used wide or zoomed. Snapping a photo immediately becomes a real possibility. The company's proprietary white balancing technology also renders color in mixed lighting scenes more accurately by analyzing scenes in pieces, rather than as a whole like others do. The end result of all this automation, like with the GRD3, is the feeling of an almost analog user experience.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-27/ngGvugGBCiuxvawdBEfaAzeBInpvcAqkfBeeItkqqJcIkavgljoAsqbcBtvu/IMG_1683.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Img_1683" height="735" src="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-27/ngGvugGBCiuxvawdBEfaAzeBInpvcAqkfBeeItkqqJcIkavgljoAsqbcBtvu/IMG_1683.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>Held in the hand, it makes its owner look like a fugitive with the latest in N. Korean technology. And although it often produces beautiful images, they are never quite pristine when viewed at the pixel level. Regardless, Ricoh calls its philosophy "Pure Image Quality", the striving towards honest interpretations of reality, but one might say that the resulting camera here really thinks about light and color in human, imperfect ways. Personally, that's the draw. It's a love that comes to willing buyers from an illogical place.</p> <p /> <div><a href="http://www.ricoh.com/r_dc/cx/cx6/">Ricoh.com CX6 Product Page</a></div> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Here are a few photos I've managed to take in the few weeks I've owned it.</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-27/GsfuGEcHIefqbiBhHBtmAebDFwGJnECzmFlvncsDzkziGclmCzApgvyEzmvF/336550_10151185805035204_505255203_22807752_687424781_o.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="336550_10151185805035204_505255203_22807752_687424781_o" height="735" src="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-27/GsfuGEcHIefqbiBhHBtmAebDFwGJnECzmFlvncsDzkziGclmCzApgvyEzmvF/336550_10151185805035204_505255203_22807752_687424781_o.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <a href="http://getfile8.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-27/ukhhnegvexajIfaarzGpufvtJehFryxkdcdzGvarIlxHkusyiCEFzHAtkJde/0010355_.jpeg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="0010355_" height="980" src="http://getfile8.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-27/ukhhnegvexajIfaarzGpufvtJehFryxkdcdzGvarIlxHkusyiCEFzHAtkJde/0010355_.jpeg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <img alt="333716_10151185803460204_505255203_22807741_2135296395_o" height="1678" src="http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-27/CrtkvFlDaJpkrFibCGvtHhBAdgqCzwhDlwIxgJEawjEhwnsAntIHJeucIorb/333716_10151185803460204_505255203_22807741_2135296395_o.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /> <a href="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-27/DJElnbnxFJpwuCFBzHmjhHAewyedpvDcEDjFyuEDDdzrdkGhwFchDaggtcBb/0010341_Hard_work_ant_version.jpeg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="0010341_hard_work_ant_version" height="653" src="http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-27/DJElnbnxFJpwuCFBzHmjhHAewyedpvDcEDjFyuEDDdzrdkGhwFchDaggtcBb/0010341_Hard_work_ant_version.jpeg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <a href="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-27/lbfDwHEfasjnxopFxifGrvCgxuJfmHnmozHEpjzwzmutudufdlscHEHcmdxm/0010344_Smoke_break.jpeg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="0010344_smoke_break" height="750" src="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-27/lbfDwHEfasjnxopFxifGrvCgxuJfmHnmozHEpjzwzmutudufdlscHEHcmdxm/0010344_Smoke_break.jpeg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <a href="http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-27/xFCswcycoqwqadjlhleEyCadqmxwFiaaskeiBFoFcctlzFjdbblfzmloIIzg/194646_10151222806565204_505255203_22931652_615824319_o.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="194646_10151222806565204_505255203_22931652_615824319_o" height="653" src="http://getfile9.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-27/xFCswcycoqwqadjlhleEyCadqmxwFiaaskeiBFoFcctlzFjdbblfzmloIIzg/194646_10151222806565204_505255203_22931652_615824319_o.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <div class='p_see_full_gallery'><a href="http://objectmag.com/ricoh-cx6-digital-camera">See the full gallery on Posterous</a></div> </div> </p> <p><em>Photos of the CX6 taken with an iPhone 4S</em></p> </p> <p><a href="http://objectmag.com/ricoh-cx6-digital-camera">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://objectmag.com/ricoh-cx6-digital-camera#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/objectmag/~4/rWMrA5f0Zgc" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/124976/bran.gif http://posterous.com/users/10AoxWESqOZ Brandon Lee sangsara Brandon Lee http://objectmag.com/ricoh-cx6-digital-camera Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:54:00 -0800 Nike+ FuelBand http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/objectmag/~3/QDD3vUPl-yA/nike-fuelband http://objectmag.com/nike-fuelband <p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile8.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-19/bzJzAtzHBodgEyJHrehkEjruoyHpybmvrzoBopimzbbmEyvgGAukatgehcsd/nike_fuelband_single_original.JPG.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Nike_fuelband_single_original" height="734" src="http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-19/bzJzAtzHBodgEyJHrehkEjruoyHpybmvrzoBopimzbbmEyvgGAukatgehcsd/nike_fuelband_single_original.JPG.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <a href="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-19/adDJHxenwFdDnDbvGDFrfHpDtpxDlpxrnHtgsIgdsIuCDGnyGAdAlnBdeaxa/nike_fuelband_launch_CarmelitaJeter_01_original.JPG.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Nike_fuelband_launch_carmelitajeter_01_original" height="653" src="http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-19/adDJHxenwFdDnDbvGDFrfHpDtpxDlpxrnHtgsIgdsIuCDGnyGAdAlnBdeaxa/nike_fuelband_launch_CarmelitaJeter_01_original.JPG.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <a href="http://getfile4.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-19/zmmcibzhHzleqsDhjssIowfowuJJdoFzCgwtJvECGwlqjbsAvgaBpfvvijGB/nike_fuelband_launch_KD_01_original.JPG.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Nike_fuelband_launch_kd_01_original" height="653" src="http://getfile8.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-01-19/zmmcibzhHzleqsDhjssIowfowuJJdoFzCgwtJvECGwlqjbsAvgaBpfvvijGB/nike_fuelband_launch_KD_01_original.JPG.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <div class='p_see_full_gallery'><a href="http://objectmag.com/nike-fuelband">See the full gallery on Posterous</a></div> </div> I'll be the first to admit, <a href="http://objectmag.com/jawbone-up-wristband">Jawbone's Up wristband</a> was a disappointment, and I never even laid fingers on one. As soon as the preview post went up on this site, complaints of the hardware failing within days went from being exceptions to the norm. The company offered complete refunds to everyone who'd bought one, whether theirs died or not.</p> <p>The new Nike+ FuelBand looks set to rectify that, and although it improves on the Up in many ways, such as having Bluetooth connectivity (hallelujah), an ambient light sensor, and a digital readout with color-coded status lights indicating whether one's goals have been met, the concept feels like it belongs in a different category. The Up's promise was activity tracking for everyone. Sedentary office workers could get a little encouragement to take the stairs each day, and sleep a little better at night. You might, it was implied, start making minute adjustments to your life &mdash; no pressure.</p> <p>It's a testament to Nike's branding that the <strong>FuelBand</strong> immediately provokes images of heaving, tanned athletes bolting loudly out of the blocks, sweating profusely. The band's industrial design promises you'll break before it does. Gravel gets tossed up, and sneakers squeak everywhere you speak its name. It's all so TIRING. Perfect for some people surely, but not the rest of us. It doesn't help that activity is measured in a new arbitrary unit called NikeFuel, and that socially-networked users are invited to compete on who expends more fuel a day. Expect to see pro athletes online making you feel like a complete slob after the hardest run of your life.</p> <p>At USD$149, it's also 150% of the Jawbone Up's asking price; less of an impulse buy, but certainly affordable for health enthusiasts. The entire package, including the announced smartphone/web software and integration with social networks such as Path, is exciting and speaks to a scale of software/hardware engineering at Nike that will be hard for smaller companies like Jawbone to match.</p> </p> <p><a href="http://objectmag.com/nike-fuelband">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://objectmag.com/nike-fuelband#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/objectmag/~4/QDD3vUPl-yA" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/124976/bran.gif http://posterous.com/users/10AoxWESqOZ Brandon Lee sangsara Brandon Lee http://objectmag.com/nike-fuelband Sun, 15 Jan 2012 19:33:00 -0800 Panasonic GX1 Camera http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/objectmag/~3/ot0euQabwRs/panasonic-gx1-camera http://objectmag.com/panasonic-gx1-camera <p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-29/vaFqfCguzccDkDqIqpGtEqwzxurFucjGBbkzfvdbgrJtIxsGEtpCcotoHEzh/GX1-1.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Gx1-1" height="735" src="http://getfile9.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-29/vaFqfCguzccDkDqIqpGtEqwzxurFucjGBbkzfvdbgrJtIxsGEtpCcotoHEzh/GX1-1.