[re]Drive Bamboo Hard Drives
The [re]Drive by SimpleTech (Hitachi) is made of 100% recycled aluminum & steam pressed bamboo. This drive doesn’t come with a noisy or power consuming fan, the aluminum acts as a heat sink that cools the drive.The drives user guide is printed inside the box & stored digitally on the drive. This has all been done in the effort to stay eco-friendly. The drives end caps are made of recycled newspaper, & it automatically powers on & off with your computer to save energy.
Th design plays a huge part both on the operation of the external drive & the manufacturers ideals, but its also stylish & sleek.
AUX level by Outline
Italian firm Outline is known for high-end speakers, but the Aux Level Speakers are perhaps the firm’s most diverse–with the ability to be used as shelves, angled slightly off the ground, or attached to a variety of bases, as well as coming in an assortment of colors and finishes (including custom leathers). Beginning at $2500 and topping out with the $3000 edition, designed by artist Roberto Muscinelli (who used fireworks and paint to achieve its distinct look), the speakers offer extraordinary sound in a customizable package.
More images after the jump.
Stelton x-92 Super Charger XL
For the last forty years Danish firm Stelton has been producing some of the purest and most elegant expressions of Scandinavian design in the form of their brushed stainless steel table and gift ware.
The new range of products for Autumn 2009 continues the calm, functionalist themes first established by Arne Jacobsen in 1967 when the firm unveiled his Cylinda-Line range of tableware, and expands the scope of the items to which it has been applied.
Amongst these, the Super Charger XL is a great example of the everyday rendered stylish, elegant and practical. The charging point is large enough to contain the bigger sorts of charger and its aluminium cover acts to conduct heat away from devices’ batteries, thus prolonging their life. The lid also falls shut naturally, thanks to the cleverly designed geometry of the x-92 leaving a ledge for devices to nestle comfortably on and all the cables out of sight. Simple, serene and sophisticated; Mr Jacobsen would surely approve. Available now at Stelton.
ATNMBL – The Autonomobile
Maaike Evers and Mike Simonian are, together, the San Francisco design consultancy Mike and Maaike and are responsible for the G1 mobile phone (the first to feature the Google Android OS) were also part of the team that created the Xbox 360.
More recently they have turned their attentions to the world of car design and have produced the ATNMBL as an investigation into how a car designed without reference to the traditions and dogma of conventional automotive styling would look and function. Crucially, they also looked into what would happen if car no longer needed to be piloted by its human occupants.
The result, projected as being a solution viable in the year 2040, owes more to the disciplines of architecture and interior design than the works of Harley Earl or Nuccio Bertone. It’s tall enough to stand in, prodigiously glazed and devoid of the sculpture of an Audi TT or even the more practical (and in automotive engineering terms, avant-garde) Mercedes A-Class.
There will probably always be dyed-in-the-wool petrolheads that are sceptical of such concepts but there will probably also be plenty of people who would welcome the chance to use the time spent in traffic on their daily commute working, catching up on emails or even having breakfast instead of just staring at the rear bumper of the car ahead of them. In fact, there are probably plenty of petrolheads who would welcome the chance to hone their skills around a virtual Nürburgring with the latest edition of Gran Turismo whilst sitting in a traffic jam. Now that would be a commute.
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Sound Tables KUBE by La Cox
A brilliant combination of table and speaker, these 360 Focal of Sound wonders were designed by La Cox for the rooftop terraces of KUBE Hotel in Saint-Tropez. A beautiful combination of engineering and design, the lit speakers allow for omni-directional sound projection, as well as a pretty stylish place to rest your drink.
More images after the jump.
Altec Lansing Expressionist Plus Speakers
Because sometimes floor to ceiling, wall-recessed, $200,000 speakers may be a bit inappropriate, Altec Lansing introduces the sleek Expressionist Plus. The set includes a pair of 2-inch, 4-watt speakers with adjustable bases for directing sound, plus a 5.25-inch, 20-watt subwoofer–and retails for only $100. With a simple auxiliary jack that makes it a snap to connect to computers, MP3, CD and DVD players, the speakers not only save space on your desktop, but also in your wallet.
See more of the Altec Lansing Expressionist Plus Speakers after the jump.
OMNI: Future Sound Speakers
True, Altec Lansing’s Omni Speakers distinctive spaced-out aesthetic may get all the attention, but it’s the superior sound quality that really sets this pair apart. For the audiophile who definitively doesn’t crave design subtlety, each omni-directional speaker features a woofer, mid-range speaker and tweeter, all phonically separated by a ceramic plate. With heavy construction to ensure little vibration and a top-mounted cone to equally distribute sound, here’s hoping these Nuno Teixeira-designed soundships blast out of concept phase soon.
More images after the jump.
Jabra Headsets with Bluetooth and Touchscreen Technology
The Go6400 (headset) & the Pro 9400 (unit) are brought to you by the leading name in headset technology, Jabra. This package features a 2.4inch LCD touchscreen for those who love hands on. The base displays incoming caller ID’s in addition to handleing all VoIP, mobile, & desk calls wtih a touch on the screen. The unit also controls call volume & mute funtions as well. As an added feature, they’ve included dual microphones & noise canceling technology to make this a high end product. The stylish design & sleek black color appeals to the minimalist tech fan. Price point set at $199
HB-SIA Zero Fuel Airplane
Bertrand Piccard, a man known for piloting the first round-the-globe, nonstop hot air balloon flight, has set his sights on another aviation feat. He founded a company called Solar Impulse with Andre Borschberg and they’ve developed a “zero-fuel” aircraft that they hope will soon make the same round-the-globe flight that Piccard made ten years ago. The aircraft, dubbed HB-SIA, has the wingspan of a jumbo jet but weighs only as much as a small car. In lieu of a traditional engine, the HB-SIA uses solar panels to power four 10 hp electric motors. Extensive research and development suggests that the plane will achieve altitudes of approximately 8500 meters and an average speed of 70 km/hr. Initial test flights are expected to begin later this year.
See more images after the jump.
Apple iPhone 3GS
Apple’s unveiled a new iPhone, the iPhone 3G S – the “s” stands for speed. Although it looks almost exactly like the 3G, it’s much, much faster – some tasks are almost four times faster. Data speeds are boosted to 7.2Mbps HSDPA, and the camera is now a 3 megapixel unit with tap-to-autofocus and auto white balance. It now supports 30fps VGA video recording with editing features. It’s equipped with a built-in compass, Nike+ support, and a new battery that offers 5 hours of 3G talk time and 9 hours of WiFi internet use. Some new suprising gems are to be acknowledged. Holding down the home button now enables a new voice control interface that lets you do everything from make calls to control iTunes, and Apple’s touting a new “fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating.” New and end-of-contract pricing is set at $199 for 16GB and $299 for 32GB when it goes on sale June 18th. Visit Apple now for more details.
