Aperion Signature SLIMstage30 Speaker Bar Review
Gadgets
The $60 Million iPad-Controlled Gulfstream G550 Private Jet
Spain-based industrial designer Stefan Radev has given the $60 million Gulfstream G550 private jet a makeover, including cool iPad controls à la P. Diddy's Solemates superyacht. From the exterior livery to the seating arrangements, Radev's design scheme is simple, elegant and ergonomic. It's also full of eco-friendly touches like bamboo woodwork.
Natural light is emphasized in the airy interior design with oversized oval-shaped windows and neutral tones complementing the bamboo in an open-plan layout equally suited to working or lounging. iPads and iPods also control the various climate and entertainment functions for the passengers. It's just a concept at this point, but easily made real with enough money.
Altec Lansing inMotion Air Universal Wireless Speakers
Spring is here and with it backyard barbecues and weekends spent lounging on the patio. The audio experts at Altec Lansing would hate for you to miss out on hearing any of your favorite tunes while you're out and about, so the inMotion Air was created to be an ultra portable and easy-to-use mobile audio solution. It uses Bluetooth technology to stream music wirelessly from your iPhone, iPad, smartphone, or other stereo Bluetooth device and if you use the included USB transmitter the range is more than 300ft.
I was able to try one out personally and found it to be a sleek and lightweight compact speaker system. After charging it for a couple hours pairing it to my cell phone via Bluetooth took just a few seconds and music playback started as soon as I hit the play button. Pairing it with my laptop via the USB transmitter was also quick and simple -- just plugged the transmitter into a USB slot and adjusted the computer audio output settings to USB.
In terms of sound the speaker puts out crisp, full audio with deeper bass than I expected considering its small size. Battery life is excellent -- once fully charged it played for an entire evening without missing a beat. I was also surprised at how loud it could get when I cranked up the volume (or more accurately when I accidentally turned it with the volume all the way up!).
Other features include a handy and comfortable carrying handle on the back, options for wired access to non-Bluetooth/non-USB devices, and a remote control (accesses basic functions in most music players, iTunes included) that tucks neatly into a slot onto the back of the speaker so it won't get lost. It's also small and light, which means it's easy to tote around (it almost fits in my handbag) and can fit into tight spaces like a bathroom.
The Altec Lansing inMotion Air is an excellent option for portable audio when earbuds and headphones just won't do. Available online for $199.95.
Aston Martin Concept Phone from Mobiado
Canadian luxury phone maker Mobiado is in Switzerland this week for the BaselWorld watch and jewelry show with the new CPT002 concept phone. Designed in collaboration with Aston Martin, the CPT002 is comprised of a fully transparent sapphire crystal capacitive touchscreen display suspended between two platinum bars that house all the electronics and battery.Striking though it is, the CPT002 is more than just a pretty face. The tie-in with Aston Martin comes into play as the phone is designed to interface with the car's infotainment system, wirelessly interfacing with social media sites to help you locate the people you're meeting up with or updating them automatically on the progress of your road trip or day at the race track. The built-in accelerometer will also alert the car itself in case of an impending crash, preparing the car's safety systems for the imminent collision.
Impressive stuff, though strictly a concept for the time being.
Riedel Endorses Miele as Dishwasher of Choice
Riedel stemware are beautiful "tools" (in the words of CEO Maximilian Riedel) to help you get the most out of your wine varietal or spirit of choice. But they also come with a seven step "Cleaning Guide," which is about four to five more steps than I want to perform when doing dishes. The solution came from high-end German appliance maker, Miele, who overcame Riedel's skepticism to become the first automatic dishwasher approved by the 250-year-old Austrian glassmakers for cleaning their products.Riedel, along with Miele USA CEO Nick Ord, convened at Miele's Manhattan gallery to announce the partnership, which they said went beyond brand synergy and represented an old-fashioned European alliance, sealed with a handshake. Ord said the goal of achieving Riedel's imprimatur was a personal, as well as, professional challenge for him, as he owns Riedel glassware and naturally uses a Miele machine at home. Extensive and rigorous testing ensued with an emphasis on Miele's patented water hardness-adjusting GlassCare function and the basket design of the G 5000 series (Riedel is especially sensitive about his glasses being placed too close together).
Satisfied that their Museum of Modern Art-worthy wine glasses were in good hands, Riedel gave its blessing. When used properly, Miele owners can expect their Riedel glasses to last 1,500 washing cycles, or about 20 years on average, according to Ord. That sure beats 20 years of the seven step method.
Linea Pro Swarovski Crystal C2 Iron
Linea Pro Appliances knows how much girls love sparkly things and that bling isn't reserved for going out. Even the most time-consuming Monday morning grooming routine will get an instant glamor boost from a Linea Pro Swarovski Crystal C2 iron (how could you not feel fabulous as you use it?).Linea is the only company in the world allowed to use Swarovski on a flat iron and the 2500+ crystals are all hand applied with a special heat-proof glue. The flat iron itself features extra long titanium plates, a PTFC heater (originally created by NASA), tourmaline-infused ceramic, the world's first digital cord temp control with auto shut-off, and Exclusive Nano-Silver that kills 99.9% of bacteria.
Each iron is individually numbered and made to order $850.
Aesir Copenhagen by Yves Behar
There are some pretty striking electronics designs out there -- whether they're from the iHome Studio Series or Bang & Olufsen. While talented industrial designers toil away at making our gadgets more beautiful, few have tapped into the pool of the world's most renowned designers. Names like Yves Behar, with whom Denmark's Aesir has teamed up for this latest top-of-the-line mobile phone.