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <a href="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-29/CdCCbBFkjmlBIrDzFgmrIBnIFkclsglgzyknlJqHBaxHsoFqfEblctajgCBv/GX1-3.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Gx1-3" height="735" src="http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-29/CdCCbBFkjmlBIrDzFgmrIBnIFkclsglgzyknlJqHBaxHsoFqfEblctajgCBv/GX1-3.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <a href="http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-29/lBcnJAhAbsmckkmJidoJJbBhFzvwozpEiqJFjjrozqwtesGbAAsCtfgoBHaC/GX1-2.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Gx1-2" height="735" src="http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-29/lBcnJAhAbsmckkmJidoJJbBhFzvwozpEiqJFjjrozqwtesGbAAsCtfgoBHaC/GX1-2.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <div class='p_see_full_gallery'><a href="http://objectmag.com/panasonic-gx1-camera">See the full gallery on Posterous</a></div> </div> </p> <p>Of the two manufacturers committed to the Micro Four-Thirds standard, Panasonic has shown the greater competence in industrial and user interface design; all their cameras so far have exhibited a high level of desirability and innovation, albeit harshly segmented in recent years between models intended for Professionals and those for Consumers, the latter word an industry-wide pejorative synonym for Idiots Who Can't Look Up The Word 'Aperture'.</p> <p>The new GX1 looks to be different: a great choice for _anyone_ wanting a quality digital camera. It accommodates the beginner with a dedicated "Intelligent Auto" button. In that mode, one just points and shoots like any old camera. Touchscreen functions are included for the iPhone set, but are thankfully optional, and will yield to the dial and button-centric controls that enthusiasts appreciate, if asked. It also looks like a camera should &mdash; none of the Panasonic GF3's toylike, plastic curves &mdash; with a well-sized front grip and an accessory port for flashes and an electronic viewfinder.</p> <p>Its new 16-megapixel sensor outperforms the standard 12-megapixel sensor used in most Micro Four-Thirds cameras, including Olympus's flagship PEN E-P3. A new ISO ceiling of 12800 is promised, and low-light performance and noise reduction are reportedly improved through a numerical advancement in the marketing mumbo jumbo of the proprietary VENUS ENGINE.&nbsp;The optional (but recommended) "X" series zoom lenses are powered and have slider controls where a thumb would rest, and fold down to a minimal profile when not in use. As our hypothetical beginner slash user grows in confidence, this camera will probably keep up to the point where he starts charging for wedding assignments and wears an accessory vest whenever babies might be around.</p> <p>Simplified 'Consumer' models like the sub-$400 Olympus E-PM1 (short for PEN Micro 1) dangle words like "SLR quality" and entice those in the market for a tiny pocket birthday party camera to upgrade their photographic ambitions for a few dollars more, but the condescension of "ease of use" design that removes useful dials and buttons, without corresponding advancements in the usability of their user interfaces (you shall know it by the massing of options hidden behind menu items that take a minute to access), only does these customers a disservice. They inevitably end up being used no differently than the tiny pocket birthday party cameras, except they don't fit in pockets and are more frustrating when they fail.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Without having used one, I can say that this is the Micro Four-Thirds camera I would buy with my own money today. Its design intentions are in the right place. It accommodates aspiration with a full set of features. Nothing about it condescends. Its greatest limitation is its price.</p> <p /> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Shop: <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/objectmag-20/detail/B00604YTH0">Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1X Camera, with 14-42mm X Power Zoom Lens (Black)</a></p> </p> <p><a href="http://objectmag.com/panasonic-gx1-camera">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://objectmag.com/panasonic-gx1-camera#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/objectmag/~4/ot0euQabwRs" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/124976/bran.gif http://posterous.com/users/10AoxWESqOZ Brandon Lee sangsara Brandon Lee http://objectmag.com/panasonic-gx1-camera Mon, 02 Jan 2012 19:30:00 -0800 Idea "Jetlag" Travel Alarm Clock http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/objectmag/~3/URWbl87LdpY/idea-jetlag-travel-alarm-clock http://objectmag.com/idea-jetlag-travel-alarm-clock <p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-17/aIdBinbycIIsHvbICAhhDmFxksgzAjDhmJjfgybrBkjzEvdHgyBeFuBmoEFe/jetlag.jpeg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Jetlag" height="980" src="http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-17/aIdBinbycIIsHvbICAhhDmFxksgzAjDhmJjfgybrBkjzEvdHgyBeFuBmoEFe/jetlag.jpeg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <a href="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-17/fiuCCAFuaFqjCwzciuhJphfokAauauxqluIpuyDtlvHldptAlfnBpfAJHDfr/jetlags.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Jetlags" height="980" src="http://getfile8.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-17/fiuCCAFuaFqjCwzciuhJphfokAauauxqluIpuyDtlvHldptAlfnBpfAJHDfr/jetlags.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <img alt="Jetlag_hands" height="500" src="http://getfile3.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-17/nisAffjwvqAmAJCpimadJwbtbgogoDEEmjeABtywCgoGnirkvurFnhvzlaAB/jetlag_hands.jpeg.scaled980.jpg" width="500" /> <img alt="Jetlag-alarm-clock" height="340" src="http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-17/hgBxbAqkzBABjmttohqopJmblJuoaelgifpuIsFiDuyGyIfwcdFxbhIijHmw/jetlag-alarm-clock.gif.scaled980.gif" width="447" /> <div class='p_see_full_gallery'><a href="http://objectmag.com/idea-jetlag-travel-alarm-clock">See the full gallery on Posterous</a></div> </div> </p> <p>Designed in Japan, this palm-sized clock evokes the muddled feelings of international travel. From afar, its minimalism seems sophisticated and desirable, but get closer and the mundanity of showering in a small Tokyo&nbsp;bathroom cube, pounding beige, wall-mounted dispenser buttons for the last dregs of "SHAMPOOO", comes through in its plastic construction and ultralight sans serif&nbsp;lettering.</p> <p>The backlit LCD numbers are as unchanged from the 1980s as the drab American business hotel room you now find yourself in (how did you get here from Tokyo?). Twin displays, one for the present time and the other for the preset alarm, cleverly present the duality of your shifted existence. Jetlag indeed.</p> <p>In this age of smartphones, what is the use case for traveling with a dedicated alarm clock? But you do, and the next morning, roused from sleep in a barely-lit room, your mind wonders, "Why does every hotel I stay in have the same cheap plastic clock?". In that moment, you will be home.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Shop: Idea Jetlag Travel Alarm Clock (<a href="http://astore.amazon.com/objectmag-20/detail/B003TXUF9G">White</a>) (<a href="http://astore.amazon.com/objectmag-20/detail/B003TXUCAI">Black</a>) (<a href="http://astore.amazon.com/objectmag-20/detail/B003TXJMEK">Red</a>)</p> </p> <p><a href="http://objectmag.com/idea-jetlag-travel-alarm-clock">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://objectmag.com/idea-jetlag-travel-alarm-clock#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/objectmag/~4/URWbl87LdpY" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/124976/bran.gif http://posterous.com/users/10AoxWESqOZ Brandon Lee sangsara Brandon Lee http://objectmag.com/idea-jetlag-travel-alarm-clock Fri, 23 Dec 2011 19:13:00 -0800 ⊛ Incase Sonic Headphones http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/objectmag/~3/bqFb6ml68zs/incase-sonic-headphones http://objectmag.com/incase-sonic-headphones <p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-22/huaAewBogbwIvDbmnnvpghxfDvHlewbBykavuecoetwBnIzJEtsoFhmxkkdb/IMG_1289.JPG_effected-001.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Img_1289" height="735" src="http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-22/huaAewBogbwIvDbmnnvpghxfDvHlewbBykavuecoetwBnIzJEtsoFhmxkkdb/IMG_1289.JPG_effected-001.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>For an iPhone case and laptop bag manufacturer like Incase, jumping into the crowded world of electronics, specifically consumer audio equipment, is pretty rare. Rarer still are its ambitions to compete in the mid-range and premium ends of the market, with a pair of over-ear headphones like the Sonic priced at USD$199.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile9.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-23/rCnwDlawzeqHIjtcyCxplIbDjdiafwkunbznwkwEmcijDtbqnIdqgnCuxvCn/IMG_1290.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Img_1290" height="735" src="http://getfile9.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-23/rCnwDlawzeqHIjtcyCxplIbDjdiafwkunbznwkwEmcijDtbqnIdqgnCuxvCn/IMG_1290.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <div>The soft-touch coated Sonics are just about the best-looking headphones available today. Incase calls it minimal design, but what you get is something fresh. It's a departure from the retro look of Grados, the workmanlike build of Audio-Technica's monitors, and the plasticky gloss of Dr. Dre/Monster's atrocious-sounding beats brand, all of which dominate the definition of contemporary headphone design.