Archive for August, 2011
The marriage of these two companies is very, very good. We are very good for each other,” says Jimmy Iovine, the chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M Records and co-founder of Beats By Dr. Dre with rapper/producer Dr. Dre. “With HTC’s innovation, technology and leadership, we feel we can really compete with anybody in this area.”
Terence Chang has compiled an absolutely stunning collection of long exposure photos of aircraft taking off at the San Francisco International Airport. The method is Beautiful.
Click the pic to play.
About 2 years ago, I took a trip to London, and got my wallet jacket. So with no money, no I.D., no credit cards, or travelers checks, my friend and I decided to play a little game with people to make some money. It’s called by many names all over the world, but its the same basic concept. It consists of an item (a ball, wadded up piece of news paper, or whatever) underneath a cup, or bottle cap, and the “controller” scrambles them around, and you have to pick which one said item is under. We’ve all seen it a million times, and when you play for subway money, the controller tends to cheat. But when you play online there’s no cheating, just an absurd amount of speed that the computer can put on spins. So try your luck, do you best, and click the pic to figure out where the ‘red’ is.
Click the pic to play.
GEO Magnetic is quite an awesome lamp as far as design thinking goes. The basic lamp is a halo of light that glides up and down a steel rail, using magnetic attraction. The base halo holds a ball shape switch that looks suspended but is held in place using a fine thread. There are three levels of illumination and the electric current flowing into each section varies in intensity, this allows the spherical switch to shift its position to on/off. Super sick. Besides being a desk lamp, the GEO Magnetic doubles up as a romantic moodlight when the light halo is glided closer to the base.
Jay-Z tops this year’s Forbes Hip-Hop cash Kings list with $37 million this past year, a little but more than Diddy ($35 million). ‘Hip-hop’s reigning Cash King continues to reap the benefits of a 10-year $150 million Live Nation deal, as well as stakes in the New Jersey Nets, the 40/40 Club chain, ad firm Translation and others. This year marked the first time he out-earned wife Beyonce since their marriage in 2008. But for more on the business of hip-hop, check out Empire State of Mind: ‘How Jay-Z Went From Street Corner to Corner Office.’ a sick documentary.
Read the rest of the whole list including Kanye West, Birdman, Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa and more
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With all the incredible music that’s been dropping all this summer, it’s no surprise that Tokyo 24 would be next up to release an incredible collection. The duo of Duckworth & BeatStreets will be releasing the “Aeonian Complex” EP on August 11th, click the pic to see more about the project.
Luxury brand Porsche-Design has designed a luxury Shisha pipe as part of their Porsche Design World Collection. The Shisha pipe is part of an assortment of collectibles including chopsticks, a tea and soup set and fashion gear comprising a jacket, polo shirt and silk scarf. The pipe, made in Germany, stands at 55cm tall and is made up of materials such as glass, aluminum and stainless steel. The tube is made using TecFlex, which the brand also uses on the Porsche Design pen range. The Shisha was launched at Porsche Design’s store within Harrods department store in Knightsbridge, London. The 55sqm Porsche Design store at Harrods is located on the third floor, as part of the “Millionaires Gallery”. Schweet.
Color Outside The Lines.
Blood-Hounds-Tooth.
Buffering...
Caught With Your Pantones Down.
Mini-Soda Skyline.
There’s a saying I’ve been coming across quite a lot recently that states “Do Something Cool Every Day”. Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean go indoor skydiving, or hook up with a model every day, but it means produce something cool, unique, or thought provoking every single day. Artist David Schwen has done just that, (and since he puts something out EVERY day, his collection is quite extensive) so I’ve spit it into two parts. Check the first set out by clicking here.
Type Sandwich.
Papercut.
Type Smore.
Weak In The Knees
Charlie Sheen.