Munitio SITi S Titanium Earphones
Munitio earphones just might be the Cadillac of earbuds. Annie Scott called the 18k gold version "double-take worthy" and now I can personally vouch that the SITi S Nine Millimeter Earphones are even more drool-inducing.Encased in extreme industrial grade titanium for natural noise canceling and beauty as well as its high level of durability and safety (it's the same stuff NASA uses in high performance applications), the earphones feel surprisingly heavy in the hand (a little like actual bullets) but they all but disappear in the ears -- once sizing is adjusted of course. The sound is crisp, deep, and beautiful, which is presumably in large part due to the custom tuned AccousticSoundFlowSystem™, BassEnhancingChamber™, and SiliconeHollowPoints™ technology, as well as the 9mm speaker drivers with rare earth neodymium magnets for superior dynamic range and quick recovery. And it's probably worth mentioning that since I got my review unit they've released a new BLK version that comes with a microphone.
Shoot 'n Share Camcorder Projector: Simple Enough for a Child to Use
Gadgets are great and I especially love the ones that fill a legitimate need instead of being a gadget for gadgetry's sake. Take our camcorder. As much as I love my iFlip -- the camcorder that's the size of a smartphone and is just as easy to use -- I've missed the ability to check my shot. The iFlip's viewing screen is less than two inches square and in sunlight is rendered unusable by the glare. I have no idea whether I've loped my daughter's head off at the Halloween parade (I did) or caught my son sliding into home base (I didn't).The Shoot 'n Share Camcorder Projector, which retails for about $300 plus a memory card through Hammacher-Schlemmer, provides a nifty solution. You can instantly project what you just shot on to the nearest wall or flat surface, zooming in to check facial expressions and zooming out to check backgrounds.
World's Most Expensive Poker Set for $7.5 Million
Talk about high stakes – Geoffrey Parker, London-based maker of the finest games on the globe, is offering the world's most expensive poker set for $7.5 million. The bespoke set comes housed in a genuine alligator skin case finished in any color the client chooses, fitted with 18k white gold combination locks and hardware. The case' suede lining features an 18k gold and diamond frame holding 384 18k white gold chips, each inlaid on both sides in shagreen (stingray skin). The chips can be in any currency and denomination the client desires; the display set features chips marked €100,000 – or about $140,000 at today's rates.
The edge of each chip is set with precious stones – white diamonds for the white chips, sapphires for the blue, rubies for the red, emeralds for the green and black diamonds for the black. The dealer button is be a larger 18 karat white gold chip set with two rows of diamonds to the edge. The set will feature an estimated 22,364 stones in all, totaling 1,012 carats. Finally there are four platinum-plated decks of poker cards. Orders are now being taken with an expected delivery time of six to nine months; the price may go up if the precious stones and metals market fluctuates.
[via JustLuxe]
Herman Miller Sayl Ergonomic Work Chair Review
This is the Sayl, and it is Herman Miller's newest family of work chairs. I say family because in addition to being available in various colors and trims, the chair itself is literally available in a lot of different styles with various options, etc... What each of the Sayl chairs share is the "suspension" style chair back with the "Y" frame design. This design is based loosely on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco where chair designer Yves Behar lives. I too live in San Francisco, and wouldn't have seen the design connection unless you explained it to me - but now I see it, and smirk at the similarity between the back of the chair and the curve of the cables from the bridge's suspension towers.
Luxist Giveaway: Element Case Vapor Pro iPhone 4 Case
THANKS FOR ALL WHO ENTERED. THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW OVER.
To enter, leave a comment on this post sharing why you'd like to win this case. The giveaway ends on March 18th at 8:00pm PST. See additional rules below.
* To enter, leave a confirmed comment below.
* The comment must be left and confirmed before March 18th, 2011 at 8:00PM Pacific Time.
* You may only enter once.
* One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
* One winner will receive one Element Case Vapor Pro iPhone 4 case valued at $149.99.
* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, and the District of Columbia, who are 18 and older.
See full giveaway rules here.
Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.
Time Is Right for a Talking Watch
Eyes, they say, are the first thing to go. And with the first wave of Baby Boomers turning 65 this year, the timing is perfect for the Reizen Radio-Controlled analog Talking Watch, sold through Hammacher-Schlemmer. What a great retirement gift: A watch that will tell you the time instead of making you squint to read it.
The beauty of this beauty is that the watch face is sufficiently large that you may not actually even need the watch to verbalize the time for you. But the easy-to-use watch feature -- you just push a button -- has a pleasant and clear male voice that is happy to help.
Sensor Can From simplehuman
Hands-free trash cans are great. What's not so great is if you have to do a wild hand-waving dance to get them to open or if, even worse, they slam shut while you are putting things in. Design-centered home goods brand simplehuman says that "innovation only makes sense if it's in sync with your needs" so they promise their sensor trash can won't unexpectedly open or close on you.
A little something called multi-sense technology keeps the can from having the drop on you. The trigger zone is a focused space directly above the lid which is precise enough to avoid false triggers. Once the lid is open, the bin enters task mode and the trigger zone extends to become more sensitive to activity, so the lid won't close before you're finished. After three seconds of continued activity, the lid automatically opens wider and switches to a 30-second stay-open mode. A natural charcoal filter is in the lid to help neutralize odors. The can will run up to 12 months with 6 high-quality alkaline C batteries, not included), or plug the can in with a power adapter which is sold separately. The 40L can is $225, the 48L recycler is $275 and the 55L is $275.
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