</div> <p>If you believe the hype, Incase had a hand in crafting the sound signature for all four headphones in its <a href="http://goincase.com/collections/audio">first audio collection</a>. The Sonics sound balanced but not exceedingly well-defined; I get more clarity and detail in the high frequencies with the&nbsp;<a href="http://objectmag.com/logitech-ultimate-ears-600vi-headphones">Logitech Ultimate Ears 600s</a>. To their credit, they chose to avoid the exaggerated bass response of many other fashionable headphones (which would have guaranteed them millions of dollars in sales).</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-22/eqxCbIdqdydpghtdywmcFubFJlunDvrDtaCbrciemirolzAqcjbyxedDdrpv/IMG_1287.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Img_1287" height="735" src="http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-22/eqxCbIdqdydpghtdywmcFubFJlunDvrDtaCbrciemirolzAqcjbyxedDdrpv/IMG_1287.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>Isolation is superb, and the irregularly-shaped earcups are a big part of it. Covered in a soft suede and molded to fully surround a human ear, they are the most comfortable over-ears I've ever worn. They can get a little warm, but I only ever use them in an air-conditioned office. You may not want to walk around town in the summer with them.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile9.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-22/jDqhmxhjhdJDqoricsmycrnJpdwtdmefshfxAHzxyHIIamkDdfpepIvAbmig/IMG_1285.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Img_1285" height="735" src="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-22/jDqhmxhjhdJDqoricsmycrnJpdwtdmefshfxAHzxyHIIamkDdfpepIvAbmig/IMG_1285.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>Each pair comes with two cables, one in a matching color, and the other in a contrast color matching the inside of the earcups. Both have iPhone-compatible microphones and 3-button remotes.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-22/IqHdcejpfBhcHarfIjFmFAhAGdvuCuEArpxHlefytDhweearwefwmmsmqJyA/IMG_1288.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Img_1288" height="735" src="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-22/IqHdcejpfBhcHarfIjFmFAhAGdvuCuEArpxHlefytDhweearwefwmmsmqJyA/IMG_1288.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>The massive box onions out like the finest Apple packaging, and includes a fur-lined zipper case. The headphones don't fold up in any way for transport, though.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-22/nFGhIxxiwDGtekwyekDaoyCbuplGpxyJgiCwACAJAzCupwdaqunzGrgnHGxh/IMG_1278_cb.JPG.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Img_1278_cb" height="735" src="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-22/nFGhIxxiwDGtekwyekDaoyCbuplGpxyJgiCwACAJAzCupwdaqunzGrgnHGxh/IMG_1278_cb.JPG.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>The more I think about it, the smarter it looks. Phone/laptop cases are differentiated by design, and companies in the business develop a lot of experience working with Asian suppliers &mdash; two traits that increasingly define success in the headphone market.&nbsp;Amongst those competing on fashion and design,&nbsp;<a href="http://gizmodo.com/5617200/the-secret-scam-of-cheap-earbuds">most buy off-the-shelf reference models</a>&nbsp;from Chinese factories, silkscreen a logo on, and go straight to market.</p> <p>Any audiophile could point to a pair of Sennheisers at the same price point that sonically outperform the Incase Sonics, but that's no longer the game being played in the marketplace. You pay for a great custom design, a generous set of accessories, and the sound quality of German headphones that go for half the price. That's actually one of the best deals in fashionable audio equipment!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Shop: <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/objectmag-20/detail/B005N00FUM">Incase Sonic Over-Ear Headphones (Primer/Fluoro Blue)</a>&nbsp;| <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/objectmag-20/detail/B005MZFMCY">(Black/Fluoro Green)</a></p> <p><em>Photos for this feature were taken with an Apple iPhone 4S</em></p> </p> <p><a href="http://objectmag.com/incase-sonic-headphones">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://objectmag.com/incase-sonic-headphones#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/objectmag/~4/bqFb6ml68zs" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/124976/bran.gif http://posterous.com/users/10AoxWESqOZ Brandon Lee sangsara Brandon Lee http://objectmag.com/incase-sonic-headphones Fri, 16 Dec 2011 21:44:00 -0800 Superheadz Clap Digital Camera http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/objectmag/~3/A8J_s1vMH7k/superheadz-clap-digital-camera http://objectmag.com/superheadz-clap-digital-camera <p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-16/CmcngHCjfdJcvuFHabtAHzClFtDvlkBsApztuJJFrqhJumbsmbDfbkgzbAtE/clap.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Clap" height="735" src="http://getfile4.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-16/CmcngHCjfdJcvuFHabtAHzClFtDvlkBsApztuJJFrqhJumbsmbDfbkgzbAtE/clap.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <a href="http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-16/haahrqeueokizdvsoHBImuqIvgewmzurvfaHzzHfcugpAjgEJEoInArlqHpe/Eazzzy.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Eazzzy" height="735" src="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-16/haahrqeueokizdvsoHBImuqIvgewmzurvfaHzzHfcugpAjgEJEoInArlqHpe/Eazzzy.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <img alt="02" height="365" src="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-16/qpctrvflhgotnkIFonvfFlnIfjHlbJtACEFBjCHJJvmiFeHyCdlxhmHBGbzE/02.jpeg.scaled980.jpg" width="518" /> <div class='p_see_full_gallery'><a href="http://objectmag.com/superheadz-clap-digital-camera">See the full gallery on Posterous</a></div> </div> </p> <p>In 2008, a concept design for an extremely minimal digital camera by one Sungwoo Park appeared online, with no viewfinder or screen, featuring the simplicity of just one button, and a cleverly integrated USB port. The body was only slightly bigger than that of flashdrives at the time, and looked like a traditional camera rendered at the level of detail appropriate for an icon. It was unfortunately named the <a href="http://www.yankodesign.com/2008/01/22/usb-digital-camera-fakes-analog/">EazzzY~! USB Digital Camera</a>.</p> <p>The <a href="http://www.superheadz.com/clap/main_en.html">Superheadz Clap</a> is a digital camera that resembles the EazzzY~! so closely that if Park wasn't paid or hired for his work, he should consider legal action. Like other digital toy cameras from Superheadz, image quality is deemphasized. Results are somewhere between a webcam and expired film from an 80s-era point and shoot. It's an approach in keeping with a camera that doesn't allow composing or previewing your shot before you take it (or even after) &mdash; shooting from the hip, as the Lomo crowd puts it.</p> <p>There are many other display-less digital cameras on the market, and any modern smartphone would seem capable of matching the convenience and (with the help of apps) degraded image quality of the Clap camera. Just this week, the designers of the popular Hipstamatic iPhone app released the <a href="http://disposable.hipstamatic.com/">Disposable</a>, a suicidal new product that combines the recurring cost of film purchasing, the built-in wait period of film rolls,&nbsp;and the lo-fi look of hipster film hobbyists.</p> <p>But digital though its microSD card storage, USB port, and rechargeable battery may be, the Clap's merits are physical. Its design is unique, emotional, and beautiful: it's no <a href="http://www.google.com.sg/search?tbm=isch&amp;hl=en&amp;source=hp&amp;biw=1435&amp;bih=1249&amp;q=vistaquest+vq1015&amp;gbv=2&amp;oq=vistaquest+&amp;aq=0&amp;aqi=g5g-S5&amp;aql=&amp;gs_sm=e&amp;gs_upl=2347l4437l0l5731l13l11l1l3l3l0l170l769l3.4l7l0">Vistaquest</a>. In shooting, its size/weight ratio, fun colors, low price, and operational simplicity will result in the creation of very different pictures than from a smartphone. The only thing that lets it down on paper is the poor light sensitivity of an f2.8 lens coupled with an ISO 100 limit.</p> <p><strong>Update</strong>: This camera was first available under the name "PICK". The Superheadz versions have additional wording on the body and come in different colors.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Shop: <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/objectmag-20/detail/B004WN6DJS">Superheadz CLAP Digital Camera Powershovel Red</a> / <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/objectmag-20/detail/B005FDNQNA">Sugar Grey</a> / <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/objectmag-20/detail/B005FDJPXU">Sugar Blue</a> / <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/objectmag-20/detail/B005FDN6IA">Sugar Pink</a></p> <p><em>Photos copyright Superheadz Inc. / Sungwoo Park</em></p> </p> <p><a href="http://objectmag.com/superheadz-clap-digital-camera">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://objectmag.com/superheadz-clap-digital-camera#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/objectmag/~4/A8J_s1vMH7k" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/124976/bran.gif http://posterous.com/users/10AoxWESqOZ Brandon Lee sangsara Brandon Lee http://objectmag.com/superheadz-clap-digital-camera Sat, 10 Dec 2011 21:27:00 -0800 ⊛ Amazon Kindle 4 & Kindle Touch http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/objectmag/~3/pTtrndd7hDI/amazon-kindle-4-kindle-touch http://objectmag.com/amazon-kindle-4-kindle-touch <p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-03/xjadoryugEcjprhCwtmdcbbaopgpfwIcrafwoGcFxinxGnECytiDxHfDegot/R0011348.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="R0011348" height="735" src="http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-03/xjadoryugEcjprhCwtmdcbbaopgpfwIcrafwoGcFxinxGnECytiDxHfDegot/R0011348.