At any concert, you have folks that whip out their phones and cameras in an attempt to capture the magic that happens on stage, then share it with the rest of their friends, or just re-watch it later. Thankfully at the Lolapalooza festival in Chicago, many of the people with cameras had some damn good ones, and when Eminem took the stage to perform, they were all pointed at him. Below are 3 different selections from Em’s performance from 3 different people, from 3 different angles. Check the method.
Russian divers working on Orda Cave Awareness Project have revealed a set of unseen pictures of the world’s longest underwater cave. Located near Orda village in Perm region, Ural, Orda Cave is also the biggest underwater gypsum crystal cave in the world and second in Eurasia in terms of volumes of its galleries that stretch up to five kilometers. Famous underwater photographer, journalist and dive-instructor Victor Lyagushkin led the team of cave divers and took stunning images of the cave at less than zero degree temperature. “There is extremely low water temperature, about 3C and 20C below zero on surface. Under these circumstances shooting became very challenging,” Lyagushkin said. The location of the cave in Ural region, which is known for rich mineral deposits in Russia, may be linked to the gypsum content in Orda Cave, which has transparent water because of the mineral. A water wonder, a natural wonder and a natural monument of Russia, Orda Cave has been the focus of cave excursions recently. Here are a few unique pictures of Orda Cave taken by Victor Lyagushkin during numerous expeditions.
Click to see full size.
As many people already know, Captain America signaled the end of the initial Marvel Comics movies period before the Avengers. (The Avengers is one of the single largest ensemble collaborations between multiple films in the history of cinema… just in case you were doubting how epic this movie will be.) Recently however, some rather awesome artwork has surface that showcases all the individual heroes of the film. The Avengers assemble in the summer of 2012, and will undoubted be one of the biggest movies of the year. But just in case you really are unfamiliar with what happens at the end of Captain America, just check the preview below.
Marvel isn’t the only company planning to take over the box office and break records for next year’s summer season, DC Comics is also pouring it on thick with two different super-hero franchises. The primary looker is ‘The Dark Knight Rises’. Staring Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, and Anne Hathaway, this is set to be the final chapter in Christopher Noland’s Batman trilogy.
One interesting thing about some of the photos being revealed, and the news on the official website is that Selina Kyle is listed as a character, but ‘Catwoman’ isn’t. (Selina Kyle is the Catwoman’s true identity in the comics.) So when the first photos of Anne Hathaway as Selina debuted with her jacking Bruce Wayne’s batpod, it was somewhat evident that she may not take the Catwoman persona at all, she seems to be bad-ass enough without holding a whipe, or putting on the claws.
Click the pic to enlarge.
And the final banger… One that WON’T help tip the box-office battle of 2012 in the favor of DC, (because it drops 2012) is The Man Of Steel. Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures have provided the first look at the new Man of Steel, revealing star Henry Cavill as Superman in the film from director Zack Snyder. The film also stars three-time Oscar nominee Amy Adams as Daily Planet journalist Lois Lane, and Oscar nominee Laurence Fishburne as her editor-in-chief, Perry White. Starring as Clark Kent’s adoptive parents, Martha and Jonathan Kent, are Oscar nominee Diane Lane and Academy Award winner Kevin Costner. Squaring off against the superhero are two other surviving Kryptonians, the villainous General Zod, played by Oscar nominee Michael Shannon, and Faora, Zod’s evil partner, played by Antje Traue. Also from Superman’s native Krypton are Lara Lor-Van, Superman’s mother, played by Julia Ormond, and Superman’s father, Jor-El, portrayed by Academy Award winner Russell Crowe. Check the Man of Steel’s first picture below.
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With all the incredible music that’s been dropping all this summer, it’s no surprise that Tokyo 24 would be next up to release an incredible collection. The duo of Duckworth & BeatStreets will be releasing the “Aeonian Complex” EP on August 11th, click the pic to see more about the project.
The Red Square Dunya Yacht is inspired by the Red Square in Moscow. It is 72 meters long, knows how to combine modernity and elegance. With up to 12 guests and crew, with 3 red teak decks and all the amenities of rigor, it unfortunately still no official price.