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>Amazon's two 2011 e-ink Kindles are cheaper than e-readers have ever been, partly because they display advertisements by default, and partly because the company sees Kindles as razors, and books as blades. The USD$79 model, hereafter known as the Kindle 4 (right), has hardware buttons and a 5-way button for navigating menus. The USD$99 Kindle Touch has a touch-responsive screen that lets smartphone and tablet users tap and swipe like they're accustomed to.</p> <p>The argument for e-ink over reading on a phone or tablet usually centers around three points: greater legibility of text (how the screen looks in sunlight and the overall appearance of fonts), longer battery life, and focus. The new Kindles continue to excel in these areas.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile9.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-03/CzmqFytxmHvIbcyeweDygoAnycJbbflkokrCIdAFboccczHJvEmrIkdjeoDo/R0011349.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="R0011349" height="735" src="http://getfile9.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-03/CzmqFytxmHvIbcyeweDygoAnycJbbflkokrCIdAFboccczHJvEmrIkdjeoDo/R0011349.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>Having read on devices as poorly suited to the task as Palm Pilots over a decade ago, to the bright, full-color iPads of recent years, the monochrome screen of a Kindle always sounded to me like a step backwards. Once I started using one for book reading, however, I was converted; the form factor of these Kindles is simply perfect &mdash; close to a paperback in size, but lighter. Text has physical presence, and looks more "real" than words on an LCD screen. A larger, heavier tablet cannot hope to be as immersive.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-03/JIEDIlCvttghptlthmjuunEqmvyzEdhknHcuudoylFzyiebosCIrklFgmBlw/R0011350.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="R0011350" height="735" src="http://getfile4.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-03/JIEDIlCvttghptlthmjuunEqmvyzEdhknHcuudoylFzyiebosCIrklFgmBlw/R0011350.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>Amazon says the battery in the Kindle 4 lasts about a month (30 mins a day, or approximately 15 hours), but it's hard to be precise about units of time because the device only uses power when a page is turned. The screen consumes nothing when it's left alone or in sleep mode&nbsp;(where the screen displays ads unless you pay USD$30 to opt-out), although everything still looks "on". The slightly thicker Kindle Touch lasts two months.</p> <p>Psychologically, this is an important difference from backlit&nbsp;LCD&nbsp;e-readers. In the middle of a page, you're able to pause, reflect, and resume reading without the omnipresent, subconscious worry of a steadily decreasing battery.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-03/aqohcmDezaDFegEulErmkdcfhnbzIdJwGdoyHuqutvHsJDJEBjCielErfapC/R0011351.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="R0011351" height="735" src="http://getfile8.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-03/aqohcmDezaDFegEulErmkdcfhnbzIdJwGdoyHuqutvHsJDJEBjCielErfapC/R0011351.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>Being able to get lost in a book comes down to the reduction of distractions like battery life, pop-up notifications, and constant management of a device's weight in your hands. The final distraction for sensitive readers, odd typographical styling, is nullified by a variety of text layout options. Set and forget.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile4.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-05/vEHyJqiGiCtHDmlczAzGyccrlGpctJfdsyEriFkcBlubrgpxrtmHBnzuJrAc/R0011352.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="R0011352" height="735" src="http://getfile3.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-05/vEHyJqiGiCtHDmlczAzGyccrlGpctJfdsyEriFkcBlubrgpxrtmHBnzuJrAc/R0011352.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The Kindle's back is covered with a rubbery soft-touch texture, and the Touch model makes turning the page as easy as nudging the screen with one's thumb. The Kindle 4's hardware buttons, unfortunately, may not be ideally placed for some, requiring pressure inwards along the edge rather than directly downwards.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-05/vDprcxukIiyczikHeifoDGAdHCkrDlvdqFtHrBABJjvEvbwerrwoaeGdnFwj/IMG_0797.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Img_0797" height="735" src="http://getfile9.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-05/vDprcxukIiyczikHeifoDGAdHCkrDlvdqFtHrBABJjvEvbwerrwoaeGdnFwj/IMG_0797.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>In reflection of their low prices, build quality can be imperfect and the rear panel may feel a little loose when tapped. But as a work of disposable electronics meant to replace far more than the eight books it equals in cost, all is forgiven. Whether buying literature in ebook form makes any logical sense, for close to the same price as lasting, printed editions that can be shared and passed on, is another question. But if you answer 'no', the Kindles still work with .Mobi, .PDF, and several other popular file types transferred via USB cable.</p> <p /> <div>Shop: <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/objectmag-20/detail/B0051QVESA">Amazon Kindle 4</a>&nbsp;/ <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/objectmag-20/detail/B005890G8Y">Amazon Kindle Touch</a>&nbsp;/ <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/objectmag-20/detail/B004SD283M">Charcoal Zip Sleeve</a></div> <p>&nbsp;</p> </p> <p><a href="http://objectmag.com/amazon-kindle-4-kindle-touch">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://objectmag.com/amazon-kindle-4-kindle-touch#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/objectmag/~4/pTtrndd7hDI" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/124976/bran.gif http://posterous.com/users/10AoxWESqOZ Brandon Lee sangsara Brandon Lee http://objectmag.com/amazon-kindle-4-kindle-touch Sat, 10 Dec 2011 21:26:00 -0800 Nest Thermostat http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/objectmag/~3/H56gqX_5N5M/nest-thermostat http://objectmag.com/nest-thermostat <p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-28/nHCihjiienqzacqznimviEoGnjtFahdDamIcdvpHGnzBcscBsvkhlHtFnCFd/nest1.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Nest1" height="734" src="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-28/nHCihjiienqzacqznimviEoGnjtFahdDamIcdvpHGnzBcscBsvkhlHtFnCFd/nest1.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <a href="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-28/vcBIIEsxrDIuhssHGodIlbrEsGvdICzBHvdbtheGtEdnHwErrckfJGJeFGfH/nest2.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Nest2" height="735" src="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-28/vcBIIEsxrDIuhssHGodIlbrEsGvdICzBHvdbtheGtEdnHwErrckfJGJeFGfH/nest2.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <div class='p_see_full_gallery'><a href="http://objectmag.com/nest-thermostat">See the full gallery on Posterous</a></div> </div> </p> <p>The first product from Tony "Father of the iPod" Fadell since he left Apple, the <a href="http://www.nest.com">Nest</a> is billed as a 'learning thermostat' that endeavors to optimize indoor climate control functions, and thereby reduce energy use and utility bills.</p> <p>Being published in a tropical swelterland where all thermal controls are locked to their lowest possible settings, Object has no concept of the Nest's value apart from its minimalist industrial design, reminiscent of the finest Swedish egg timers. &nbsp;Simply by reimagining an appliance that most never give a second thought as a USD$249 high-tech regulating nerve center for a home's energy consumption, the Nest gets our vote.</p> <p>More interesting is what it heralds. Much has been made of how Apple's ex-designers and engineers may soon infiltrate the world of consumer electronics, bringing their tastes and sensibilities &mdash; honed by years of the finest abuse &mdash; to product categories Apple will never see fit to explore. That's certainly something to celebrate, but having these extensions of the Cupertino company's design values in mainstream products will invite a wave of superficial imitation by Chinese manufacturers like never before. You already see it in those hastily glassed-and-aluminized (really plastic) designs on nameless harddrive enclosures, battery packs, portable media players, and even laptops by HP. Imagine a bizarro world filled with bad, Apple-inspired <em>everything</em>.</p> </p> <p><a href="http://objectmag.com/nest-thermostat">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://objectmag.com/nest-thermostat#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/objectmag/~4/H56gqX_5N5M" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/124976/bran.gif http://posterous.com/users/10AoxWESqOZ Brandon Lee sangsara Brandon Lee http://objectmag.com/nest-thermostat Sat, 03 Dec 2011 08:31:00 -0800 ⊛ Starbucks VIA Ready Brew http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/objectmag/~3/MzhJgl0ogxo/starbucks-via-ready-brew http://objectmag.com/starbucks-via-ready-brew <p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-12/FtkAqEBAyDeopAuquIxDghxrxbegioxdmevvBAxpCHoACiGapzylmxlrJfoh/_0011296.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="_0011296" height="980" src="http://getfile4.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-12/FtkAqEBAyDeopAuquIxDghxrxbegioxdmevvBAxpCHoACiGapzylmxlrJfoh/_0011296.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>It's Sunday. You're not <a href="http://www.marco.org/2010/06/16/the-coffee-setup-2010-i-own-a-lot-of-ways-to">Marco Arment</a>. You never bought into proprietary pod-based coffee machines. You're waiting for the AeroPress to solve its stained plastic problem. In the meantime, you need coffee but aren't dead inside enough to buy 3-in-1 mix.</p> <p>You don't have a problem with global megacorporations. You've been known to enjoy a hazelnut latte. You have a kettle. Good news, Starbucks VIA is pretty good instant coffee.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile8.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-12/lzEFwniAsDfjpmziaDvbhpuchwjlHIBisIhEFDydDgpDohzjjyyvewutowCa/_0011303.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="_0011303" height="735" src="http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-12/lzEFwniAsDfjpmziaDvbhpuchwjlHIBisIhEFDydDgpDohzjjyyvewutowCa/_0011303.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>Only recently launched, the lineup in Singapore is limited to Columbian, Italian Roast, and the seasonal Christmas Blend. This narrow focus actually presents a much more respectable image than the product enjoys in the U.S., where every yuppified sugary variation has been indulged.</p> <p>Individual packaging means no chance of spoon-in-jar contamination.&nbsp;The differentiating word here, apart from Starbucks&trade;, is "microground". It's a fine, almost inhalable powder that claims to include essential coffee oils that other instants lack. The result is reasonably close to traditional drip or pressed coffee, depending on how much water is used. Here's a thought: sell essential coffee oils at the cost of printer ink. Step 2: Profit!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile8.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-13/oHblDvwcAhDyEzxxjaDIcblnBqnCkiFtaphwxBchCzAfFypgpoHlygofjyjp/_0011305.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="_0011305" height="670" src="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-13/oHblDvwcAhDyEzxxjaDIcblnBqnCkiFtaphwxBchCzAfFypgpoHlygofjyjp/_0011305.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>It's still instant coffee, but also the only instant coffee that doesn't make you want to spend the rest of the weekend in the fetal position. At the very least, It'll tide you over until you cave and get that <a href="http://www.nespresso.com/pixie/?l=en_US">Nespresso Pixie</a>.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Shop: <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/objectmag-20/detail/B0056C9WS8">Starbucks VIA Ready Brew</a></p> </p> <p><a href="http://objectmag.com/starbucks-via-ready-brew">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://objectmag.com/starbucks-via-ready-brew#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/objectmag/~4/MzhJgl0ogxo" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/124976/bran.gif http://posterous.com/users/10AoxWESqOZ Brandon Lee sangsara Brandon Lee http://objectmag.com/starbucks-via-ready-brew Fri, 02 Dec 2011 20:23:00 -0800 Jawbone UP Wristband http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/objectmag/~3/5QhyM8kUv0c/jawbone-up-wristband http://objectmag.com/jawbone-up-wristband <p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile3.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/rrmqloFFjFciHwghjFhchJmidnztCFoAFJFbbuEwebmyniJwdCFfjoIdavbb/up3.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Up3" height="676" src="http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/rrmqloFFjFciHwghjFhchJmidnztCFoAFJFbbuEwebmyniJwdCFfjoIdavbb/up3.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <a href="http://getfile9.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/bHoaiApxBbBAjmzilxBitAxcHlDlwdztxxxvnjiJfkjcBnwqaChsxevdIlaE/jawbone-up-hires-001.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Jawbone-up-hires-001" height="491" src="http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/bHoaiApxBbBAjmzilxBitAxcHlDlwdztxxxvnjiJfkjcBnwqaChsxevdIlaE/jawbone-up-hires-001.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <a href="http://getfile9.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/pwusuhAtxjEvkyqwkDbdgAFizcttxihbcjuBcyyvHGbajzhCAguIgzkGHljp/up4.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Up4" height="712" src="http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/pwusuhAtxjEvkyqwkDbdgAFizcttxihbcjuBcyyvHGbajzhCAguIgzkGHljp/up4.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <img alt="Up2" height="1516" src="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/bEIBthJdCBJporyHusqEiwbuoufIuqEACFrcsaHAAylvgBwaamtFpzjAfsad/up2.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /> <div class='p_see_full_gallery'><a href="http://objectmag.com/jawbone-up-wristband">See the full gallery on Posterous</a></div> </div> </p> <p>Jawbone has always been able to design the sharpest Bluetooth accessories on the market; their <a href="http://jawbone.com/headsets/icon/overview">ICON</a> and <a href="http://jawbone.com/headsets/era/overview">ERA</a> models are the closest to credible any handsfree headsets have ever been. I should know, I get beat up less when wearing them than with any other brand. Odd then, that their latest product is neither a headset nor Bluetooth enabled.</p> <p>The UP is a flexible wristband containing an advanced motion sensor, some memory, and a battery that lasts up to 10 days. By wearing the water-resistant device 24 hours a day and using a companion app, users get a comprehensive picture of their health habits by&nbsp;plugging one end of the UP into their iPhone headphone jacks to sync. Quality and duration of sleep each night, the number of steps taken, calories burned, and so on. It even serves as an intelligent alarm clock by vibrating at the tail end of one's deep sleep cycle in the morning, kinda like the very popular <a href="http://www.sleepcycle.com/">Sleep Cycle app</a>.</p> <p>It's available now in the US, UK, and select countries, with a larger international rollout planned by the end of the year. Scattered reports of defects and failures in early batches might give would-be buyers pause, but at just USD$99, early adopters will want to jump in and rely on Jawbone's customer service for replacements as necessary.</p> <p><strong>Update</strong>: Jawbone has acknowledged the UP's higher-than-normal failure rate and is now offering a <a href="http://jawbone.com/up/refund">full refund program</a>, even for those with working units who want to keep them. It's hard to continue recommending the UP under these circumstances, but the concept is sound and hopefully the next iteration will achieve its promise.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="http://jawbone.com/up">Jawbone UP</a></p> </p> <p><a href="http://objectmag.com/jawbone-up-wristband">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://objectmag.com/jawbone-up-wristband#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/objectmag/~4/5QhyM8kUv0c" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/124976/bran.gif http://posterous.com/users/10AoxWESqOZ Brandon Lee sangsara Brandon Lee http://objectmag.com/jawbone-up-wristband Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:19:00 -0800 Phosphor World Time Sport Watch http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/objectmag/~3/vyeCUE20ftk/phosphor-world-time-sport-watch http://objectmag.com/phosphor-world-time-sport-watch <p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="857136003074-2" height="648" src="http://getfile4.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-22/GIaCHbBrfwstICDsrkBivlbdBoiCuChfEvvigsrbjmIhubiAFJttubsslgyJ/857136003074-2.jpeg.scaled980.jpg" width="408" /> <img alt="857136003081-2" height="648" src="http://getfile9.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-22/IbCGiihjyfpijjtpJcdvDbBkwwJIfbHytfasBtIoyaCrfsmGmkEeyjttqGcD/857136003081-2.jpeg.scaled980.jpg" width="408" /> <img alt="857136003067-2" height="648" src="http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-22/fwnfFedjpGHcCoolzjahBgltaHJJmnCJGcBACgIwErmIegfCrAaaznBzyJys/857136003067-2.jpeg.scaled980.jpg" width="408" /> <div class='p_see_full_gallery'><a href="http://objectmag.com/phosphor-world-time-sport-watch">See the full gallery on Posterous</a></div> </div> The e-ink technology in your Kindle is a perfect fit for digital watches, requiring energy only when the display changes, not when it's motionless. Using e-ink means the possibility of multiple display layouts, and the usual benefit of being sharper and more visible in sunlight than traditional LCDs. Why more watchmakers don't use it is a mystery.</p> <p>The water-resistant World Time Sport is the latest from Phosphor, who have put out quite a few stylish but inexpensive (USD$150-250) e-ink models now with metal, leather, and polyurethane straps. This, with silicone straps, is the most affordable at just $99*, and the first with a curved touchscreen that responds to swipes.</p> <p>Shipping December 2011.<br />*Pre-order pricing is just $79.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Phosphor Watches: World Time Sport <a href="http://www.phosphorwatches.com/World-Time-Sport-Black-p/857136003067.htm">Black (WP001)</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.phosphorwatches.com/World-Time-Sport-White-WP002-p/857136003074.htm">White (WP002)</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.phosphorwatches.com/World-Time-Sport-Orange-p/857136003081.htm">Orange (WP003)</a></p> </p> <p><a href="http://objectmag.com/phosphor-world-time-sport-watch">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://objectmag.com/phosphor-world-time-sport-watch#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/objectmag/~4/vyeCUE20ftk" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/124976/bran.gif http://posterous.com/users/10AoxWESqOZ Brandon Lee sangsara Brandon Lee http://objectmag.com/phosphor-world-time-sport-watch Fri, 11 Nov 2011 04:41:00 -0800 ⊛ Monocle 24 for iOS http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/objectmag/~3/5hlfKMuNXYk/monocle-24-for-ios-virtual-object http://objectmag.com/monocle-24-for-ios-virtual-object <p> <p>Welcome to the first in our Virtual Objects series &mdash; an acknowledgment that great product design is not limited to the tangible.