The incredible miss Nia Valentine is a model out of the UK that was brought to my attention by my boy Max (who’d kill me if I didn’t shout him out) Max as an affinity for beautiful women of mixed decent, and Nia Valentine for sure fits the bill. East African, Arabic, Irish and Indian allow Valentine to pass for almost any ethnicity when she’s in front of the camera. Nia, who’s real name is Grainne Ni-Fhloinn has experience in editorial, runway, music videos and everything else all the way down to singing, dancing, hair styling and makeup artistry. As stunning as her photos are, she isn’t just a pretty face in modeling crowd Nia is also in hot pursuit of a law degree on top of her modeling career. Check out some more of her work below.
Converse has partnered up with skateboard recycling company Art of Board for this year’s Coastal Carnage being held August 5-7 at the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, CA. This short video goes behind the scenes with Art of Board founder Rich Moorhead who collects broken skateboard decks and reuses them to create paneling for interior spaces, offering a new sustainability route for the skate industry. Deck the halls, and check the method below.
The Acadia Tree tower allows for an exciting high rise that is both monumental in scale and look and has a small footprint on the city below. Three long legs rise high and support a complex of living and commercial spaces on top. The legs themselves have many functions: they house office spaces, the are the location of elevators that whisk people to the tower’s top, and they have plants growing in a middle groove, bringing living foliage to the whole length of the tower, culminating in plentiful green space on the complex that rests on top of the pillars. The relaxing, green area perched on the three legs is meant to resemble a bird’s nest, providing secure housing, protection and respite. With expanses of grass, trees and even swimming pools, residents living in apartments on this tower enjoy leafy environs and fantastic views. Each apartment even has its own large, landscaped terrace. Also located on top are a hotel, a spa, sports areas, solar panels and tanks to store rainwater. These accommodations provide instant customers for the shopping, entertainment and employment facilities on the buidling’s ground level. Design by Czech architect Petr Pospisil.
Duck Tape.
Pyramid Scheme.
Animal Crossing.
Hipster Party.
Tea Shirt.
Pinky Swear.
There’s a saying I’ve been coming across quite a lot recently that states “Do Something Cool Every Day”. Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean go indoor skydiving, or hook up with a model every day, but it means produce something cool, unique, or thought provoking every single day. Artist David Schwen has done just that, (and since he puts something out EVERY day, his collection is quite extensive) so I’ve spit it into two parts. Check the first set below, and stay tuned for the second set tomorrow.
Barney.
Light Savers.
I Wear My Sunglasses At Night.
The Incredible Hulk.
Lost &.
According to TMZ, Outkast member Big Boi was arrested in Miami today on charges of drug possession. As posted by the Miami-Dade County Corrections Department, Big Boi (real name Antwan Patton) was charged with three counts of possession of a controlled substance and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. The controlled substances were listed as ecstasy pills, MDMA powder and Viagra. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ he was busted by customs and border patrol dogs as he was exiting a cruise ship. He was booked into jail at 1:35 PM ET.
W Hotels has announced yet another addition to its musical offering, in the form of a global tour of DJs, in association with energy drink Burn. The hotel is sending six DJ competition winners on a week-long crash course dubbed the DJ Lab, which begins at the W Barcelona and concludes at the burn studios Hacienda in Ibiza, the Spanish island renowned for its clubbing. After the DJ lab, the up-and-coming DJs will crisscross the globe, calling in at W hotels to perform at exclusive events and other occasions from later this month. The hotels expecting a visit during the tour include properties in New York, Miami, Hollywood, London, Barcelona, Istanbul, Doha, Hong Kong, Seoul, Taipei, Bangkok, the Maldives, Bali, Koh Samui, and Vieques. For those unable to watch live, the mixes will also be streamed to users of the W Hotels iPhone app, which features a curated playlists and a music section. Hotels have been showing increasing interest in associating themselves with the music industry of late — both W Hotels and Renaissance offer an extensive program of performances, as well as other music-related offerings such as streaming sites for customers.