</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="M24" height="175" src="http://getfile4.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-11/fzCEDafDExrkeyxgiBfHvzIguvpsHAaEzCJcBDbrcdzotdIdJfkayEjHxivj/m24.jpeg.scaled980.jpg" width="175" /> </div> </p> <p><a href="http://monocle.com/">Monocle</a> is one of the most precisely arranged and beautifully executed magazines I know, doing amazing things with quality paper, elegant typography, and minimalist design. They've also been resistant to anything electronic beyond posting podcasts and the occasional video on their website &mdash; no interactive tablet editions, social media conversations, or anything that detracted from the magazine.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile4.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-11/DgylpsexayuFvbrkhxiemzCjfzCxFhztkAvffiHfqacnrIupJxCxgsBByEIe/_0011293.JPG_effected_copy.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="_0011293" height="735" src="http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-11/DgylpsexayuFvbrkhxiemzCjfzCxFhztkAvffiHfqacnrIupJxCxgsBByEIe/_0011293.JPG_effected_copy.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> A month ago, they started something wonderfully old-fashioned: a 24-hour radio station (albeit broadcasted over the web) entitled Monocle 24.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Img_0453" height="960" src="http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/rGxliixFzEooxuCpHsaeuxjxateBkDCEEcoIfDjeCnxgwEzpnjlkBbxeJwws/IMG_0453.PNG.scaled980.png" width="640" /> </div> </p> <p>The accompanying iOS app serves up their 25/25 City Guides and daily Monocolumn content in addition to the radio stream. All three are freely available on their website for non-subscribers, but the app justifies its small price tag with convenience and some very nice pixels.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Img_0454" height="960" src="http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/AIrfzgcvjeHubrgrtuvvHFdtEJBuDHArnCkFhjyhsuhkchunsJqyBJgpExAk/IMG_0454.PNG.scaled980.png" width="640" /> </div> </p> <p>Each of the enlightening talk shows that break up the automated music playlists has its own representative graphic. Some, like the daily Globalist, are type-based, while others like the weekly Urbanist feature the whimsical illustrations of Satoshi Hashimoto as commonly seen in their print product.</p> <p>The black and yellow interface elements everywhere echo Monocle's familiar design (as do the ad endorsements).</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Img_0455" height="960" src="http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/eHFDyrcafifvaucperhzfymgjhascdrjowxzsJlnveEsbwhvglthelrdqGox/IMG_0455.PNG.scaled980.png" width="640" /> </div> </p> <p>In addition to the live radio stream, one can 'timeshift' content by reaching into the archives to hear shows that were missed, but not music. These shows can also be bookmarked and downloaded for offline playback. Reminder alerts can be set on upcoming shows in the schedule, which is a nice touch for those reliant on the news programs.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Img_0456" height="960" src="http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/EFtniCzDApgiogllzAjJnhnybGFIutalvkGHDoGmGcubmaEFkvvvFEszgIDC/IMG_0456.PNG.scaled980.png" width="640" /> </div> </p> <p>The 25/25 city guides can be browsed on a GPS-enabled map...</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Img_0457" height="960" src="http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/dCwczqiseCjjjmhsIzmjIvebmazAaGwpIsnnulocxdqiomCIunoFtiFsfsoi/IMG_0457.PNG.scaled980.png" width="640" /> </div> </p> <p>Or in a compass-enabled list, which shows the direction and distances of the featured cities relative to the user's position.</p> <p>The guides are downloaded on first run, so as to be accessible when traveling in the absence of a data connection. As for as content goes, however, each one contains little more than a sheet of paper's worth of establishment names and addresses. You'll have to look elsewhere to get a sense of what they're like and why you might want to visit.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Img_0458" height="960" src="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/okpzGaBzfiounBlnpyEEoIIlhqeCoFAhHmGvlxchbiejajCmugFxyHgJgjqG/IMG_0458.PNG.scaled980.png" width="640" /> </div> </p> <p>Last, and somewhat least, the daily Monocolumn content is a simple text presentation, with the useful option of sending it to your <a href="http://instapaper.com/">Instapaper</a> account.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile3.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-11/seukoqGnyAphkasHBihqAalcwaAxdpBvjwyontccdwvEDxrCuDshbtohAsci/IMG_0463.JPG.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Img_0463" height="980" src="http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-11/seukoqGnyAphkasHBihqAalcwaAxdpBvjwyontccdwvEDxrCuDshbtohAsci/IMG_0463.JPG.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>The app was designed in-house by Winkreative, the same Tyler Br&ucirc;l&eacute;-led company that puts out the magazine (and built by <a href="http://mubaloo.com">Mubaloo</a>), and it shows. Details such as the Merlion illustration in the background tiles of the Singapore city guide, fine-grained black background texture (that had better not be bonded leather!), and the use of shading over cover art in place of a download progress bar complement the orderly, effortless extension of the classic Monocle design throughout.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>App Store: <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/sg/app/monocle-24/id476369665?mt=8">Monocle 24</a></p> </p> <p><a href="http://objectmag.com/monocle-24-for-ios-virtual-object">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://objectmag.com/monocle-24-for-ios-virtual-object#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/objectmag/~4/5hlfKMuNXYk" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/124976/bran.gif http://posterous.com/users/10AoxWESqOZ Brandon Lee sangsara Brandon Lee http://objectmag.com/monocle-24-for-ios-virtual-object Thu, 10 Nov 2011 21:55:00 -0800 ⊛ mophie Juice Pack Air for iPhone 4/4S http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/objectmag/~3/ENV5CRYUCiY/mophie-juice-pack-air-for-iphone-44s http://objectmag.com/mophie-juice-pack-air-for-iphone-44s <p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/kobhoBnzsgvipgIGcJpghDhxFvIjDmDFzFjDCACeFtqHCisEeibDxuxkvjEv/_0011282.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="_0011282" height="735" src="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/kobhoBnzsgvipgIGcJpghDhxFvIjDmDFzFjDCACeFtqHCisEeibDxuxkvjEv/_0011282.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>In the quest for more battery life, smartphone users can either A)&nbsp;buy a spare removable battery, B)&nbsp;get an external battery pack that connects to the phone via a cable, C) put on a case that's also an external battery pack.</p> <p>iPhone owners don't have Option A available to them, and Option B only works if you're going to carry a bag around. The Mophie Juice Pack Air pulls off the last idea in style.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/CspkfreDpviuvcAncgDJmHqdhvFGayktcqszrtECJaDdjCgfdveIbDfhCkEb/_0011274.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="_0011274" height="735" src="http://getfile4.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/CspkfreDpviuvcAncgDJmHqdhvFGayktcqszrtECJaDdjCgfdveIbDfhCkEb/_0011274.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <div>It adds about a centimeter to the bottom of the iPhone, but also a neat feature: sound gets directed towards you, instead of downwards.</div> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile3.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/itBibhganoourGIfzadJGasfyquvksEFksnhbcBdHtIjayjsthkJvwpedFHn/_0011276.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="_0011276" height="735" src="http://getfile9.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/itBibhganoourGIfzadJGasfyquvksEFksnhbcBdHtIjayjsthkJvwpedFHn/_0011276.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>Silver-effect paint along the sides mimics the iPhone 4's winning industrial design, but is admittedly a poor substitute. The back of the case is where the battery is, with edges nicely tapered so it feels secure in the hand, and not as thick as one might expect. There's a narrow cutout for the volume buttons, which is fine until you want to take a photo with the Vol+ button in iOS 5. Sister product the Juice Pack Plus solves this with proxy buttons on the case itself, but is also bulkier.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile4.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/BxcnlwzzbcFGlkAIzrjgrdcfIFyncsHhfqFexzouHpidypzJvgipmCoammuH/_0011277.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="_0011277" height="735" src="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/BxcnlwzzbcFGlkAIzrjgrdcfIFyncsHhfqFexzouHpidypzJvgipmCoammuH/_0011277.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>With the press of a button, the bottom edge lights up to tell you how much power the case still has. Fully charged, it'll put another 70% on your iPhone when switched on. That will get most people through about two days of use.</p> <p>Where does the charging cable go if the bottom edge is covered? You have to use a microUSB cable (included) instead, which goes into a port on the side. It works just like a regular cable, passing power and data through to the phone.</p> <p><br /><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="_0011278" height="1307" src="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/CzelpskbGJdeJbzJyJwmoHkrAGaEsFpBGcfbsboxIysybxCDpdruhItywfwv/_0011278.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /> </div> </p> <p>The camera cutout is large enough that you never have to worry about glare when using the flash; a major annoyance on many lesser cases. A soft, rubberized back goes a long way towards making this feel right in the hand.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/aqdApqkFlzlcIjEfuiayEFDczqBokqedFqCbtDBAbClmeoAvymBjsietiFsj/_0011284.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="_0011284" height="735" src="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/aqdApqkFlzlcIjEfuiayEFDczqBokqedFqCbtDBAbClmeoAvymBjsietiFsj/_0011284.JPG_effected.jpg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>Apple requested a redesign of the case for a version sold exclusively through Apple Retail (above). It features an open top for easy access to the Sleep/Wake button and headphone jack (the original is closed, with cutouts), and a reversal of how the two parts of the case come apart. In the Apple edition, the bottom 20% pulls off, revealing the iPhone's original dock connector. In Mophie's design, the top edge comes off, meaning the case must be removed entirely to get at the connection port.</p> <p>Both versions are alike in cost and performance, so it's a matter of preference.</p> <p>There is something freeing about knowing that you can play that photorealistic game while waiting in line, take that hour-long call from your ex, snap a load of photos at the club and still have a working phone with which to book that last cab home at 3 in the morning. As normal people, we don't leave our houses every morning wondering if we'll make it back alive, but we do think that way about our smartphones. As they become ever more entwined with our lives, so must they promise to match our limits. Only then, will we reap the psychic benefits of 24/7 knowledge and ubiquitous communications.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Shop: <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/objectmag-20/detail/B0046EBTQ0">Mophie Juice Pack Air for iPhone 4/4S</a>&nbsp;(Original, Black)<br />Apple Edition (<a href="http://store.apple.com/us/product/H6249ZM/A/mophie-juice-pack-air-for-iphone-4">U.S. store</a>) (<a href="http://store.apple.com/sg/product/H6249PA/A/mophie-juice-pack-air-for-iphone-4">Singapore store</a>)</p> </p> <p><a href="http://objectmag.com/mophie-juice-pack-air-for-iphone-44s">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://objectmag.com/mophie-juice-pack-air-for-iphone-44s#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/objectmag/~4/ENV5CRYUCiY" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/124976/bran.gif http://posterous.com/users/10AoxWESqOZ Brandon Lee sangsara Brandon Lee http://objectmag.com/mophie-juice-pack-air-for-iphone-44s Thu, 10 Nov 2011 05:11:00 -0800 ⊛ uni-ball Jetstream Roller Ball Pen http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/objectmag/~3/2MBpqrXmNGI/uni-ball-jetstream-roller-ball-pen http://objectmag.com/uni-ball-jetstream-roller-ball-pen <p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/HwEooAcEAnwfomgreuDGBtwpHuqCfoFfkpybBzCGFuwfqfFhEzwFjkvJygjx/_0011253.jpeg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="_0011253" height="735" src="http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/HwEooAcEAnwfomgreuDGBtwpHuqCfoFfkpybBzCGFuwfqfFhEzwFjkvJygjx/_0011253.jpeg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> Of all the disposable,&nbsp;plastic&nbsp;Japanese pens one can buy, the uni-ball Jetstream 210 (known as the Jetstream RT, for ReTractable, in North America) is probably the smoothest. The ink is a gel-like formulation that dries almost instantly and doesn't smudge. It just glides, which is great for people who type more than they write these days &mdash; lower resistance makes it easier to form tight curves.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/JsHmiFHdHJwfdnhwAqfenuBoyFtwCyazsvFdHCBzGaqGgshuClkkloEBGwGy/_0011258.jpeg"><img alt="_0011258" height="735" src="http://getfile9.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/JsHmiFHdHJwfdnhwAqfenuBoyFtwCyazsvFdHCBzGaqGgshuClkkloEBGwGy/_0011258.jpeg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>It comes in 1mm (bold, model 210) and 0.7mm (model 217) tip sizes, and retracts with a click. There are models with regular caps, but I've grown attached to the one-piece design.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/vJFxJsouFvrdyGpvmCzGqJbgHzykFIEJhvBsEtokBueoyAypJaesfqmpagAy/_0011262.jpeg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="_0011262" height="735" src="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/vJFxJsouFvrdyGpvmCzGqJbgHzykFIEJhvBsEtokBueoyAypJaesfqmpagAy/_0011262.jpeg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>It's a ballpoint, but nothing like traditional dry ink ballpoints. I haven't had it clog on me yet, and it never skips. In a word: Smooth.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/FbxAybkhfJnjkHJAAdumzgazCgsydqrncHFmxAJhqCizoAmdkxAulAksDFgs/_0011264.jpeg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="_0011264" height="735" src="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/FbxAybkhfJnjkHJAAdumzgazCgsydqrncHFmxAJhqCizoAmdkxAulAksDFgs/_0011264.jpeg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p><a href="http://daringfireball.net/linked/2011/10/19/zebra-sarasa">John Gruber's favorite pen is the Zebra Sarasa</a>, which I tried and found wanting. At some point I moved from preferring very fine point pens to wider ones.&nbsp;It might be because I draw more shapes these days, and a wireframe with bold lines just looks better than some weak chicken scratchings. It's the next best thing to carrying a sketch liner with you just to draw sometimes.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/wocGDlflGAtyjCCzwABkGBohetwbEvuxIcngInxFFzCatJiprBAEJgpAIABq/_0011265.jpeg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="_0011265" height="735" src="http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/wocGDlflGAtyjCCzwABkGBohetwbEvuxIcngInxFFzCatJiprBAEJgpAIABq/_0011265.jpeg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>It's no Meisterst&uuml;ck, but it's 2 bucks.</p> <p>If you write good, it's the least you could use. If you choke someday and need a tracheotomy, it could save your life too.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Shop:&nbsp;<a href="http://astore.amazon.com/objectmag-20/detail/B0004F7ILA">uni-ball Jetstream Bold Point Pens, 4 Colors<img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=objectmag-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=B0004F7ILA&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369" border="0" height="1" alt="" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></a></p> </p> <p><a href="http://objectmag.com/uni-ball-jetstream-roller-ball-pen">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://objectmag.com/uni-ball-jetstream-roller-ball-pen#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/objectmag/~4/2MBpqrXmNGI" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/124976/bran.gif http://posterous.com/users/10AoxWESqOZ Brandon Lee sangsara Brandon Lee http://objectmag.com/uni-ball-jetstream-roller-ball-pen Thu, 10 Nov 2011 05:06:00 -0800 ⊛ Ricoh GR Digital III Camera http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/objectmag/~3/HjedWJLAKFM/ricoh-gr-digital-iii-camera http://objectmag.com/ricoh-gr-digital-iii-camera <p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/dovhxzDEfHjEvpnGjjJjIFzjvxtxeBznlovbEydcfJceBnnGrixychpbfGfu/P1020826.jpeg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="P1020826" height="654" src="http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/dovhxzDEfHjEvpnGjjJjIFzjvxtxeBznlovbEydcfJceBnnGrixychpbfGfu/P1020826.jpeg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>The Ricoh GRD-III is a digital compact camera descended from the company's revered GR film cameras (more on those here in this <a href="http://filmwasters.com/forum/index.php?topic=771.0">filmwasters.org post</a>). It can be used as a simple point-and-shoot or, because of its larger-than-average sensor and bright/wide lens, as a near-professional tool. Ricoh sells a bunch of very expensive add-ons to cater to that crowd, like an optical viewfinder that fits into the flash hotshoe, and a teleconversion lens.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/DanIuzrHFoBBDgIJcCxoADhpobxyqxzeihuwHivtBvwiHHsApJgIpjygJAkf/P1020828.jpeg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="P1020828" height="654" src="http://getfile9.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/DanIuzrHFoBBDgIJcCxoADhpobxyqxzeihuwHivtBvwiHHsApJgIpjygJAkf/P1020828.jpeg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>Full manual controls are available if you want them, although there aren't multiple dials for setting exposure compensation, ISO speed, etc. like you will find on other "bridge" or prosumer cameras such as Canon's G series or Fujifilm's new X series. However it's still easy to access all settings and make adjustments with its two function wheels under the thumb and forefinger.