DJ’s performing for W Hotels
DJ Angus Wong of Hong Kong
Lincoln Madley of New York, also known as DJ Bouji
Miaou Mix, comprised of Noemi Sunshine Ferst and Judith Dju (Tête d’Affiche, Paris)
Stopmakingme of London, also known as Daniel Avery
Eiko of Tokyo
It’s no surprise that Lil Wayne is a beast. And I’ve been seeing him create music spur of the moment in many different videos and interviews that have later on become hits. But the newest behind the scenes video of Weezy F. talking to Drake about the track “She Will” is still stunning. In the video you get a glimpse of him in the booth, almost making up the words as he goes along, and doing it quite well. Check the method.
It’s a peculiar thing to know the thought process behind something you may not pay too much attention to (like WHY the colors for McDonalds are red and yellow). But as a graphic designer, its your job to have a reason for every single detail in the work you put out. Seeing the Brisk ‘Bodega’ video of Yelawolf and Tristan Eaton discussing the dope effects on Yela’s tour bus reminded me of that. It’s one thing just to design the pictures on the side of a bus, but its something entirely different to create a fully functioning concept that becomes logical, memorable, and much more entertaining that you’d expect. Check the method below.
Mosley Tribes and Moët & Chandon recently partnered to create limited edition “Rosé” sunglasses in celebration of a private four-city celebrity hosted penthouse tour called The Rosé Lounge. Select guests of the Rosé Lounge will receive the limited edition “Rosé” Mosley Tribes sunglasses and experience an evening with local tastemakers and media that bring the Moët Rosé nightlife experience to life. The Raynes comes with a Mineral Glass Photochromic lens that adjusts to indoor and outdoor light conditions. Moët & Chandon and Kelly Rowland debut the Rosé Lounge with an exclusive 200-person celebration for Kelly Rowland’s new album Here I Am in NYC on July 26 (my birthday). The Rosé Lounge will also be traveling to Atlanta, Miami and Chicago.
China looks set to claim another crown in the battle for supremacy in the luxury markets of the world as the country’s interest in supercars continues to grow. China knocked the United States off its perch as the world’s leading car market two years ago – sales there now surpass 18.26 million units per year. It seems that tastes in the country are turning now to the very high-end of the auto market, an area long dominated by the Americans. Italian carmaker Lamborghini says it sold 138 cars in mainland China over the first six months of this year – a 60 percent rise from the same period last year – and the company believes it will move more than 300 cars “at the least” by the end of 2011. The rise in sales comes after Lamborghini moved 206 cars in China last year, a 150 percent rise from 2009. Last year in the US, Lamborghini sold 290 cars (out of 1,302 units worldwide) and with the Italian carmakers – now part of Volkswagen’s luxury Audi unit – expecting sales in China to surpass 500 per year in the near future, there’s little doubt where the center of the supercar world is now heading. Lamborghini currently has nine dealerships/showrooms in China but plans to have 20 open and operating by the end of the year. The carmaker is now waiting for the roll-out of its new 12-cylinder, 700-horsepower Aventador model – priced on the mainland at 6.28 million yuan (678,000 euros) – and already there are 200 pre-orders in from China, according to the company. According to research carried out by the company, mainland Chinese owners of Lamborghinis are on average the youngest in the world at 35. “They are self-made men. They are very young but in China most of the money is young,” a spokesperson from the carmaker told the SMP recently. A procession of the world’s leading luxury carmakers are expanding throughout the Chinese market. According to motor industry watchers IHS Automotive, luxury car sales in China should top 909,900 units this year – up from 727,200 units last year. The world’s largest luxury carmaker – BMW AG – says it has moved 121, 614 cars in China this year (up 60.8 percent), while Mercedes-Benz says it has sold just over 95,030 cars there this year, already up 59 percent from 2010.
Click to enlarge.