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/yysiboIpnBrCsttozzDfJJevmdpoqzIjmwbkkgCFluszosIFBdAzIBtrtsxG/P1020831.jpeg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="P1020831" height="654" src="http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/yysiboIpnBrCsttozzDfJJevmdpoqzIjmwbkkgCFluszosIFBdAzIBtrtsxG/P1020831.jpeg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>It has one of the best screens you'll find on a camera in this category, very high-density at over 900,000 dots. If you can remember the difference between the displays on the original iPhone and the iPhone 4, it's something like that compared to an entry-level camera.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile3.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/GfsdqJCHEvynsyjapAJqzGBHJoHxlqaHaAnsdmJlmvHaDhoJcuDHFArxFhID/P1020845.jpeg"><img alt="P1020845" height="654" src="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/GfsdqJCHEvynsyjapAJqzGBHJoHxlqaHaAnsdmJlmvHaDhoJcuDHFArxFhID/P1020845.jpeg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> It also has a pop-up flash that I've never had to use, partly because I hate firing flashes, but more because it's never really necessary. The f1.9 lens lets in lots of light, making this a viable camera in dimly-lit places. Fully open, you also get shallow depth of field effects when shooting objects nearly a meter away.</p> <p>Speaking of the lens, it's relatively wide at 28mm (the 35mm film equivalent), which is the perfect focal length for me. A couple of my other cameras start at 24mm, which is great for shooting scenery and buildings, but too far away for people. The GRD-III has quite a following amongst street photographers.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile4.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/GDydabhGvxzpfDnIbDFibExBzqlHqyzlFxtEoHdpcxfkHJDahuIsbuxnjHwy/P1020837.jpeg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="P1020837" height="654" src="http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/GDydabhGvxzpfDnIbDFibExBzqlHqyzlFxtEoHdpcxfkHJDahuIsbuxnjHwy/P1020837.jpeg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>Oh, and it doesn't zoom. At all. It's a dealbreaker for some people, I know, but how many compact film cameras had zoom back in the day? The Lomo LC-A is one that's still popular today. It's a creative restriction I enjoy, and the trade-off is a lens of extraordinary quality.</p> <p>Most people don't think of Ricoh as a great Japanese camera company (often they don't know Ricoh makes cameras at all), but the GRD-III is my absolute favorite compact camera, amongst the many Canons, Sonys, Fujis, and Panasonics I've used.</p> <p>It's the perfect size and weight, just slender enough to slip into a jeans pocket, has a rough and ready retro style about it, and takes great pictures. Just as the Olympus XA-2 was often called the professional photographer's off-duty vacation camera of choice, the Ricoh GRD-III is like a tiny, limited SLR for traveling light.&nbsp;It came out in 2009, but is a timeless tool you'll be using years from now.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Shop:&nbsp;<a href="http://astore.amazon.com/objectmag-20/detail/B002W6Z80C">Ricoh GR DIGITAL III<img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=sangsaranet-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=B002W6Z80C&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369" border="0" height="1" alt="" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></a></p> <p>The GR Digital IV will be out later this year, largely unchanged from the III except for a new, faster autofocus system. Consider the III as a worthwhile buy, especially if the price drops.</p> <hr /> <p>Here are some photos I shot last year in Japan:</p> <p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sangsara/6194915677/" title="Walking Ginza by sangsara, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6173/6194915677_e8d0d13883_b.jpg" height="768" alt="Walking Ginza" width="1024" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sangsara/6091247753/" title="Ginza by sangsara, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6188/6091247753_d95706e18f_b.jpg" height="768" alt="Ginza" width="1024" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sangsara/6091230899/" title="Autumn comes by sangsara, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6080/6091230899_e6dc6ed022_b.jpg" height="768" alt="Autumn comes" width="1024" /></a></p> </p> <p><a href="http://objectmag.com/ricoh-gr-digital-iii-camera">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://objectmag.com/ricoh-gr-digital-iii-camera#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/objectmag/~4/HjedWJLAKFM" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/124976/bran.gif http://posterous.com/users/10AoxWESqOZ Brandon Lee sangsara Brandon Lee http://objectmag.com/ricoh-gr-digital-iii-camera Thu, 10 Nov 2011 05:05:00 -0800 ⊛ Logitech Ultimate Ears 600vi Headphones http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/objectmag/~3/1VtGdsC74Bc/logitech-ultimate-ears-600vi-headphones http://objectmag.com/logitech-ultimate-ears-600vi-headphones <p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile3.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/txDlAFbdGcDFykivueziuveoAmFvFmEbpyCcDgDhxFkugsrkrpbntItCgEoj/_0011243.jpeg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="_0011243" height="735" src="http://getfile9.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/txDlAFbdGcDFykivueziuveoAmFvFmEbpyCcDgDhxFkugsrkrpbntItCgEoj/_0011243.jpeg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> Ultimate Ears were a perfectly well-regarded maker of in-ear headphones until Logitech, known for mice and keyboards, bought them. You could just see the audiophiles recoiling. Happily, the newly-cobranded 600vi headphones don't come with a CD of Windows drivers, and sound phenomenal for their mid-range price.</p> <p>Logitech says they offer a "3D sound&nbsp;signature", but relax, there isn't any gimmicky surround sound processing going on inside. Sound is natural and balanced, not overwhelmingly bassy, not too sharp (sibilant) on the highs. You pretty much get what "the artist intended", to borrow a term often used by Monster's "beats by dr. dre" series, which are about as far from optimum fidelity as you can get for over $200.</p> <p>The UEs are&nbsp;comparable with other single armature headphones such as <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00409WLQS/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=sangsaranet-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399373&amp;creativeASIN=B00409WLQS">Jays' "t-jays three"</a>, which cost more and offer few features.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/iGHJgGEpAxDefDvzbjltxeCcInGCizIfzGfmzHbEDAtugnlBEgqJpGoDsppc/_0011246.jpeg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="_0011246" height="735" src="http://getfile3.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/iGHJgGEpAxDefDvzbjltxeCcInGCizIfzGfmzHbEDAtugnlBEgqJpGoDsppc/_0011246.jpeg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>They come equipped with an iPod/iPhone 3-button control + microphone along the right-side cord, and it feels sturdier and easy to operate by feel than Apple's own. The 600 series is the best and most expensive option in the new UE lineup that comes with these iPhone controls.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/BJjvHbcGmBkmnqatCtercnEFEBbsxBifwqcelfJpdmanoedwEfhhphEisAhD/_0011249.jpeg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="_0011249" height="735" src="http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/BJjvHbcGmBkmnqatCtercnEFEBbsxBifwqcelfJpdmanoedwEfhhphEisAhD/_0011249.jpeg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> </div> </p> <p>The chrome finish on the earpieces looks good, and you can wear them upwards with the cord looping over your ear, which virtually eliminates the problem of in-ear phones coming loose as you walk. The side pictured above has a red tint to indicate the right side; it's more obvious when staring down the inside of the tip. The left side is silver.</p> <p>Five sizes of silicone tips are included, along with two pairs of Comply foam tips, which give a much better seal but take some getting used to. They're normally only supplied with Ultimate Ears' professional models, you know, the ones too posh to come with an iPhone remote, and indicate 600vi's hybrid 'prosumer' leanings.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="_0011247" height="1307" src="http://getfile8.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-10/wuEnpveekGFoxyytjfomeikgAAmqzqvdoiFlhpujlCCbCCAoFdsfdfaElCkf/_0011247.JPG_effected.jpg.jpeg.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /> </div> </p> <p>You also get a rather deep hardshell case to store them in. Very useful and better than chucking them in your bag to get tangled and damaged.</p> <p>I've used a slew of similar headphones over the years, from Apple's own in-ears, UE MetroFis, Jays, a couple from Audio-Technica, Nakamichi, and JBL, and these are in the sweet spot for everyday use if you love your music and won't settle for cheaper, frivolous designs.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Shop:&nbsp;<a href="http://astore.amazon.com/objectmag-20/detail/B003YKG2UK">Logitech Ultimate Ears 600vi<img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=sangsaranet-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=B003YKG2UK&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399373" border="0" height="1" alt="" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></a></p> </p> <p><a href="http://objectmag.com/logitech-ultimate-ears-600vi-headphones">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://objectmag.com/logitech-ultimate-ears-600vi-headphones#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/objectmag/~4/1VtGdsC74Bc" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/124976/bran.gif http://posterous.com/users/10AoxWESqOZ Brandon Lee sangsara Brandon Lee http://objectmag.com/logitech-ultimate-ears-600vi-headphones